John C. Cummins

John Cummins received his M.S. (Pomology) in 1985 from Cornell, and his B.S. in 1975 from Milligan College in Biology. His emphasis in his graduate programs was fruit tree nutrition and production. After obtaining a teaching certificate in 1976, he taught 7-12 grade science and math in Virgiania for 2 years. Upon obtaining a degree from Cornell University he joined the University of Tennessee in June, 1986 as a senior research assitant, and was promoted to research associate in 1992. He has helped Dr. Dennis Deyton in research programs that emphasize the improvement of production of fruit crops (and more recently nursery crops) through influencing the physiology of plants. His research includes the evaluation of physiological and phenological effects of botanical oils (soybean oil) on late-winter floral development of fruit crops. Studies have also been conducted to determine the effects of soybean oil on mite and insect populations and on the physiology of horticultural crops. Recent research has been carried out with hydroponic greenhouse strawberry plantings in the winter and phase change covers in strawberries in the field. John has continued to work on a web module for the botanical oil research and is involved with Dr. Dennis Deyton and Dr. Carl Sams on hydroponic culture in the greenhouse with accompanying web modules. Presently, he is in graduate school studying to obtain a M.S. in Instructional Technology at the University of Tennessee while continuing his work as a research associate.