Department of Biological and Chemical Sciences

Crop ecology and sustainable agriculture

Selection and growth responses of grasses used for sports and amenity

Mycorrhizas; Heliconia; Ferns of Barbados

Biogeography

Current projects:

(1) An enumeration and description of the native and naturalised ferns of Barbados.

(2) The evaluation of the species pair - Campyloneurum brevifolium and C. phyllitidis.

(3) A re-evaluation of the species in the Pteris longifolia group.

(4) The occurrence and distribution of mycorrhizas in the ferns - a test of the "Pirozynski" hypothesis.

(5) Phytogeography of the Lesser Antilles.

(6) With graduate student, Adrian Trotman, water relations of Capsicum peppers.

(7) With graduate student, Tamara Greenidge, the collection and evaluation of wild grasses which might have agronomic value.

(8) With Ph.D. student Ian Gibbs, the insect pests of fibrecanes (Saccharum hybrids) and the genetic base of any pest resistance.

(9) With SARU and the Barbados National Sports Council, a survey of the practices of sports groundsmen in Barbados.

Successful Graduate Students:

Jeffrey E. Jones, Ph.D., 1985. Thesis: Aspects of the population interaction of Plutella xylostella (L.) Lepidotera: Plutellidae and Apanteles plutellae (Kurdj.) Hymenoptera: Braconidae.

Orville A. Wickham, M.Phil., 1991. Thesis: An evaluation of stage three cultivar trials and sugarcane cultivar selection in Barbados.

Sandra R. Bellamy, Ph.D., 1993. Thesis: Leaf demography, bud germination, establishment and root growth of sugarcane.

Ian H. Gibbs, M.Phil., 1994. Thesis: Investigations of cabbage production in Barbados and insecticide resistance in diamondback moth [Plutella xylostella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae)] and a larval parasitoid [Cotesia plutellae (Kurdj.) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)]. (Dr. J.E. Jones co-supervisor).

Jeff St.A. Chandler, M.Phil., 1996. Thesis: Variation in seed progeny of Heliconia psittacorrum L.f.

Gobind Rameshwar, M.Sc. 1997. Marine Resources and Environmental Management Programme. Thesis: Effects of rum refinery effluent on seed germination and plant growth. (Prof. W. Hunte, Joint supervisor).

Troy A. Waterman, M.Sc. 1998. Environmental Technology, Imperial College, University of London. Report: Wastewater reuse in Barbados: an assessment of issues and practices. (Prof. N. Bell, Joint supervisor).

Selected Publications:

S.B. Persad-Chinnery, L.E. Chinnery and R.B.G. Dales (1992) Enhancement of in vitro spore germination of Gigaspora rosea by a cellulase preparation. Mycological Research 96:626-628.

S. Michelini, S. Nemec and L.E. Chinnery (1993) Relationships between environmental factors and levels of mycorrhizal infection of citrus on four islands in the Eastern Caribbean. Tropical Agriculture 70:135-140.

L.E. Chinnery (1995) Mycorrhizae and iron nutrition. Pp. 255-279 in Advancements in Iron Nutrition Research. (Ed. Hemantaranjan, A.). Scientific Publishers, Jodhpur, India.

S.B. Persad-Chinnery and L.E. Chinnery (1996) Vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizae and micronutrient nutrition. Pp. 367-382 in Advances in Micronutrient Research. (Ed. Hemantaranjan, A.). Scientific Publishers, Jodhpur, India.

J.St.A. Chandler, B.DaC. Thompson and L.E. Chinnery (1996) Zingiberales production for export and local use - Barbados. Heliconia Society International Bulletin 8(3/4):11-13.

L.E. Chinnery and D. Walmsley (Eds.) (1996) Proceedings of the 31st Annual Meeting of the Caribbean Food Crops Society. (ISSN 95-07-0410) x + 406pp.

L.F. Robertson, L.E. Chinnery and S.B. Persad-Chinnery (1997) Agricultural practices minimise the benefits from vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhiza formation. Proceedings of the 32nd Meeting of the Caribbean Food Crops Society 15-27.

L.E. Chinnery and S.B. Persad-Chinnery (1998) Insecticides and mycorrhizae - chlorfluazuron. Proceedings of the 33^rd Meeting of the Caribbean Food Crops Society 242-247.

L. Chinnery, J. Glasgow, M. Jones and G. Jones (2001) CXC Biology (3^rd Edn.). Cambridge University Press (0 521 00902 2) 358pp.

L.E. Chinnery (2002) Biogeography, human geography and ferns in the Eastern Caribbean. The Fern Gazette 16:301-306.