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Department of Horticulture 4017 Ag. and Life Sciences Bldg. Corvallis, Oregon 97331-7304 righettt@hort.oregonstate.edu Phone: 541-737-5466 Fax: 541-737-3479 • Data Analysis in Biology and Ecology • Evolving Technology in Agricultural Science • Mineral Nutrition of Plants • Plant Physiology

Biographical Sketch

Dr. Righetti teaches and conducts research on the mineral nutrition of plants with a surprisingly wide perspective. His PhD research and academic training was in soil ecology and land reclamation with an emphasis on nitrogen-fixing pioneer plants. Although he never had a horticulture course until he taught one Tim somehow convinced the Horticulture selection committee that a broad education in basic science and unbridled enthusiasm could be applied to horticultural crops. He has been happily teaching and conducting research at OSU since 1983.

While Director of the OSU Plant Analysis Laboratory, he became an expert in diagnosing mineral disorders on apple, pear and cherry trees and expanded his interests to include more intensive management of horticultural crops. He has applied remote sensing, GPS and barcode technologies to the tracking of fruit from production to market in an attempt to lessen environmental impacts of horticultural practices. Along the way he dabbled in using remote controlled airplanes and helium balloons to supplement satellite imagery.

Dr. Righetti combines basic research and applied science. He has published papers on thorny esoteric issues that involve the uses of ratios in biological research as well as the value of simple conjecture in trying to help growers make economic decisions. He has consulted for two of the largest agricultural businesses in the world (ConAgra in the U.S. and Hortifrut in Chile and Mexico). Growers appreciate both his sound agricultural advice and enjoy listening to his pie-in-the-sky crazy ideas about the future of agriculture.

Dr. Righetti's ability to look at mineral nutrition from different points of view (one quarter he taught a course to Horticulture graduate students titled "Is there life on Mars") is literal. He has traveled extensively throughout the world as an entertaining and informative speaker and teacher. Tim has made approximately 25 short-term (1-5 months) professional visits to Albania, Argentina, Cambodia, Chile, Korea, Italy, Mexico, Morocco, Pakistan, Taiwan, Thailand and Yemen. Most of this overseas research work involves current and former OSU graduate students. In addition to facilitating cooperative projects between OSU and foreign universities, Tim has worked hard to develop programs where graduate students conduct a portion of their thesis research in their home country. Usually accompanied by his wife and daughters when he works overseas, he has spent 4-5 months of each year overseas for the last 8 years. He taught high school math and science at his daughter's Thai school when a teacher left unexpectedly.

Recently Dr. Righetti began to ponder about problems in the interpretation of biological research. He has noted inconsistencies in some standard methodologies and has intensely pursued an unpopular position on how things should be done differently. He approaches his research projects with the same enthusiasm that spills over into his personal life. He made the transition to "math geek" during long periods of undisturbed thought while building a large tree house out of ten foot logs from a dying cedar tree in his back yard. The tree house has become a source of local neighborhood pride.

Dr. Righetti grew up in Southern California farming five acres and assisting his veterinarian father in his practice. He worked on open heart surgery, kidney transplant and neurosurgery teams during a short stint in the army at Walter Reed Army Hospital. While attending the University of Maryland he learned first hand about the importance of an outstanding teacher. He took a soils class that presented an intriguing mix of chemistry, biology, geology, microbiology and physics and changed his major from pre-med to soils with no regrets 

Professional Experience

Education:
B.S. in Agronomy/Soils, University of Maryland, magna cum laude, 1976
PhD in Soil Science, University of California, Davis, 1980

Professional Experience:
Professor, Oregon State University, 1990-present.
Director, Plant Analysis Laboratory Extension Program, OSU, 1983-1991.
Associate Professor, OSU, 1986-1990.
Assistant Professor, OSU, 1983-1986.
Assistant Professor, Arizona State University, 1980-1983.
Sabbatic Leave, Conagra-United Ag Products, 1999.
Sabbatic Leave, Various Private Companies, 1990.

Research Interests

Basic Research:
Develop, critique and improve current procedures of data analysis and statistical evaluation that are commonly used in agricultural and environmental research. Although recent publications are mostly confined to horticultural journals, Tim is passionate about extending basic principles to general biology, ecology, medicine and environmental science.

Applied Research:
Develop and improve diagnostic approaches to detect mineral disorders in both annual and perennial horticultural crops that emphasize both yield and quality. Recent emphasis is on using a combination of remote sensing and traditional ground-based procedures to improve the economic management of horticultural systems while minimizing adverse ecological impact.

Technology Transfer Interests

International Research and Development:
Participate in postdoctoral training programs and cooperative continuing research projects with past OSU PhD students. Build institutional links that emphasize overseas graduate level instruction in OSU-foreign university cooperative programs. Promote research projects that allow foreign graduate students to conduct a portion of their thesis research in their home country. Dr. Righetti also regularly offers short-term domestic and foreign training programs in mineral nutrition management, soil and plant analyses, data analysis, and microcomputer applications in horticulture to junior-level foreign scientists.

Domestic Technology Transfer:
Provide technical assistance to various agribusiness organizations in the implementation of automated monitoring and chemical application systems. A major vehicle to implement new technology is close linking of undergraduate training to agribusiness enterprises with continuing contact, support, and technical assistance being provided to current and former undergraduate students. Our hope is to expand the use of microcomputer applications to include modeling, image processing, and geographical information systems for farm management in orchards, ornamentals, turf, and field crops.

Courses Taught

Dr. Righetti is a motivated teacher. He uses an interactive and discussion-based teaching style with real-life examples. The average numeric scores for his teaching evaluations consistently average between the two highest categories that students can assign (very good and excellent). Depending on the scale used (1-5 or 1-6) evaluations are approximately 4.5 and 5.5 respectively for over 25 years of assessments.

Courses at Oregon State University:
HORT 316, Plant Nutrition Management (4 credits)
HORT 317, Turf Fertility (1 credit)
HORT 401, Horticultural Research Projects (1-6 credits)
HORT 414/514, Information Systems in Horticulture (4 credits)
HORT 506/606, Thesis (1-6 credits)
HORT 507/607, Seminar (1 credit)
HORT 512, Discussions in Plant Science (Could There be life on Mars) (1 credit)
HORT 512, Discussions in Plant Science (Global Warming) (1 credit)
HORT 512, Discussions in Plant Science (Host-Symbiont Relations) (1 credit)
HORT 516, Advanced Plant Nutrition (4 credits)
HORT 517, Diagnosis of Nutritional Disorders (1 credit)

Courses at Arizona State University (1980-1983):
Soil Science
Soil Ecology
Land Reclamation
Reclamation of Critical Habitats
Short Course: Biotechnology for high school teachers

Overseas Teaching Examples:
Research Methods, Rural Development Program, MVU, Cambodia 2007

Short Course: Soil Testing and Plant Analysis, Catolica University, Chile 2006

Sustainable Rural Development and the Green Revolution, Rural Development Program, MVU, Cambodia 2005

Research Methods, Rural Development Program, MVU, Cambodia 2005

Precision Agriculture, Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Talca, Chile 2004

Short Course: Soil Testing and Plant Analysis, King Mongkut´s Institute of Technology, Ladkrabana, Thailand 2002

Mineral Nutrition of Higher Plants, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Khon Kaen Universtiy, Thailand 2000

Short Course: Soil Testing and Plant Analysis, NARC, Islamabad, Pakistan, 1997 and 1998

High School Teaching:
10th grade mathematics (coordinate geometry) KKVS bilingual school Khon Kaen, Thailand 2002

10th grade science (cellular biology) KKVS bilingual school Khon Kaen, Thailand 2002

Graduate School Experience:
Teaching assistant general soils University of Californian (Davis) 1978-1980
Teaching assistant soil physics University of Californian (Davis) 1978-1980
Teaching assistant soil fertility University of Californian (Davis) 1979-1980

Recent and Significant Publications

Dr. Righetti has authored or coauthored approximately 50 peer reviewed and 50 general audience or extension publications. The following list of references reflects his recent research activity and major research contributions.

Dalthorp, D., T. L. Righetti, D.R. Sandrock, and J. Lambrinos. 2007. Scaling of mammalian basal metabolic rate is not universal: It scales with body size. Ecology Letters, submitted.

Righetti T.L., D. Dalthorp, D.R. Sandrock, J. Lambrinos, C. Phillips and B. Strik. 2007. Hidden scaling of ratio-based isotopic data can confound isotopic interpretation. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, submitted.

Righetti, T.L., D. Dalthorp, J. Lambrinos, D.R. Sandrock and B. Strik. 2007. Using derivatives to estimate the isotopic composition of material added to or removed from ecosystem pools. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, submitted.

Righetti, T.L., D.R. Sandrock, B. Strik, C. Vasconcelos, P. Banados, S. Ortega, Y. Moreno, and B. Guihong,. 2007. Analysis of ratio-based responses. J. Amer Soc. Hort. Sci. 132(1):3-13

Righetti, T.L., D.R. Sandrock, C. Vasconcelos, S. Ortega, and Y. Moreno. 2007. Assessments of CO2 assimilation on a per leaf area basis are related to total leaf area.
J. Amer Soc. Hort. Sci. 132(2):230-238

Righetti, T. L., D.R. Sandrock, B. Strik, and A. A. Azarenko, A. A. 2007. Appropriate analysis and interpretation approaches to determine fertilizer-derived N in plant tissues. J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 132(3):429-436

Righetti, T. L., D.R. Sandrock, B. Strik, and P. Banados, 2007. Slope-based and ratio-based approaches to determine fertilizer-derived N in plant tissues for perennial plants. J. of Hort. Sci. and Biotech. 82(4):641-647

Cortell, J. M., M. Halbleib, A. V. Gallagher, T. L. Righetti, and J. A. Kennedy. 2007. Influence of vine vigor on grape anthocyanins 1. Anthocyanins concentration and composition in fruit. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 55(16) 6575-6584.

Cortell, J. M., M. Halbleib, A. V. Gallagher, T. L. Righetti, and J. A. Kennedy. 2007. Influence of vine vigor on grape anthocyanins 2. Anthocyanins and pigmented polymers in wine. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 55(16) 6585-6595.

Aynalem, H. M., T. L. Righetti, and B. M. Reed. 2006. Iron formulation affects in vitro storage of hops: An image analysis. In Vitro Cellular and Developmental Biology 42(5) 405-410.

Sandrock, D.R., T.L. Righetti, and A.N. Azarenko. 2005. Isotopic and nonisotopic estimation of nitrogen efficiency in container-grown woody ornamentals. HortScience 40(3):665-669.

Cortell, J.M., M. Halbleib, A.V. Gallagher, T.L. Righetti, and J.A. Kennedy. 2005. Influence of vine vigor on grape (Vitis vinifera L. cv. Pinot noir) and wine proanthocyanidins. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 53(14):5798-5808.

Righetti, T. L. 2000. Pursuing precision horticulture with the INTERNET and a spreadsheet. Hort.Tech. 10(3):458-467.

Harris, N.R., D.E. Johnson, T.L. Righetti, and M.R. Borrington, 1996. A blimp borne camera system for monitoring rangelands, riparian zones, or critical areas. Geocarto International, 2(3):99-104.

Sanchez, E. E., H. Khemira, D. Sugar, and T. L. Righetti. 1995. Nitrogen management in orchards. In: Nitrogen Fertilization and the Environment. P. Bacon (ed.). Marcel Dekker, Inc. pp. 327-380.

Kyle, N.E. and T.L. Righetti. 1995. Observations of shoots and roots from interspecific grafted rosaceous shrubs. J. Range Mgt. 49(4):350-354

Sugar, D., T. L. Righetti, E. E. Sanchez, and H. Khemira. 1992. Management of N and Ca in pear trees for enhancement of fruit resistance to postharvest decay. Hort. Tech. 2(3):382-387.

Righetti, T. L. and K. L. Wilder. 1991. Using tissue mineral analysis in orchards. In: Soil Testing and Plant Analysis. R. Westerman (ed.). Soil Sci. Soc. Amer. Madison, WI. pp. 563-601.

Kyle, N. E., J. Jakobek, R. A. Backhaus, J. C. Stutz, and T. L. Righetti. 1986. Micrografting between Nfixing and nonNfixing genera of the Rosaceae. Bot. Gazette 147(3):243-246.

Righetti, T. L. and D. Munns. 1980. Nodulation and nitrogen fixation in cliffrose (Cowania mexicana var. stansburiana Torr. Jeps.). Plant Physiol. 54:411-412

Major Competitive Grants

Dr. Righetti has generated approximately $925,000 in research funds that are unrelated to international activities. The following list consists of research grant titles that reflect his major research interests. Since he spends large periods of time away from his laboratory, Dr. Righetti has not pursued competitive grant funds nearly as vigorously over the last 5-10 years. However, in many ways this has been a blessing. Most of his research effort is spent collaborating with colleagues, thinking and writing. Since data collection exceeds data interpretation by several orders of magnitude there is ample opportunity to be creative without being as intimately involved in data collection and grant management.

Protocols for automated on-farm sustainable grass seed research. USDA Center for Sustainable Grass Seed Research. 1999-2001 $30,000 (principle investigator)

Orchard management programs to enhance profit and minimize groundwater pollution. Strategic Water Management EPA/Oregon DEQ 1992-1993 $35,556 (principle investigator)

Nutritional efficiency in Rosaceae. National Science Foundation 1984-1986 $180,000 (principle investigator)

The feasibility of host range expansion in nitrogen fixing non-legumes. National Science Foundation 1982-1984 $63,000 (principle investigator)

¨Magnet¨: A collaboration to reduce dependence on chloropyrifos use. American Farmland Trust Integrated Pest Management Grant Program 2003-2004 $49,689 (co-investigator with Alex Stone)

Precision agriculture in apples and pears. USDA IFFAS subcontract to the University of Florida 2001-2004 $89,000 (co-investigator with Clark Seavert)

Orchard floor management practices for improving soil quality and optimizing nitrogen uptake efficiency. USDA SARE 2001- 2004 $130,330 (co-investigator with Anita Azarenko)

Measuring N fixation and N cycling in pure and mixed red alder stands using 15N. National Science Foundation 1992-1995 $180,000 (co-investigator with David D. Myrold and David E. Hibbs) 

International Activities

Dr. Righetti has participated in numerous short-term (1-5 months) professional assignments to various countries (Albania, Argentina, Cambodia, Chile, Korea, Italy, Mexico, Morocco, Pakistan, Taiwan, Thailand, Yemen) as part of cooperative OSU programs. Duties have varied from being team leader on an OSU assessment of Albanian educational institutions to agricultural development consulting in Pakistan for the World Bank. Sponsors include USDA, AID, FAO, IAEA, Fulbright Program, Royal Thailand Research Fund and World Bank.

Awards

Tim is most proud of the following award recognitions:

Fulbright Lecturer in Thailand, 2000

Registry of Distinguished Teachers, College of Agriculture, Oregon State University, 1992

Favorite Instructor, Environmental Resources in Agriculture, Arizona State University, 1982-1983

Graduate fellowship awards that financed his UC Davis PhD studies
Henry A. Jastro Scholar in Soil Science 1979-1980
Earle C. Anthony Fellow in Soil Science 1977-1979
Regents Fellow in Soil Science 1976-1977