Dr. Irvin Widders Associate Professor A440E Plant and Soil Sciences Michigan State University East Lansing, MI 48824-1325 Phone: 517/355-5191, ext 419 Fax: 517/353-0890 Email: widders@msu.edu

 Education:

Ph.D., Plant Physiology, University of California, Davis, 1982

M.S., Vegetable Crops, University of California, Davis, 1977

B.S., Horticulture, Pennsylvania State University, 1975

Dr. Widders' research expertise and interests are in the areas of ion transport and mineral nutrition, environmental stress physiology, and the regulation of growth and development of vegetable crops. Primary focus of research has been on processing vegetable crops (i.e., pickling cucumbers, tomatoes, peas, snap beans, etc.). Current ongoing research projects include: 1) Signal systems involving rapid changes in ion flux and compartmentation in plant tissues as elicited by abiotic and biotic stimuli, 2) Regulation of mineral nutrient transport and site of accumulation within fleshy fruits (i.e., cucumber, tomato) during ontogeny, and 3) Chemical induction and the influence of physiological factors on the expression of systemic acquired disease resistance in cucumber.
 

Dr. Widders is actively involved in both undergraduate and graduate education. He teaches courses in Vegetable Production and Management (HRT 341), Physiology and Management of Herbaceous Plants (HRT 401), and Plant Mineral Nutrition (HRT 853). Additional responsibilities include serving as faculty advisor to two university student organizations, the Horticulture Club and La Comunidad LatinoAmericana. Currently Dr. Widders is a member of the University Graduate Council.

Of particular interest to Dr. Widders are international programs. He has spent sabbaticals and worked on projects in Honduras, Costa Rica, Vietnam, and Zimbabwe. He also serves on the editorial board of Scientia Horticulturae, the journal of the International Society for Horticultural Science.