April 17, 2025 • 48 mins
A simple microscope gift during a childhood illness sparked a lifelong passion for horticulture that would take Dr. Daniel Leskovar from Argentina to leadership in American plant science. As the current President of the American Society for Horticultural Science, Dr. Leskovar shares the remarkable journey that began with his father's work in hop production and led him through prestigious institutions across three continents.
The conversation reveals how formative experiences—observing agricultural practices in Patagonia, studying plant cells during recovery from a kidney infection, and adapting to a fruit and vegetable-rich diet—shaped his scientific curiosity. Dr. Leskovar pursued advanced degrees at Wageningen University, UC Davis, and the University of Florida before establishing himself as a respected researcher and center director at Texas A&M University.
From his base in the "Winter Garden of Texas," Dr. Leskovar conducts innovative research on artichokes, tomatoes, spinach, and hydroponics. His current projects showcase a commitment to practical solutions, including grafting techniques for improved tomato production, assessing cadmium levels in spinach to ensure food safety, and developing hydroponic systems that can engage students with horticultural science.
What truly distinguishes this conversation is Dr. Leskovar's vision for horticultural science globally. He articulates ambitious goals for ASHS, emphasizing the need to elevate publications, strengthen the society's brand recognition, and forge international partnerships that highlight how "what we do matters to people, matters to the environment, matters to quality of life."
Ready to discover how horticultural science shapes our world? To learn more about Dr. Leskovar's research, visit Vegetable physiology, production, quality - Texas A&M AgriLife Center at Uvalde or contact him directly at daniel.leskovar@ag.tamu.edu.
Learn more about the American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS) at https://ashs.org/.
HortTechnology, HortScience and the Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science are all open-access and peer-reviewed journals, published by the American Society of Horticultural Science (ASHS). Find them at journals.ashs.org.
Consider becoming an ASHS member at https://ashs.org/page/Becomeamember!
You can also find the official webpage for Plants, People, Science at ashs.org/plantspeoplesciencepodcast, and we encourage you to send us feedback or suggestions at https://ashs.org/webinarpodcastsuggestion.
Podcast transcripts are available at https://plantspeoplescience.buzzsprout.com.
On LinkedIn find Sam Humphrey at linkedin.com/in/samson-humphrey. Curt Rom is at https://www.linkedin.com/in/curt-rom-611085134/. Lena Wilson is at https://www.linkedin.com/in/lena-wilson-2531a5141/.
Thank you for listening!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Curt Rom (00:14):
Hello, welcome to Plants People Science, the
podcast of the American Societyfor Horticultural Science, where
we talk about all kinds ofthings horticulture.
I'm your Cu rt Rom, University, professor of Horticulture at
the University of Arkansas,along with my friend and co-host
, Samson Humphrey, a PhDresearcher at the University of
(00:36):
Tennessee, Knoxville.
We'd like to welcome you.
Glad you're here today, Sam.
Samson Humphrey (00:42):
how are you, Curt, I'm doing fantastic.
We have an exciting episodetoday.
Curt Rom (00:47):
Yeah, I'm real excited we're going to speak with Dr
Leskovar, Daniel Leskovar.
He's president of ASHS.
He's got a very interestingstory Growing up in Argentina,
coming to the United States on aFulbright Fellowship, studying
at some major horticulturalinstitutions and then working in
(01:07):
one of the most productivehorticultural rich regions of
Texas.
So are you ready for spring?
The days are getting longer.
It's starting to get warm here.
We haven't had a big snowfallyet.
You know, I'm kind of thinkingwe're going to get one, but my
(01:27):
mind has shifted towards spring.
I'm starting to prune my treesin the orchard.
I've got my research plans forthe spring.
The semester of school hasstarted.
We're fully engaged.
I'm kind of ready for spring.
I always get my excitementlevel goes up at this time of
year.
Samson Humphrey (01:47):
If you say so, Curt, I'm in the mood for summer
.
I really enjoy when campus isempty, there are no students
around.
I can walk through the emptyhallways.
Then again, I do enjoy poppinginto professors' offices and
waving hi.
So it is nice to be back andseeing those people again.
(02:09):
But it's exciting actually.
I am in Knoxville for the firstspring and it's just beautiful
here the hills and mountains andtrees.
It's a new view of plants thatI never got in where I used to
live in Florida.
So I feel like my horizons arebroadening and, yeah, it's an
(02:33):
exciting time.
Curt Rom (02:34):
Well, I think you'll find out that you really enjoy
it.
You know, knoxville is verymuch like Fayetteville in terms
of its climate.
You know we have really fourdiscrete, almost equally
balanced seasons, and so we'renow halfway through winter.
Springtime is going to come upreal soon.
Spring always seems to jump onme before I'm ready.
(02:57):
We'll have that couple warmdays in February and the
daffodils will be up, the tulipswill be popping up, and then
I'm going to be thinking I'malready behind on getting my
spring and the summer work going.
And you know, do I have myplans planted?
Are my plans planned wellenough?
(03:18):
Do I have the plants ready togo?
But I'm excited about it.
You know there is somethingspecial about a university when
it's empty.
But as a professor, samson, Ihave to tell you I get so much
energy from having studentsaround the classes I teach, the
(03:40):
interaction with our graduatestudents.
That brings me a lot of energy.
Samson Humphrey (03:44):
Well, what I'm excited about for this spring is
all the new podcast episodeswe're planning for the year.
This is the time the team takesto plan ahead and say what
sorts of summer themed episodesdo we want, what sorts of fall
themed episodes can we lookforward to?
And so yeah, I'm reallyenthused about what we have
(04:07):
coming up on the podcast.
Curt Rom (04:09):
Yeah, I am too.
So this is our first podcast of2025.
I'm excited about it, so Isuppose we ought to get going.
Samson Humphrey (04:17):
Sounds good.
Good morning, Dr Leskovar.
(04:37):
Could you please introduceyourself?
Daniel Leskovar (04:40):
Good morning Sam.
Certainly yes.
My name is Daniel Leskovar.
I'm a professor in vegetativeand crop physiology at Texas A&M
University.
I'm also the center director ofthe Uvalde Dallas AgriLife
Research and Extension Center.
Curt Rom (05:00):
Good morning, Dr Leskovar.
Tell us a little bit about thecenter.
How big is the center that youwork with?
Good morning, Dr Leskovar.
Tell us a little bit about thecenter.
How big is the center that youwork?
Daniel Leskovar (05:06):
with.
Good morning, Dr Rom, nice tosee you again.
Yeah, I mean, the UvaldeResearch and Extension Center is
located in a rural area westfrom San Antonio, and so the
(05:30):
center is about, together withgraduate students, postdocs we
should be shy of 55, somethinglike that While the Dallas
Center, located in themetropolitan area, it's almost
double it's just 120 plusbetween faculty, research,
extension, different agencies,postdoc and students and staff,
of course.
Curt Rom (05:50):
Okay, it's a good-sized group.
Thank you, yeah.
Samson Humphrey (05:54):
It is, and you've been running it for a
while, since 2011.
Daniel Leskovar (05:58):
You've had quite a while yes, 2011 at the
Uvalde Research and Extensionand in Dallas.
I've been interning for almost40 years and became director
this year, so it's been alreadyfive years at the Dallas Center.
Samson Humphrey (06:15):
So how did you become interested in
horticulture?
I know your family had ahistory in agriculture.
You were brought to the Pampasregion of Argentina when you
were six.
Can you talk a little bit aboutwhat that was like for you?
Daniel Leskovar (06:28):
Sure, sure.
So, like you indicated, yes, myfather has an agricultural
science degree, a doctoraldegree, from the University of
Firenze in Italy, and so hemoved to Argentina after the
Second World War.
University of Firenze in Italy,and so he moved to Argentina
after the Second World War, wasimmediately working for a
(06:54):
brewing company for hops, hopsproduction and research.
So when I was two years old, myfather used to take us to all
of the hop farms in the verysouthern Argentina, you know, in
the Patagonia area, visitingfarmers and growing hops, and
that always created an image, animprint, early on in my
childhood.
So then, after four years more,at the age of six, my father,
(07:23):
because of his job, of six, myfather because of his job, moved
to near Mar del Plata, which isin the province of Buenos Aires
, into a large farm that we havethere crops, agronomic crops,
wheat, potatoes and barley, andalso horticultural crops and
some small fruits, and alsohorticultural crops and some
(07:46):
small fruits, but the mainactivity was hops for beer, and
so that allowed me to be exposedto those kind of crops.
But then, when I got seven yearsold, I had a very severe kidney
infection that put me in bedfor one year in the hospital, a
(08:10):
couple of months, and so duringthat time, when I got seven, my
father gave me a microscope,thinking that I was going to be
resting, and then thismicroscope actually changed my
view of plants because I wasable to look through the mirrors
(08:32):
, beyond what you see on youreyes.
So I explored the cells, thetissues, and that gave me
intrigue about plant biology andthat, you know, it gave me
intrigue about plant biology andto this day, actually, I sense
(08:59):
and I smell, you know, thatwooden, encased, clear wood box,
you know, with a green clothinside, and then the black
microscope.
So it was really an interestingimprint in my life to these
days, or imprint in my life tothis day.
So after that, in addition tothat, obviously because of my
condition, my mother, which isEastern European, from Croatia,
was an excellent cook, so I hadto change the diet because of
that, and so the diet was basedon fruits and vegetables to a
(09:22):
large extent.
So those combinations betweenthe exposure to plants, to the
environments and to the foodgave me much more interest in
agriculture, particularlyhorticulture.
Curt Rom (09:38):
Dr Leskovar, that's an interesting story.
The reason it resonates with meis actually when I was nine
years old, my father gave me amicroscope and I remember the
first time putting a leafunderneath it and looking and
seeing the cells of a leaf.
I just thought that was amazing.
Was that kind of the start ofyour research?
Curiosity that you know thatmicroscope, that simple little
(10:03):
gift, that kind of piqued yourcuriosity?
Daniel Leskovar (10:07):
Yes, yes, certainly.
Thank you, Curt.
Yes, I mean, I will remember.
There were two gifts that hegave me when I was in that time.
One was that and the other washe came with a toy from Japan
when he went to Europe and cameback, and that toy was, you know
(10:28):
, it was a helicopter.
So in my imagination thehelicopter should fly.
So I just, you know, threw thathelicopter much of interest as
compared to some more insidegift like the microscope.
(10:51):
Yes, so to confirm yourquestion, Curt, that was a
critical point for me to decide.
You know, horticulture me todecide no.
Horticulture it's no.
Or even though I didn't, atthat time I didn't know the
details, but exposing to plantsand the environment gave me the
(11:12):
drive to the next steps.
Curt Rom (11:15):
What about when you went to college?
Did you get involved inresearch as a college student?
Daniel Leskovar (11:21):
Yes, yes.
Well, after that, during thattime then, I went before college
.
In my high school the preferredsubject was biology.
So after finishing my highschool I decided to do the
undergraduate or BS we call ithere in biochemistry in the
(11:44):
college of Medicine in BuenosAires.
So I went there.
But soon after that I realizedthat plants were my passion and
then decided to move with myfamily back to the southern
Patagonia and there I studiedagronomy, or agricultural
sciences, with a specializationor orientation in horticulture.
(12:09):
This is a five-yearundergraduate program, very
applied in a sense, verypractical, and that prepares you
very well for the job market.
And actually, when I was in thethird year, I was managing two
(12:31):
fruit farms apples and pears aswell as a hop farm, an
experimental farm together withmy dad.
So that was the next stepsassociated with horticulture.
Samson Humphrey (12:44):
But then you went far.
After that you went to theUniversity of Wageningen in the
Netherlands, and then theUniversity of California, Davis
and then the University ofFlorida for your master's and
PhD degrees.
Can you talk us through thenext steps of how you became a
vegetable physiologist?
Daniel Leskovar (13:02):
Sure, yeah.
So when I finished myundergraduate with horticulture,
I still continued working inhops from a private company, but
also part-time working at theuniversity in the horticulture
(13:25):
courses.
And then I decided that reallymy passion again continued to be
horticulture.
So I had the opportunity toreconsider my future and decided
to apply for a Fulbrightscholarship.
And I applied the first yearand I was selected.
(13:49):
But they decided that thetiming was not there.
And then at the same time, mymentor in the university where I
was working with him inhorticulture, he has done
training in the Netherlands, inWageningen, and he suggested to
(14:11):
me why don't you consider goingto try to apply for the
government scholarship?
So I did, I got it and went toWageningen University, which is
(14:40):
the number one university in theworld, and that experience
engaging with the most renownedscientists in the world, with
different exposures thatprovided the kick for me to
re-evaluate my future.
And it was at the end of thatstay that Fulbright contacted me
again and they say you know,wait, we have your application
from last year, will youreconsider this?
(15:06):
And certainly, came back fromthe Netherlands and decided you
know, after visiting with myfamily, that that was the step
to do, and then went to UC Davisfor my master's and spent two
years a little longer than twoyears and then, after that,
University of Florida for thePhD.
Samson Humphrey (15:28):
That's amazing.
What was it like moving aroundso much?
Daniel Leskovar (15:37):
What major challenges did you face moving
between countries?
Well, you know, being inArgentina, Argentina is a large
country, like Texas is a largestate, so you travel a lot.
So my father was also atraveler and from going from one
place to the other, from BuenosAires to the southern Patagonia
, that was about 1,000 miles oreven more than that.
(15:58):
So we were kind of used interms of traveling.
So adjusting to traveling wasnot, but obviously adjusting to
different cultures, thatobviously takes time.
Adjusting to an educationalsystem also takes time.
So I wouldn't say it was easy.
(16:20):
Everything has to bereconsidered and then how best
you can adapt, you know it's upto.
You know how open we are, youknow, for changing certain
things to be more accommodatingto the social, cultural
environment that was in the US.
Curt Rom (16:41):
So you moved around.
You completed your degree,you've landed in Texas and now
you're down at Uvalde.
You've been there since 2011.
Tell us a little bit about thehorticulture of that region.
What are some of thehorticultural crops that are
grown there, and how does thatintersect with your research and
(17:03):
your interests?
Daniel Leskovar (17:05):
Certainly yeah, mm-hmm, certainly yeah.
The Uvalde area the region isthe Uvalde County and Uvalde
City is at the heart of what thearea called the Winter Garden
(17:25):
of Texas hour and 15, 20 minutes, and it's a very rich kind of a
valley below the hill countryof Texas, a beautiful hill
country, and it's surrounded by,you know, with rivers.
There's four rivers.
Of course, most of them now arevery dry because of the drought
(17:50):
that we have, but most of thecrops then, because of our
environmental conditions, areirrigated.
So there is about 120,000 acresplus or minus of agronomic and
vegetable crops or specialtycrops than vegetable crops or
specialty crops.
And so in terms ofhorticultural crops, the
(18:12):
measured ones, as the wordindicates, winter garden are
leafy, leafy greens or coolseason crops.
The benefit of this region isthat we have mild winters, so it
starts in late September, earlyOctober, until late March.
You could grow a variety ofcool season vegetables, the more
(18:43):
important being spinach,cabbage, onions, carrots and
also other cruciferous crops,leafy greens and then broccoli
and to some extent leafy greensand then broccoli and to some
extent, you know, some smallgrowing of cauliflowers or some
other cold crops.
Then it's also a big area ofproduction in potatoes for
processing.
We have more than 5,000 acresand that is part because the
(19:07):
region also have different soiltypes.
We go from heavy clay soil tosandy soil, low pH.
That allows to grow potatoes orgreen beans and also
watermelons as well, and in thespring summer we have again some
of the cucurbit crop,watermelons and melons.
We used to have really muchmore production of cantaloupes
(19:32):
but due to conditions of themarkets and safety and water,
that industry has been reallyreduced significantly.
Curt Rom (19:46):
So of all those crops that's a lot, and I can see why
you call it the winter garden.
It's really the winter saladgarden, it sounds like.
What are some of the crops thatyou've worked on?
And maybe I should really askthis what's the most fun crop or
intriguing crop that you'veworked on?
What's an exciting one?
Pique, that little boy'sinterest with that microscope.
Daniel Leskovar (20:10):
Yeah, the most exciting one.
Actually, you know going backthis is going back to the
microscope at that time.
So when I was at the universityback in Rio Negro, the crop
that I really liked the mostwere artichokes, asparagus and
strawberries.
Now, if I had to pick up a cropthat grows well here, a kind of
(20:35):
an introduced crop, I tried tointroduce with several growers.
It is artichokes and I,together with my team I gathered
students, we developed kind ofa know-how to grow artichokes in
this region, which is, you know, much warmer.
But you know, we develop themanagement techniques in terms
(21:00):
of irrigation and fertilizationand varieties and planting
configuration, mulching, thosesorts of things, in addition to
different varieties of genetics.
Working with some colleagues inCalifornia.
So artichokes have been fun andin addition to that it's a top
(21:21):
one of the major, if not themajor, vegetable crops in terms
of health.
Because of antioxidantproperties and phenolic
compounds it runs at the samelevel as blueberries or some of
the berries.
Curt Rom (21:35):
Well, yeah, I love artichokes and I really
appreciate that they have stronghealth value.
I probably negate that withmelted butter or with sauces
that I use to put on myartichokes, but at least I feel
good about it now.
So, Dr Leskovar, do Iunderstand right?
(21:56):
Did you receive a USDA NIFASpecialty Crop Research
Initiative grant onfarm-to-table that you've worked
on?
Daniel Leskovar (22:04):
I was part of that, but not as a PI.
I was a collaborator in that.
Yeah, I believe Dr Bhimu Patilreceived that early on.
Yes, we work on that as a team.
Curt Rom (22:23):
What was your role in that particular grant?
Yeah, you know those grantshave to be a collaboration of
several team members and haveseveral aspects that are worked
on.
So what was your role as theteam member for that grant?
Daniel Leskovar (22:38):
I mean, you're talking about this grant that
was received.
It was awarded recently or afew years back.
Curt Rom (22:46):
I think it was a recent one.
It's a farm-to-table, asustainable approach to melon
supply and melon production.
Daniel Leskovar (22:55):
Oh, yeah, yeah, so that part was basically as a
multi-state large project.
Our part was looking at, youknow, interaction between
genetics and the environment.
So I worked very close with amelon breeder at Texas A&M
(23:18):
University, Dr Kevin Crosby, sowe have been working with him in
melons and tomatoes and peppersparticular melons and peppers,
and tomatoes and peppersparticular melons and peppers
and so we were basicallyevaluating different types of
melon types and the differentconditions in our region, with
(23:42):
the idea to look at the qualityaspects, because obviously the
different regions have differentenvironmental conditions and
soils, so all of those may not.
Then went to further evaluationin terms of quality, sensorial
quality and also aspect relatedto potential interactions now
(24:08):
with certain diseases orbacterias that could be
implicated in contamination.
Curt Rom (24:16):
For melons in the Uvalde region.
You know melons, likecantaloupes and watermelons,
have a pretty limitedseasonality in the south.
So with your mild environmentwere you able to have early
melons?
You know transplant at thistime of year and have early
(24:37):
melons, or do you transplant inthe fall and have late melons?
What was the season that youcould capitalize on?
Sure, yeah, no, the season isstrictly in the spring?
Daniel Leskovar (24:48):
Sure, yeah, no, the season is strictly in the
spring.
So because of the winters aremild but still cool enough for
the plants to enjoy growing.
So we have to wait until lateMarch, early April, particularly
for watermelons, forwatermelons, and then we start
the watermelons.
(25:08):
You know, we start fromtransplants.
Obviously, because of themajority of the watermelons,
more than 70, 80 percentnowadays are all seedless
watermelons, so there are moreexpensive seeds.
So you want to make sure thatone seed produces one plant and
(25:28):
that one plant will produce noproduction.
That will be beneficial andeconomically.
So the the transplants aregrowing in the, in nurseries, in
the case of the watermelons,for about no to 30 days and then
they plant it in in, like Isaid, late March, early, early
(25:51):
April in our region, and thenthe crop can be start harvesting
at 70 days.
So it's a fairly rapid cyclebecause temperatures approaching
in June, July, can very, veryhot and extreme, so the
temperatures actually are hightemperature no-transcript.
Curt Rom (26:22):
Okay, thank you very much.
I found that kind ofinteresting.
I just didn't know that Good.
Samson Humphrey (26:28):
Now I want to ask a few questions about ASHS.
But before we move on, arethere any projects you're
working on right now or that arehappening at your center right
now that you're really excitedabout?
Daniel Leskovar (26:39):
In terms of the ASHS you say about ASHS or
projects in research, projectsin research.
Yeah, yeah, there are two,actually three projects right
now that we are concentrating.
We've been working quite a bitin tomatoes fresh market
tomatoes for production in theregion and also in Texas, and
(27:07):
the emphasis is combiningbasically simple technologies to
improve the productivity andthe quality of fresh market
tomatoes for growers that aremore associated with marketing
to retailers or farmers' marketsor direct sales.
(27:28):
So we're working with adifferent type of evaluation of
screening different cultivarsand genotypes from breeding
program in high tunnelconditions and also open field
as well, above convention, andwe started to do some organic as
(27:49):
well.
But a major emphasis on thatalso was incorporating the
grafting technology, as graftingis, you know, it's a very old
traditional technique that, um,you know, has been, you know,
implemented, you know, by by bysome growers and we're looking
at screening different types ofrootstocks, both commercials and
(28:13):
also new genetics, throughcollaborators that I have in
Saudi Arabia, and compared tothe standard measure used
rootstocks and we are evaluatingthose not only under the high
tunnel and open field but alsousing some tools like
(28:36):
phenotyping tools.
We have an equipment calleddrought spotter that we can
actually measure exactlytranspiration or how much water
those plants utilize to reallyprovide some more understanding
about the benefit of grafting interms of water uptake and also
looking at nutrient uptake.
(28:57):
And I have another project onthat, working in collaboration
with the University of Floridaand Nevada.
This was a recently awardedUSDA specialty crop multistate
project and we will actuallyexpand the management aspects of
(29:22):
growing grafted tomatoes inhigh tunnels in both
conventional and organic fields.
So we will look at theproduction, at the physiology
try to get a betterunderstanding of the benefit of
grafting under thoseenvironments.
So those are very excitingprojects for us and also we
(29:44):
initiated the project it wasselected and funded by the state
Texas Department of Agriculturein looking at certain nutrients
that could be implicated in thesafety of spinach, as we know
that California is suffering anutrient called cadmium.
(30:06):
It's suffering a nutrient calledcadmium.
It's a heavy metal that hasbeen a problem in terms of
cadmium contamination in leafygreens, particularly spinach.
So we are doing the firstassessment, working with the
spinach growers in terms of thesoils and then the leaves to
determine the level and alsolooking at different varieties
(30:27):
of spinach and differentharvesting time and seasons.
The hypothesis is that we don'tanticipate having cadmium
problems in our region.
In part there has been someanecdotal data that indicates
that Some anecdotal data thatindicates that.
(30:48):
But as well as our conditionsin the silty clay soils, high
calcareous soils probably areless prominent to the presence
of the cadmium in the soil.
So that's the second project andthe third one is actually
working in hydroponics.
In hydroponics we have someprojects, also funded by the
(31:11):
state, in which we are lookingat different aspects of
management related tohydroponics of leafy greens,
looking at management andsystems and nutrition and type
of varieties, and also we arelinking that project together
with some other stakeholders andit includes schools yeah, boise
State schools, kidsparticularly, that could be
(31:32):
interested to implement thistechnique for their educational
programs and experiences inhorticulture.
It's a long answer but you knowthis is a major project that
we're happy to engage.
Samson Humphrey (31:50):
That's amazing.
So you have all of thesevegetable projects you're doing.
You're a very active researcher.
You're doing a lot of workthere, but you're also very
involved with the AmericanSociety for Horticultural
Science.
This year congratulations youare the ASHS president.
What inspired you to take thisstep?
Daniel Leskovar (32:10):
Well, yeah, so, first and foremost, I was
nominated by my peers, so that'sto me, it's a significant honor
to join a society, you know,with very strong core values, a
mission to improve people'slives, to improve the
(32:32):
environment, making it moresustainable and, obviously, to
improve the economies associatedwith horticultural crops.
So that's one.
And second is to serve and giveback to members in a much
broader capacity that I wasparticipating in the past, just
(32:55):
as a member, and I thought aboutthat since I have some
leadership experience in thepast.
Also, I was chair of one of thelargest divisions in the
International Society for HealthScience for two terms from
eight years, that was vegetablecrops.
That experience, together withbeing a previous member at large
(33:23):
at the board of the ASHS largeat the board of the ASHS that
they were able to see clearlyhow hard and dedicated the
members of the board and theASHS staff were for constantly
making the society better and tobe what we are we were before
and we are now and we will befuture, premier professional
(33:46):
societies.
So, yeah, so those twoexperiences and values are the
two elements that make me todecide to be part of this great
organization.
Curt Rom (34:03):
Dr Leskovar, it is quite an honor to be nominated
and then elected by your peersand it's quite a commitment.
So you're president-elect for ayear, you're then president,
then you're chairman of theboard.
You serve on the executivecommittee during that period of
time.
You previously served on theboard for two years.
As president and as chairman ofthe board, do you have some
(34:26):
specific goals, some things thatyou would like to see the
American Society forHorticultural Science accomplish
or do?
Share with us what your kind ofvision is and your goals.
Where would you like to see usgo do, or what needle would you
like to see move?
Daniel Leskovar (34:45):
Sure, I mean, there's so much that we can do
right, but you know, just tofocus on major strategic areas
that we feel that would be ofbenefit for the broad community
of the ASHS members, number one,I think you know, is
publications.
Members number one, I think, ispublications Publications.
(35:08):
We're already makingsignificant efforts and changes
in this space.
There's been already more thanprobably close to one year like
that, together with talentedmembers as editors and
consulting editors, togetherwith members of the board, we
(35:33):
have several brainstormingsessions and ideas and they were
already put into practice toimprove the processes and timing
and the reviews, keepingobviously the quality of the
science as a driving factor foreverything that we do in terms
of publication.
So we have an excellent teaminvolved in education.
(35:58):
There are also digitalplatforms and publication
processes that we hope that thiswill continue providing a
better experience for members toconsider our journals to, you
know, the main one for them tochoose and publish the research.
But we have more to do and wedo this constantly and it's not
(36:21):
the work of one person, it's ateam effort and certainly you
know you have been also, Curt,very incredible, your expertise
in the past, society aspresident and others that we get
(36:42):
to brainstorming this to makeit a better quality publications
.
So that's the number one, Ithink.
The second this is more kind ofa general.
I feel that we need to do abetter job in promoting ASHS as
(37:03):
a brand and at a much higherlevel.
We think that we're doing well,but the stakeholder and the
communities is very large andbroad.
So we need to elevate ouridentity, our science and then
(37:24):
give strategic value for therole in education, the role that
our colleagues get in educationfor developing the new future
horticulture as scientistsbasically, and we have to
(37:44):
proactively deliver our storythat what we do have tremendous
value.
What we do matters to people,matters to the environment,
matters to the quality of life.
So, consumers, we know theimportance of horticultural
products in health and nutritionand sustainability, products in
(38:09):
health and nutrition andsustainability.
So how we do that and I thinkshare that there is a lot under
those products.
There is a lot of science,there is a lot of innovation.
This is a lot of technologiesthat our colleagues have been
doing this for decades in thisrole for decades.
So I think making that storyclear to the general clientele
(38:31):
will be of help.
That's number two here.
Curt Rom (38:35):
So you know, you are a member of International Origin,
which is we've actually hadsome presidents that have come
from various parts of the world,most of them from Canada.
I think you're our firstArgentinian originating
president that have come fromvarious parts of the world, most
of them from Canada.
I think you're our firstArgentinian originating
president, so congratulations onthat.
Do you bring in a differentperspective?
(38:56):
I know that you helped forge arelationship with the World
Vegetable Center With yourexperience in the ISHS and the
International Vegetable Group.
Do you have some vision formore internationalization of the
ISHS?
Daniel Leskovar (39:29):
I hope so.
I hope to go through mynetworking connections, exposure
.
We have already, even beforebeing nominated in the American
Society, been discussing with mypeers at the American society,
with the international society,in the possibility of, you know,
joint events, for example, orspecific events that will
(39:54):
include more participation ofyoung professionals or students.
But also we need to perhapsincorporate other NGOs or other
funding agencies that are notparticularly focusing on a
particular continent.
It's more about regions andways to improve the economic
(40:16):
well-being in certain moredeveloping countries.
So I think there is a lot thatwe can do.
It's a matter of finding thatsynergy and the focus to
concentrate the efforts, and Ithink we're in a good momentum.
We are in a good momentum, asyou've seen in the meeting that
(40:41):
we had in Hawaii and in my pastreflection.
I talk about some opportunitiesfor also engaging young minds or
young professionals or graduatestudents through some funding
opportunities, throughnon-profit organizations like
Full Write and I know you'vebeen Fulbright , I've been a
(41:03):
Full Writer and so there'swonderful opportunities that
could link between these twoorganizations through those
actions.
And the other, obviously, isthat we need to keep in mind
that many of us have the fortuneto collaborate in projects,
international, and, as such,part of the outcomes we normally
(41:27):
present either papers orpresenting results at their
venues or different venues.
So I think marketing theAmerican ASHS in those venues
will also be very important,because some probably don't know
(41:48):
or don't have access to but allit takes for a person to
participate in one meeting andthat could create some spark
that that person couldparticipate more or be active or
share that experience withtheir peers in their own, in
(42:10):
their home countries.
So, yeah, that's it, and, ofcourse, planning joint meetings
is something that we've beendiscussing.
We're discussing with you, kurt, about the possibility of
engaging Canada or even withMexico and possibly even with
(42:30):
Latin America as well, togetherwith international.
I think there are alsoopportunities to explore that.
Curt Rom (42:37):
Thank you, you have a busy agenda.
You only have about sevenmonths left.
Daniel Leskovar (42:43):
This is not again, this is not the time.
It's timeless, it's not.
No, we all need to be workingtogether.
We know that some of thesemeetings take time and goes way
beyond a one-year term.
So this is just a collectiveeffort that hopefully we can
implement those in a shortertime.
(43:04):
But we want to make sure we doit now with quality and very
strategic.
Curt Rom (43:12):
Yeah, I know we're already looking forward.
The next conference that theplanning will begin on is the
meeting, the conference in 2028,which is our 125th anniversary
of the society.
Samson Humphrey (43:24):
There's a lot to be excited about.
For my last question, DrLeskovar, I'm curious within the
ASHS, what do you enjoy themost?
Is it the collaborations, theinterest groups?
Daniel Leskovar (43:36):
Enjoy the most?
Is it the collaborations, theinterest groups?
Well, both.
I mean collaboration, interestgroups, but again, I think I
mentioned what it's fulfillingthat being in the ASHS.
It provides you kind of asource of inspiration, or it's
(43:59):
an idea, idea generation thatyou know, you listen, you share,
you learn and those can betranslated into new ideas for
projects or collaborations.
So you know, throughdiscussions, groups,
participating in workshops, inseminars, symposiums, or simply
(44:22):
drinking a coffee with a bunchof colleagues and discussing
ideas freely, that really sparksa lot of new possibilities for
either looking at yourtechniques or having questions,
developing hypotheses and thenimplement them when you come
(44:45):
back.
So it's quite open and always,you know, and you have to be
very receptive to all of thoseopportunities.
So it's wonderful toparticipate in all of those
aspects.
Curt Rom (45:00):
Well, thank you very much.
You know, I'll see you in acouple of weeks at the Southern
Region meeting, so that'll befun, and if you remind me, I'll
buy you a cup of coffee.
Daniel Leskovar (45:11):
Well, thank you .
Thank you, Curt, and thank youSam.
This has been wonderful, greatto be with you.
Thank you, Curt, and thank youSam.
This has been wonderful, it'sgreat to be with you.
Samson Humphrey (45:17):
Thank you for joining us.
Well, that was a fantasticconversation.
I really loved getting to knowDr Leskovar.
Curt Rom (45:34):
You know, Sam, I really enjoyed it as well.
He had a very interesting story.
He comes to the United Statesas an international student.
You can tell from his storythat he already had this passion
about horticulture and thispassion about plants.
And now here he is.
He's got an important position.
He's emerged on our nationalstage.
(45:56):
He's become a leader amonghorticulturists in the United
States and, quite honestly,through his involvement with the
ASHS and the InternationalSociety for Horticulture Science
, he's become a leaderinternationally.
I thought it was a wonderfulinterview and I felt that I
learned a lot about him as anindividual and what he is doing
in his research areas.
Samson Humphrey (46:18):
Absolutely so for our listeners.
You should also check out DrLeskovar's Hort Legend interview
on YouTube.
You can find it by searchingfor the American Society for
Horticultural Science YouTubechannel, which is titled ASHS
Horticulture.
You can also see his latestessays on the ASHS e-news.
(46:38):
For example, his headlinearticle for December was about
the important role ofhorticulture in holiday
celebrations.
His research website is onlineand you can find it by searching
vegetable physiology at TexasA&M.
If you'd like to reach out toDr Leskovar, you can send him an
email at daniel.
leskovar@ ag.
tamu.
edu.
Curt Rom (47:01):
If this interview resonates with you, I recommend
that you renew your membershipor you consider joining the
American Society forHorticulture Science and become
part of interest groups like theInternational Scientists
Interest Group or the VegetableWorking Group.
If you'd like more informationon the American Society for
Horticulture Science in general,please go to our website, ashs.
(47:24):
org.
And, on behalf of the ASHS,this is Curt Rom, joined by my
co-host, Samson Humphrey.
Thanks for joining us today.
See you later, Sam.
Samson Humphrey (47:40):
See you later, Curt.
Thanks for listening.
Curt Rom (47:46):
The ASHS podcast Plants, people and Science is
made possible by member dues andvolunteerism.
Please go to ASHS.
org to learn more.
If you're not already a memberof the ASHS, we invite you to
join.
ASHS is a not-for-profit andyour donations are tax
(48:08):
deductible.
Samson Humphrey (48:10):
This episode is hosted by Samson Humphrey and
Kurt Rome.
Special thanks to our audioengineer, Andrew Scheldorf, our
research specialists Lena Wilsonand Andrew Scheldorf, our ASHS
support team, Sara Powell andSally Murphy, and our musician
John Clark.
Thanks for listening.
Thank you.
Hello, welcome to Plants People Science, the
podcast of the American Societyfor Horticultural Science, where
we talk about all kinds ofthings horticulture.
I'm your Cu rt Rom, University, professor of Horticulture at
the University of Arkansas,along with my friend and co-host
, Samson Humphrey, a PhDresearcher at the University of
(00:36):
Tennessee, Knoxville.
We'd like to welcome you.
Glad you're here today, Sam.
Samson Humphrey (00:42):
how are you, Curt, I'm doing fantastic.
We have an exciting episodetoday.
Curt Rom (00:47):
Yeah, I'm real excited we're going to speak with Dr
Leskovar, Daniel Leskovar.
He's president of ASHS.
He's got a very interestingstory Growing up in Argentina,
coming to the United States on aFulbright Fellowship, studying
at some major horticulturalinstitutions and then working in
(01:07):
one of the most productivehorticultural rich regions of
Texas.
So are you ready for spring?
The days are getting longer.
It's starting to get warm here.
We haven't had a big snowfallyet.
You know, I'm kind of thinkingwe're going to get one, but my
(01:27):
mind has shifted towards spring.
I'm starting to prune my treesin the orchard.
I've got my research plans forthe spring.
The semester of school hasstarted.
We're fully engaged.
I'm kind of ready for spring.
I always get my excitementlevel goes up at this time of
year.
Samson Humphrey (01:47):
If you say so, Curt, I'm in the mood for summer
.
I really enjoy when campus isempty, there are no students
around.
I can walk through the emptyhallways.
Then again, I do enjoy poppinginto professors' offices and
waving hi.
So it is nice to be back andseeing those people again.
(02:09):
But it's exciting actually.
I am in Knoxville for the firstspring and it's just beautiful
here the hills and mountains andtrees.
It's a new view of plants thatI never got in where I used to
live in Florida.
So I feel like my horizons arebroadening and, yeah, it's an
(02:33):
exciting time.
Curt Rom (02:34):
Well, I think you'll find out that you really enjoy
it.
You know, knoxville is verymuch like Fayetteville in terms
of its climate.
You know we have really fourdiscrete, almost equally
balanced seasons, and so we'renow halfway through winter.
Springtime is going to come upreal soon.
Spring always seems to jump onme before I'm ready.
(02:57):
We'll have that couple warmdays in February and the
daffodils will be up, the tulipswill be popping up, and then
I'm going to be thinking I'malready behind on getting my
spring and the summer work going.
And you know, do I have myplans planted?
Are my plans planned wellenough?
(03:18):
Do I have the plants ready togo?
But I'm excited about it.
You know there is somethingspecial about a university when
it's empty.
But as a professor, samson, Ihave to tell you I get so much
energy from having studentsaround the classes I teach, the
(03:40):
interaction with our graduatestudents.
That brings me a lot of energy.
Samson Humphrey (03:44):
Well, what I'm excited about for this spring is
all the new podcast episodeswe're planning for the year.
This is the time the team takesto plan ahead and say what
sorts of summer themed episodesdo we want, what sorts of fall
themed episodes can we lookforward to?
And so yeah, I'm reallyenthused about what we have
(04:07):
coming up on the podcast.
Curt Rom (04:09):
Yeah, I am too.
So this is our first podcast of2025.
I'm excited about it, so Isuppose we ought to get going.
Samson Humphrey (04:17):
Sounds good.
Good morning, Dr Leskovar.
(04:37):
Could you please introduceyourself?
Daniel Leskovar (04:40):
Good morning Sam.
Certainly yes.
My name is Daniel Leskovar.
I'm a professor in vegetativeand crop physiology at Texas A&M
University.
I'm also the center director ofthe Uvalde Dallas AgriLife
Research and Extension Center.
Curt Rom (05:00):
Good morning, Dr Leskovar.
Tell us a little bit about thecenter.
How big is the center that youwork with?
Good morning, Dr Leskovar.
Tell us a little bit about thecenter.
How big is the center that youwork?
Daniel Leskovar (05:06):
with.
Good morning, Dr Rom, nice tosee you again.
Yeah, I mean, the UvaldeResearch and Extension Center is
located in a rural area westfrom San Antonio, and so the
(05:30):
center is about, together withgraduate students, postdocs we
should be shy of 55, somethinglike that While the Dallas
Center, located in themetropolitan area, it's almost
double it's just 120 plusbetween faculty, research,
extension, different agencies,postdoc and students and staff,
of course.
Curt Rom (05:50):
Okay, it's a good-sized group.
Thank you, yeah.
Samson Humphrey (05:54):
It is, and you've been running it for a
while, since 2011.
Daniel Leskovar (05:58):
You've had quite a while yes, 2011 at the
Uvalde Research and Extensionand in Dallas.
I've been interning for almost40 years and became director
this year, so it's been alreadyfive years at the Dallas Center.
Samson Humphrey (06:15):
So how did you become interested in
horticulture?
I know your family had ahistory in agriculture.
You were brought to the Pampasregion of Argentina when you
were six.
Can you talk a little bit aboutwhat that was like for you?
Daniel Leskovar (06:28):
Sure, sure.
So, like you indicated, yes, myfather has an agricultural
science degree, a doctoraldegree, from the University of
Firenze in Italy, and so hemoved to Argentina after the
Second World War.
University of Firenze in Italy,and so he moved to Argentina
after the Second World War, wasimmediately working for a
(06:54):
brewing company for hops, hopsproduction and research.
So when I was two years old, myfather used to take us to all
of the hop farms in the verysouthern Argentina, you know, in
the Patagonia area, visitingfarmers and growing hops, and
that always created an image, animprint, early on in my
childhood.
So then, after four years more,at the age of six, my father,
(07:23):
because of his job, of six, myfather because of his job, moved
to near Mar del Plata, which isin the province of Buenos Aires
, into a large farm that we havethere crops, agronomic crops,
wheat, potatoes and barley, andalso horticultural crops and
some small fruits, and alsohorticultural crops and some
(07:46):
small fruits, but the mainactivity was hops for beer, and
so that allowed me to be exposedto those kind of crops.
But then, when I got seven yearsold, I had a very severe kidney
infection that put me in bedfor one year in the hospital, a
(08:10):
couple of months, and so duringthat time, when I got seven, my
father gave me a microscope,thinking that I was going to be
resting, and then thismicroscope actually changed my
view of plants because I wasable to look through the mirrors
(08:32):
, beyond what you see on youreyes.
So I explored the cells, thetissues, and that gave me
intrigue about plant biology andthat, you know, it gave me
intrigue about plant biology andto this day, actually, I sense
(08:59):
and I smell, you know, thatwooden, encased, clear wood box,
you know, with a green clothinside, and then the black
microscope.
So it was really an interestingimprint in my life to these
days, or imprint in my life tothis day.
So after that, in addition tothat, obviously because of my
condition, my mother, which isEastern European, from Croatia,
was an excellent cook, so I hadto change the diet because of
that, and so the diet was basedon fruits and vegetables to a
(09:22):
large extent.
So those combinations betweenthe exposure to plants, to the
environments and to the foodgave me much more interest in
agriculture, particularlyhorticulture.
Curt Rom (09:38):
Dr Leskovar, that's an interesting story.
The reason it resonates with meis actually when I was nine
years old, my father gave me amicroscope and I remember the
first time putting a leafunderneath it and looking and
seeing the cells of a leaf.
I just thought that was amazing.
Was that kind of the start ofyour research?
Curiosity that you know thatmicroscope, that simple little
(10:03):
gift, that kind of piqued yourcuriosity?
Daniel Leskovar (10:07):
Yes, yes, certainly.
Thank you, Curt.
Yes, I mean, I will remember.
There were two gifts that hegave me when I was in that time.
One was that and the other washe came with a toy from Japan
when he went to Europe and cameback, and that toy was, you know
(10:28):
, it was a helicopter.
So in my imagination thehelicopter should fly.
So I just, you know, threw thathelicopter much of interest as
compared to some more insidegift like the microscope.
(10:51):
Yes, so to confirm yourquestion, Curt, that was a
critical point for me to decide.
You know, horticulture me todecide no.
Horticulture it's no.
Or even though I didn't, atthat time I didn't know the
details, but exposing to plantsand the environment gave me the
(11:12):
drive to the next steps.
Curt Rom (11:15):
What about when you went to college?
Did you get involved inresearch as a college student?
Daniel Leskovar (11:21):
Yes, yes.
Well, after that, during thattime then, I went before college
.
In my high school the preferredsubject was biology.
So after finishing my highschool I decided to do the
undergraduate or BS we call ithere in biochemistry in the
(11:44):
college of Medicine in BuenosAires.
So I went there.
But soon after that I realizedthat plants were my passion and
then decided to move with myfamily back to the southern
Patagonia and there I studiedagronomy, or agricultural
sciences, with a specializationor orientation in horticulture.
(12:09):
This is a five-yearundergraduate program, very
applied in a sense, verypractical, and that prepares you
very well for the job market.
And actually, when I was in thethird year, I was managing two
(12:31):
fruit farms apples and pears aswell as a hop farm, an
experimental farm together withmy dad.
So that was the next stepsassociated with horticulture.
Samson Humphrey (12:44):
But then you went far.
After that you went to theUniversity of Wageningen in the
Netherlands, and then theUniversity of California, Davis
and then the University ofFlorida for your master's and
PhD degrees.
Can you talk us through thenext steps of how you became a
vegetable physiologist?
Daniel Leskovar (13:02):
Sure, yeah.
So when I finished myundergraduate with horticulture,
I still continued working inhops from a private company, but
also part-time working at theuniversity in the horticulture
(13:25):
courses.
And then I decided that reallymy passion again continued to be
horticulture.
So I had the opportunity toreconsider my future and decided
to apply for a Fulbrightscholarship.
And I applied the first yearand I was selected.
(13:49):
But they decided that thetiming was not there.
And then at the same time, mymentor in the university where I
was working with him inhorticulture, he has done
training in the Netherlands, inWageningen, and he suggested to
(14:11):
me why don't you consider goingto try to apply for the
government scholarship?
So I did, I got it and went toWageningen University, which is
(14:40):
the number one university in theworld, and that experience
engaging with the most renownedscientists in the world, with
different exposures thatprovided the kick for me to
re-evaluate my future.
And it was at the end of thatstay that Fulbright contacted me
again and they say you know,wait, we have your application
from last year, will youreconsider this?
(15:06):
And certainly, came back fromthe Netherlands and decided you
know, after visiting with myfamily, that that was the step
to do, and then went to UC Davisfor my master's and spent two
years a little longer than twoyears and then, after that,
University of Florida for thePhD.
Samson Humphrey (15:28):
That's amazing.
What was it like moving aroundso much?
Daniel Leskovar (15:37):
What major challenges did you face moving
between countries?
Well, you know, being inArgentina, Argentina is a large
country, like Texas is a largestate, so you travel a lot.
So my father was also atraveler and from going from one
place to the other, from BuenosAires to the southern Patagonia
, that was about 1,000 miles oreven more than that.
(15:58):
So we were kind of used interms of traveling.
So adjusting to traveling wasnot, but obviously adjusting to
different cultures, thatobviously takes time.
Adjusting to an educationalsystem also takes time.
So I wouldn't say it was easy.
(16:20):
Everything has to bereconsidered and then how best
you can adapt, you know it's upto.
You know how open we are, youknow, for changing certain
things to be more accommodatingto the social, cultural
environment that was in the US.
Curt Rom (16:41):
So you moved around.
You completed your degree,you've landed in Texas and now
you're down at Uvalde.
You've been there since 2011.
Tell us a little bit about thehorticulture of that region.
What are some of thehorticultural crops that are
grown there, and how does thatintersect with your research and
(17:03):
your interests?
Daniel Leskovar (17:05):
Certainly yeah, mm-hmm, certainly yeah.
The Uvalde area the region isthe Uvalde County and Uvalde
City is at the heart of what thearea called the Winter Garden
(17:25):
of Texas hour and 15, 20 minutes, and it's a very rich kind of a
valley below the hill countryof Texas, a beautiful hill
country, and it's surrounded by,you know, with rivers.
There's four rivers.
Of course, most of them now arevery dry because of the drought
(17:50):
that we have, but most of thecrops then, because of our
environmental conditions, areirrigated.
So there is about 120,000 acresplus or minus of agronomic and
vegetable crops or specialtycrops than vegetable crops or
specialty crops.
And so in terms ofhorticultural crops, the
(18:12):
measured ones, as the wordindicates, winter garden are
leafy, leafy greens or coolseason crops.
The benefit of this region isthat we have mild winters, so it
starts in late September, earlyOctober, until late March.
You could grow a variety ofcool season vegetables, the more
(18:43):
important being spinach,cabbage, onions, carrots and
also other cruciferous crops,leafy greens and then broccoli
and to some extent leafy greensand then broccoli and to some
extent, you know, some smallgrowing of cauliflowers or some
other cold crops.
Then it's also a big area ofproduction in potatoes for
processing.
We have more than 5,000 acresand that is part because the
(19:07):
region also have different soiltypes.
We go from heavy clay soil tosandy soil, low pH.
That allows to grow potatoes orgreen beans and also
watermelons as well, and in thespring summer we have again some
of the cucurbit crop,watermelons and melons.
We used to have really muchmore production of cantaloupes
(19:32):
but due to conditions of themarkets and safety and water,
that industry has been reallyreduced significantly.
Curt Rom (19:46):
So of all those crops that's a lot, and I can see why
you call it the winter garden.
It's really the winter saladgarden, it sounds like.
What are some of the crops thatyou've worked on?
And maybe I should really askthis what's the most fun crop or
intriguing crop that you'veworked on?
What's an exciting one?
Pique, that little boy'sinterest with that microscope.
Daniel Leskovar (20:10):
Yeah, the most exciting one.
Actually, you know going backthis is going back to the
microscope at that time.
So when I was at the universityback in Rio Negro, the crop
that I really liked the mostwere artichokes, asparagus and
strawberries.
Now, if I had to pick up a cropthat grows well here, a kind of
(20:35):
an introduced crop, I tried tointroduce with several growers.
It is artichokes and I,together with my team I gathered
students, we developed kind ofa know-how to grow artichokes in
this region, which is, you know, much warmer.
But you know, we develop themanagement techniques in terms
(21:00):
of irrigation and fertilizationand varieties and planting
configuration, mulching, thosesorts of things, in addition to
different varieties of genetics.
Working with some colleagues inCalifornia.
So artichokes have been fun andin addition to that it's a top
(21:21):
one of the major, if not themajor, vegetable crops in terms
of health.
Because of antioxidantproperties and phenolic
compounds it runs at the samelevel as blueberries or some of
the berries.
Curt Rom (21:35):
Well, yeah, I love artichokes and I really
appreciate that they have stronghealth value.
I probably negate that withmelted butter or with sauces
that I use to put on myartichokes, but at least I feel
good about it now.
So, Dr Leskovar, do Iunderstand right?
(21:56):
Did you receive a USDA NIFASpecialty Crop Research
Initiative grant onfarm-to-table that you've worked
on?
Daniel Leskovar (22:04):
I was part of that, but not as a PI.
I was a collaborator in that.
Yeah, I believe Dr Bhimu Patilreceived that early on.
Yes, we work on that as a team.
Curt Rom (22:23):
What was your role in that particular grant?
Yeah, you know those grantshave to be a collaboration of
several team members and haveseveral aspects that are worked
on.
So what was your role as theteam member for that grant?
Daniel Leskovar (22:38):
I mean, you're talking about this grant that
was received.
It was awarded recently or afew years back.
Curt Rom (22:46):
I think it was a recent one.
It's a farm-to-table, asustainable approach to melon
supply and melon production.
Daniel Leskovar (22:55):
Oh, yeah, yeah, so that part was basically as a
multi-state large project.
Our part was looking at, youknow, interaction between
genetics and the environment.
So I worked very close with amelon breeder at Texas A&M
(23:18):
University, Dr Kevin Crosby, sowe have been working with him in
melons and tomatoes and peppersparticular melons and peppers,
and tomatoes and peppersparticular melons and peppers
and so we were basicallyevaluating different types of
melon types and the differentconditions in our region, with
(23:42):
the idea to look at the qualityaspects, because obviously the
different regions have differentenvironmental conditions and
soils, so all of those may not.
Then went to further evaluationin terms of quality, sensorial
quality and also aspect relatedto potential interactions now
(24:08):
with certain diseases orbacterias that could be
implicated in contamination.
Curt Rom (24:16):
For melons in the Uvalde region.
You know melons, likecantaloupes and watermelons,
have a pretty limitedseasonality in the south.
So with your mild environmentwere you able to have early
melons?
You know transplant at thistime of year and have early
(24:37):
melons, or do you transplant inthe fall and have late melons?
What was the season that youcould capitalize on?
Sure, yeah, no, the season isstrictly in the spring?
Daniel Leskovar (24:48):
Sure, yeah, no, the season is strictly in the
spring.
So because of the winters aremild but still cool enough for
the plants to enjoy growing.
So we have to wait until lateMarch, early April, particularly
for watermelons, forwatermelons, and then we start
the watermelons.
(25:08):
You know, we start fromtransplants.
Obviously, because of themajority of the watermelons,
more than 70, 80 percentnowadays are all seedless
watermelons, so there are moreexpensive seeds.
So you want to make sure thatone seed produces one plant and
(25:28):
that one plant will produce noproduction.
That will be beneficial andeconomically.
So the the transplants aregrowing in the, in nurseries, in
the case of the watermelons,for about no to 30 days and then
they plant it in in, like Isaid, late March, early, early
(25:51):
April in our region, and thenthe crop can be start harvesting
at 70 days.
So it's a fairly rapid cyclebecause temperatures approaching
in June, July, can very, veryhot and extreme, so the
temperatures actually are hightemperature no-transcript.
Curt Rom (26:22):
Okay, thank you very much.
I found that kind ofinteresting.
I just didn't know that Good.
Samson Humphrey (26:28):
Now I want to ask a few questions about ASHS.
But before we move on, arethere any projects you're
working on right now or that arehappening at your center right
now that you're really excitedabout?
Daniel Leskovar (26:39):
In terms of the ASHS you say about ASHS or
projects in research, projectsin research.
Yeah, yeah, there are two,actually three projects right
now that we are concentrating.
We've been working quite a bitin tomatoes fresh market
tomatoes for production in theregion and also in Texas, and
(27:07):
the emphasis is combiningbasically simple technologies to
improve the productivity andthe quality of fresh market
tomatoes for growers that aremore associated with marketing
to retailers or farmers' marketsor direct sales.
(27:28):
So we're working with adifferent type of evaluation of
screening different cultivarsand genotypes from breeding
program in high tunnelconditions and also open field
as well, above convention, andwe started to do some organic as
(27:49):
well.
But a major emphasis on thatalso was incorporating the
grafting technology, as graftingis, you know, it's a very old
traditional technique that, um,you know, has been, you know,
implemented, you know, by by bysome growers and we're looking
at screening different types ofrootstocks, both commercials and
(28:13):
also new genetics, throughcollaborators that I have in
Saudi Arabia, and compared tothe standard measure used
rootstocks and we are evaluatingthose not only under the high
tunnel and open field but alsousing some tools like
(28:36):
phenotyping tools.
We have an equipment calleddrought spotter that we can
actually measure exactlytranspiration or how much water
those plants utilize to reallyprovide some more understanding
about the benefit of grafting interms of water uptake and also
looking at nutrient uptake.
(28:57):
And I have another project onthat, working in collaboration
with the University of Floridaand Nevada.
This was a recently awardedUSDA specialty crop multistate
project and we will actuallyexpand the management aspects of
(29:22):
growing grafted tomatoes inhigh tunnels in both
conventional and organic fields.
So we will look at theproduction, at the physiology
try to get a betterunderstanding of the benefit of
grafting under thoseenvironments.
So those are very excitingprojects for us and also we
(29:44):
initiated the project it wasselected and funded by the state
Texas Department of Agriculturein looking at certain nutrients
that could be implicated in thesafety of spinach, as we know
that California is suffering anutrient called cadmium.
(30:06):
It's suffering a nutrient calledcadmium.
It's a heavy metal that hasbeen a problem in terms of
cadmium contamination in leafygreens, particularly spinach.
So we are doing the firstassessment, working with the
spinach growers in terms of thesoils and then the leaves to
determine the level and alsolooking at different varieties
(30:27):
of spinach and differentharvesting time and seasons.
The hypothesis is that we don'tanticipate having cadmium
problems in our region.
In part there has been someanecdotal data that indicates
that Some anecdotal data thatindicates that.
(30:48):
But as well as our conditionsin the silty clay soils, high
calcareous soils probably areless prominent to the presence
of the cadmium in the soil.
So that's the second project andthe third one is actually
working in hydroponics.
In hydroponics we have someprojects, also funded by the
(31:11):
state, in which we are lookingat different aspects of
management related tohydroponics of leafy greens,
looking at management andsystems and nutrition and type
of varieties, and also we arelinking that project together
with some other stakeholders andit includes schools yeah, boise
State schools, kidsparticularly, that could be
(31:32):
interested to implement thistechnique for their educational
programs and experiences inhorticulture.
It's a long answer but you knowthis is a major project that
we're happy to engage.
Samson Humphrey (31:50):
That's amazing.
So you have all of thesevegetable projects you're doing.
You're a very active researcher.
You're doing a lot of workthere, but you're also very
involved with the AmericanSociety for Horticultural
Science.
This year congratulations youare the ASHS president.
What inspired you to take thisstep?
Daniel Leskovar (32:10):
Well, yeah, so, first and foremost, I was
nominated by my peers, so that'sto me, it's a significant honor
to join a society, you know,with very strong core values, a
mission to improve people'slives, to improve the
(32:32):
environment, making it moresustainable and, obviously, to
improve the economies associatedwith horticultural crops.
So that's one.
And second is to serve and giveback to members in a much
broader capacity that I wasparticipating in the past, just
(32:55):
as a member, and I thought aboutthat since I have some
leadership experience in thepast.
Also, I was chair of one of thelargest divisions in the
International Society for HealthScience for two terms from
eight years, that was vegetablecrops.
That experience, together withbeing a previous member at large
(33:23):
at the board of the ASHS largeat the board of the ASHS that
they were able to see clearlyhow hard and dedicated the
members of the board and theASHS staff were for constantly
making the society better and tobe what we are we were before
and we are now and we will befuture, premier professional
(33:46):
societies.
So, yeah, so those twoexperiences and values are the
two elements that make me todecide to be part of this great
organization.
Curt Rom (34:03):
Dr Leskovar, it is quite an honor to be nominated
and then elected by your peersand it's quite a commitment.
So you're president-elect for ayear, you're then president,
then you're chairman of theboard.
You serve on the executivecommittee during that period of
time.
You previously served on theboard for two years.
As president and as chairman ofthe board, do you have some
(34:26):
specific goals, some things thatyou would like to see the
American Society forHorticultural Science accomplish
or do?
Share with us what your kind ofvision is and your goals.
Where would you like to see usgo do, or what needle would you
like to see move?
Daniel Leskovar (34:45):
Sure, I mean, there's so much that we can do
right, but you know, just tofocus on major strategic areas
that we feel that would be ofbenefit for the broad community
of the ASHS members, number one,I think you know, is
publications.
Members number one, I think, ispublications Publications.
(35:08):
We're already makingsignificant efforts and changes
in this space.
There's been already more thanprobably close to one year like
that, together with talentedmembers as editors and
consulting editors, togetherwith members of the board, we
(35:33):
have several brainstormingsessions and ideas and they were
already put into practice toimprove the processes and timing
and the reviews, keepingobviously the quality of the
science as a driving factor foreverything that we do in terms
of publication.
So we have an excellent teaminvolved in education.
(35:58):
There are also digitalplatforms and publication
processes that we hope that thiswill continue providing a
better experience for members toconsider our journals to, you
know, the main one for them tochoose and publish the research.
But we have more to do and wedo this constantly and it's not
(36:21):
the work of one person, it's ateam effort and certainly you
know you have been also, Curt,very incredible, your expertise
in the past, society aspresident and others that we get
(36:42):
to brainstorming this to makeit a better quality publications
.
So that's the number one, Ithink.
The second this is more kind ofa general.
I feel that we need to do abetter job in promoting ASHS as
(37:03):
a brand and at a much higherlevel.
We think that we're doing well,but the stakeholder and the
communities is very large andbroad.
So we need to elevate ouridentity, our science and then
(37:24):
give strategic value for therole in education, the role that
our colleagues get in educationfor developing the new future
horticulture as scientistsbasically, and we have to
(37:44):
proactively deliver our storythat what we do have tremendous
value.
What we do matters to people,matters to the environment,
matters to the quality of life.
So, consumers, we know theimportance of horticultural
products in health and nutritionand sustainability, products in
(38:09):
health and nutrition andsustainability.
So how we do that and I thinkshare that there is a lot under
those products.
There is a lot of science,there is a lot of innovation.
This is a lot of technologiesthat our colleagues have been
doing this for decades in thisrole for decades.
So I think making that storyclear to the general clientele
(38:31):
will be of help.
That's number two here.
Curt Rom (38:35):
So you know, you are a member of International Origin,
which is we've actually hadsome presidents that have come
from various parts of the world,most of them from Canada.
I think you're our firstArgentinian originating
president that have come fromvarious parts of the world, most
of them from Canada.
I think you're our firstArgentinian originating
president, so congratulations onthat.
Do you bring in a differentperspective?
(38:56):
I know that you helped forge arelationship with the World
Vegetable Center With yourexperience in the ISHS and the
International Vegetable Group.
Do you have some vision formore internationalization of the
ISHS?
Daniel Leskovar (39:29):
I hope so.
I hope to go through mynetworking connections, exposure
.
We have already, even beforebeing nominated in the American
Society, been discussing with mypeers at the American society,
with the international society,in the possibility of, you know,
joint events, for example, orspecific events that will
(39:54):
include more participation ofyoung professionals or students.
But also we need to perhapsincorporate other NGOs or other
funding agencies that are notparticularly focusing on a
particular continent.
It's more about regions andways to improve the economic
(40:16):
well-being in certain moredeveloping countries.
So I think there is a lot thatwe can do.
It's a matter of finding thatsynergy and the focus to
concentrate the efforts, and Ithink we're in a good momentum.
We are in a good momentum, asyou've seen in the meeting that
(40:41):
we had in Hawaii and in my pastreflection.
I talk about some opportunitiesfor also engaging young minds or
young professionals or graduatestudents through some funding
opportunities, throughnon-profit organizations like
Full Write and I know you'vebeen Fulbright , I've been a
(41:03):
Full Writer and so there'swonderful opportunities that
could link between these twoorganizations through those
actions.
And the other, obviously, isthat we need to keep in mind
that many of us have the fortuneto collaborate in projects,
international, and, as such,part of the outcomes we normally
(41:27):
present either papers orpresenting results at their
venues or different venues.
So I think marketing theAmerican ASHS in those venues
will also be very important,because some probably don't know
(41:48):
or don't have access to but allit takes for a person to
participate in one meeting andthat could create some spark
that that person couldparticipate more or be active or
share that experience withtheir peers in their own, in
(42:10):
their home countries.
So, yeah, that's it, and, ofcourse, planning joint meetings
is something that we've beendiscussing.
We're discussing with you, kurt, about the possibility of
engaging Canada or even withMexico and possibly even with
(42:30):
Latin America as well, togetherwith international.
I think there are alsoopportunities to explore that.
Curt Rom (42:37):
Thank you, you have a busy agenda.
You only have about sevenmonths left.
Daniel Leskovar (42:43):
This is not again, this is not the time.
It's timeless, it's not.
No, we all need to be workingtogether.
We know that some of thesemeetings take time and goes way
beyond a one-year term.
So this is just a collectiveeffort that hopefully we can
implement those in a shortertime.
(43:04):
But we want to make sure we doit now with quality and very
strategic.
Curt Rom (43:12):
Yeah, I know we're already looking forward.
The next conference that theplanning will begin on is the
meeting, the conference in 2028,which is our 125th anniversary
of the society.
Samson Humphrey (43:24):
There's a lot to be excited about.
For my last question, DrLeskovar, I'm curious within the
ASHS, what do you enjoy themost?
Is it the collaborations, theinterest groups?
Daniel Leskovar (43:36):
Enjoy the most?
Is it the collaborations, theinterest groups?
Well, both.
I mean collaboration, interestgroups, but again, I think I
mentioned what it's fulfillingthat being in the ASHS.
It provides you kind of asource of inspiration, or it's
(43:59):
an idea, idea generation thatyou know, you listen, you share,
you learn and those can betranslated into new ideas for
projects or collaborations.
So you know, throughdiscussions, groups,
participating in workshops, inseminars, symposiums, or simply
(44:22):
drinking a coffee with a bunchof colleagues and discussing
ideas freely, that really sparksa lot of new possibilities for
either looking at yourtechniques or having questions,
developing hypotheses and thenimplement them when you come
(44:45):
back.
So it's quite open and always,you know, and you have to be
very receptive to all of thoseopportunities.
So it's wonderful toparticipate in all of those
aspects.
Curt Rom (45:00):
Well, thank you very much.
You know, I'll see you in acouple of weeks at the Southern
Region meeting, so that'll befun, and if you remind me, I'll
buy you a cup of coffee.
Daniel Leskovar (45:11):
Well, thank you .
Thank you, Curt, and thank youSam.
This has been wonderful, greatto be with you.
Thank you, Curt, and thank youSam.
This has been wonderful, it'sgreat to be with you.
Samson Humphrey (45:17):
Thank you for joining us.
Well, that was a fantasticconversation.
I really loved getting to knowDr Leskovar.
Curt Rom (45:34):
You know, Sam, I really enjoyed it as well.
He had a very interesting story.
He comes to the United Statesas an international student.
You can tell from his storythat he already had this passion
about horticulture and thispassion about plants.
And now here he is.
He's got an important position.
He's emerged on our nationalstage.
(45:56):
He's become a leader amonghorticulturists in the United
States and, quite honestly,through his involvement with the
ASHS and the InternationalSociety for Horticulture Science
, he's become a leaderinternationally.
I thought it was a wonderfulinterview and I felt that I
learned a lot about him as anindividual and what he is doing
in his research areas.
Samson Humphrey (46:18):
Absolutely so for our listeners.
You should also check out DrLeskovar's Hort Legend interview
on YouTube.
You can find it by searchingfor the American Society for
Horticultural Science YouTubechannel, which is titled ASHS
Horticulture.
You can also see his latestessays on the ASHS e-news.
(46:38):
For example, his headlinearticle for December was about
the important role ofhorticulture in holiday
celebrations.
His research website is onlineand you can find it by searching
vegetable physiology at TexasA&M.
If you'd like to reach out toDr Leskovar, you can send him an
email at daniel.
leskovar@ ag.
tamu.
edu.
Curt Rom (47:01):
If this interview resonates with you, I recommend
that you renew your membershipor you consider joining the
American Society forHorticulture Science and become
part of interest groups like theInternational Scientists
Interest Group or the VegetableWorking Group.
If you'd like more informationon the American Society for
Horticulture Science in general,please go to our website, ashs.
(47:24):
org.
And, on behalf of the ASHS,this is Curt Rom, joined by my
co-host, Samson Humphrey.
Thanks for joining us today.
See you later, Sam.
Samson Humphrey (47:40):
See you later, Curt.
Thanks for listening.
Curt Rom (47:46):
The ASHS podcast Plants, people and Science is
made possible by member dues andvolunteerism.
Please go to ASHS.
org to learn more.
If you're not already a memberof the ASHS, we invite you to
join.
ASHS is a not-for-profit andyour donations are tax
(48:08):
deductible.
Samson Humphrey (48:10):
This episode is hosted by Samson Humphrey and
Kurt Rome.
Special thanks to our audioengineer, Andrew Scheldorf, our
research specialists Lena Wilsonand Andrew Scheldorf, our ASHS
support team, Sara Powell andSally Murphy, and our musician
John Clark.
Thanks for listening.
Thank you.
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