Tara Baugher
- Educator
Gettysburg, PA 17325
Areas of Expertise
- Tree Fruit
- Sustainable Specialty Crop Production
Education
- BA, Sociology
- MS, Plant Science
- PhD, Plant Science
Responsibilities
Tara Baugher is co-team leader of the Penn State Tree Fruit and Grape Production Extension Program. Transdisciplinary tree fruit and grape extension team members and stakeholder advisory groups developed a strategic plan to ensure the long-term goal of a production to consumer system that is environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable. Curriculums include 1) Increasing Orchard and Vineyard Sustainability with Advanced Integrated Pest Management, 2) Retooling the Tree Fruit and Vine Crop Industries with Innovative Technologies, 3) Bringing in a New Generation of Horticulturists from Diverse Backgrounds, and 4) Implementing Marketing Strategies to Meet Customer Needs and Sustain Farm Enterprises.
Professional Activities
Member – American Society for Horticultural Science, International Fruit Tree Association, American Pomological Society
Elected to – Gamma Sigma Delta (agriculture honor society), Epsilon Sigma Phi (extension honor society)
Honors and Awards (beginning with most recent)
International Fruit Tree Association Extension Award for 2012, Penn State Regional Extension Award for Excellence, International Fruit Tree Association Service Award, Invitation from Haworth Press to Edit a Pomology Textbook, International Fruit Tree Association Researcher of the Year, Outstanding Plant and Soil Science Teacher, West Virginia University Award for Outstanding Innovative Program, Gamma Sigma Delta Award of Merit, West Virginia Award for Energy Innovation
Grants (PI or Co-PI)
Natural Resources Conservation Service Conservation Innovation Grant ($122,274) for Field Tests on Systems Approaches for Retooling Mid-Atlantic Orchards with Innovative Technologies
Pennsylvania Community and Economic Development First Industries Fund ($167,002) for Systems Approaches for Retooling Pennsylvania Orchards with Innovative Technologies
USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Grant ($66,970) for Ecosystem-Based Orchard Management
College Seed Grants, Pennsylvania, Washington, West Virginia and International Grower Association Grants
USDA-SCRI grant ($1,000,000) for Innovative Thinning of Fruit (Lead Institution - Penn State)
USDA-SCRI grant ($6,000,000) for Comprehensive Automation of Specialty Crops (Lead Institution - Carnegie Mellon)
Selected Refereed Publications
Singha, S., T. Auxt Baugher and E.C. Townsend. 1993. In situ differences in fruit color development of six 'Delicious' apple strains. Fruit Var. J. 48(2):103-108.
Stutte, G.W., T. Auxt Baugher, S.P. Walter, D.W. Leach, D.M. Glenn and T.J. Tworkoski. 1994. Rootstock and training system affect dry matter and carbohydrate distribution in 'Golden Delicious' apple trees. J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 119:492-497.
Baugher, T. Auxt, S. Singha, D.W. Leach and S.P. Walter. 1994. Growth, productivity, spur quality, light transmission and net photosynthesis of 'Golden Delicious' apple trees on four rootstocks in three training systems. Fruit Var. J. 48(4):251-255.
Baugher, T. Auxt, K.C. Elliott and D.M. Glenn. 1994. Effect of sod competition and root pruning on 'Stayman' apple tree growth and fruit cracking. HortScience 30:222-226.
Baugher, T. Auxt, E.C. Townsend, S. Singha, D.W. Leach and S.P. Walter. 1994. Relationship between chromaticity measurements and visual ratings of peach cultivars. Fruit Var. J. 49(2):75-76.
Biggs, A.R., J.B. Kotcon, T. Auxt Baugher, A.R. Collins, D.M. Glenn, H.W. Hogmire, R.E. Byers, A.J. Sexstone and G.W. Lightner. 1994. Comparison of corn and fescue rotations on pathogenic nematodes, nematode biocontrol agents, and soil structure and fertility on an apple replant site. J. Sustainable Agric. 4(4):39-56.
Biggs, A.R., J.B. Kotcon, T. Auxt Baugher, A.R. Collins, D.M. Glenn, H.W. Hogmire, R.E. Byers, A.J. Sexstone and G.W. Lightner. 1994. The West Virginia University ecosystem project for processing apples: Comparisons among 'Liberty', 'Golden Delicious', 'York' and 'Fuji' in the first year of growth. Fruit Var. J. 48(1):37.
Baugher, T. Auxt, H.W. Hogmire, A.R. Biggs and G.W. Lightner. 1996. Packout audits of apples from five high density orchard management systems. HortTechnology 6:34-41.
Ferree, D.C., T. Auxt Baugher and 29 other cooperators. 1996. Performance of the NC-140 cooperative apple rootstock plantings. Fruit Var. J. 50(1):6-18.
Biggs, A.R., T. Auxt Baugher, A.R. Collins, H.W. Hogmire, J.B. Kotcon, D.M. Glenn, A.J. Sexstone and R.E. Byers. 1997. Growth of apple trees, nitrate mobility and pest populations following a corn versus fescue crop rotation. Amer. J. Alternative Agric. 12(4):162-172.
Glenn, D.M., G. Puterka, S. Drake, T. Unruh, A. Knight, P. Baherle, E. Prado and T. Auxt Baugher. 2001. Particle film application influences apple leaf physiology, fruit yield, and fruit quality. J. Amer. Soc. HortScience 126:175-181.
Baugher, T. Auxt, M. Harsh, K. Lesser, J. Schupp, D. Buckmaster, L. Kime, B. Wenk, D. Rice, S. Waybright, J. Van Pelt, R. Musselman and M. Tindall. 2006. The Penn State ag innovations initiative—A systems approach for retooling mid-Atlantic orchards. The International Fruit Tree Association Compact Fruit Tree 39:2-4.
Schupp, J.R., T. Auxt Baugher, R.M. Harsh, K.M. Lesser, B.D. Wenk. 2007. Mobile platforms increase orchard labor efficiency. HortScience. 42:1001. Abstract.
Schupp, J., T. Auxt Baugher, S. Miller, M. Harsh, K. Lesser. 2008. Mechanical thinning of peach trees reduces labor inputs and increases fruit size. HortTechnology 18:660-670. Cover Article.
Baugher, T. Auxt, J. Schupp, S. Miller, M. Harsh, K. Lesser, K. Reichard. 2008. New strategies for thinning peach trees. The International Fruit Tree Association Compact Fruit Tree. 41(2):8-9.
Baugher, T. Auxt, K. Lewis, J. Schupp, M. Harsh, C. Seavert, T. Auvil. 2009. Mobile platforms increase orchard management efficiency and profitability. Proc. International Society for Horticultural Science – Application of Precision Agriculture for Fruits and Vegetables, ACTA Horticulturae 824:361-364.
Heinemann, P., J. Liu, T. Baugher, J. Schupp. 2009. Mechanized fruit thinning. Proc. Northeast Agricultural & Biological Engineering Conference. Halifax, NS.
Baugher, T. Auxt, J. Schupp, K. Lesser, and K. Reichard. 2009. Horizontal string blossom thinner reduces labor input and increases fruit size in peach trees trained to open-center systems. HortTechnology 19(4):755-761.
Baugher, T. Auxt, J. Schupp, K. Ellis, E. Winzeler, J. Remcheck, K. Lesser, K. Reichard. 2010. Mechanical string thinner reduces crop load at variable stages of bloom development of peach and nectarine trees. HortScience 45(9):1327-1331.
Baugher, T. Auxt, J. Schupp, K. Ellis, J. Remcheck, E. Winzeler, R. Duncan, S. Johnson, K. Lewis, G. Reighard, G. Henderson, M. Norton, A. Dhaddey, P. Heinemann. 2010. String blossom thinner designed for variable tree forms increases crop load management efficiency in trials in four U.S. peach growing regions. HortTechnology 20:409-414. Cover Article.
Peterson, D. L., A. L. Tabb, T. A. Baugher, K. Lewis, D. M. Glenn. 2010. Dry bin filler for apples. Applied Engineering in Agriculture 26(4):541-549.
Baugher, T., J. Schupp, K. Lewis, G. Hoheisel, K. Ellis, D. Ames, J. Remcheck. 2010. Pilot orchards provide laboratories in the field to increase industry adoption of labor assist and precision technologies. American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineering Annual Convention Proceedings Abstract.
Baugher, T. Auxt and J. Schupp. 2010. Relationship between ‘Honeycrisp’ crop load and sensory panel evaluations of the fruit. J. Amer. Pomological Soc. 64:226-233.
Dise, R., P. Heinemann, T. Baugher, J. Schupp, J. Liu. 2010. Development of an autonomous sensing and positioning system for use with tree fruit production equipment. Proc. American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineering Annual Convention.
Ellis, K., Tara Auxt Baugher, K. Lewis. 2010. Use of survey instruments to assess technology adoption for tree fruit production. HortTechnology 20:1043-1048.
Miller, S., J. Schupp, T. Baugher, S. Wolford. 2011. Performance of mechanical thinners for bloom or green fruit thinning in peaches. HortScience 46:43-51.
Heinemann, P., J. Liu, J. Schupp, T. Baugher, T. Grift, D. Lyons, R. Dise, R. Pritz, M. Aasted. Advancing technologies for thinning of tree fruit. 2011 ASABE Annual International Meeting, Louisville, KY, August 7-10.
Baugher, T. A., J. Schupp, E. Winzeler, W. Messner, M. Bergerman. 2011. Mechanically assisted harvest of apples. 2011 ASABE Annual International Meeting, Louisville, KY, August 7-10 (Abstract).
Schupp, J. R. and T. Auxt Baugher. 2011. Peach Blossom String Thinner Performance Improved with Selective Pruning. HortScience 46:1486-1492.
Book/Book Chapters
Baugher, T. Auxt and S. Singha (editors). 2003. Concise Encyclopedia of Temperate Tree Fruit. Haworth Press, Inc., NY. (author of four chapters - Anatomy and taxonomy, Orchard planning and site preparation, Training systems, Wildlife).
