Dr. Robert J. Dufault

Interim Director of Coastal Research and Education Center
Professor of Horticulture 

Degrees Held:

B.S., Biology, Norwich University, 1976
B.S. Plant Science, University of Vermont, 1979
Ph.D. Horticulture, Kansas State University, 1982

Responsibilities:

Interim Director of Coastal Research and Education Center, Charleston, SC and his research interest is in specialty food crop production and whole plant physiology.

Brief Summary of research activities:

Dr. Dufault’s appointment is 100% research in specialty food crop physiology and culture. Research identifies specialty crops with the greatest economic value and climatic adaptability to supplement our SC vegetable growers' traditional crop mix to insure a continuing income.

Field research projects attempt to identify many of the potential problems of growing these crops and then develop cultural solutions to “get around” these pitfalls. Part of his efforts in the last 8 years has been on medicinal plant production, specifically feverfew. Recently, he has translated small-scale medicinal plant plot production to large commercial scale before transferring this technology to commercial farmers. Work continues in identifying nutraceutical crops of commercial significance and improving human health in the diet.

Organic production is another area of great interest in his research program. Research is underway to develop technology to improve the efficiency of organic fertilization and productivity of growing organic vegetables. Work is ongoing in developing technology that will deliver prescription organic fertility precisely through drip irrigation systems to more efficiently grow crops to satisfy market demand. Another objective is to determine if organic vegetables are more nutritious (elemental content, antioxidants, phenols, etc) than conventionally-produced vegetables.

Lastly, Dr. Dufault is involved in research to force strawberries for the Thanksgiving/Christmas holiday market with unheated greenhouses to capture a very lucrative niche market with premium income potential for our farmers.

This past fall, Dr. Dufault team-taught a pioneer distance undergraduate and graduate course, “Vegetable Crop Production”, with two other vegetable faculty.

Publications:

Dufault, R. and B. Ward. 2008. Dynamic relationships between field temperatures and Romaine lettuce yield and quality. Scientia Horticulturae (In review).

Dufault, R., Hester, A. and B. Ward. 2008. Influence of organic and synthetic fertility on nitrate runoff and leaching, soil fertility and sweet corn yield and quality. Communications Soil Science Plant Analysis 39:(3+4) In press

Dufault, R., A. Korkmaz, B. Ward and R. Hassell. 2006. Planting date and cultivar affect melon quality and yield. HortScience 41(7):1-6.

Dufault, R., B. Ward and R. Hassell. 2006. Planting date and cultivar affect romaine lettuce yield and head quality. HortScience 41(3):640-645.

Dufault, R. and B. Ward. 2005. Impact of cutting pressure on yield, quality, root carbohydrates and survival of spring-harvested and summer-forced asparagus in coastal South Carolina. HortScience 40(5): 1327-1332.

View Dr. Dufault's web page

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