Elizabeth Wahle provides leadership in food crop horticulture research and Extension programs in southern and central Illinois with an emphasis on commercial fruit and vegetable production.
She has a Ph.D. in horticulture from University of Illinois with a focus on weed science, which resulted in her dissertation entitled "Competition for Nitrogen between Eastern Black Nightshade and Fresh Market Tomatoes." She holds a B.S. in commercial horticulture from Purdue University and an M.S. in horticulture from University of Illinois. Her MS thesis was titled "Optimization of Rye (Secale cereale) Cover Cropping Systems for Vegetable Production." She joined University of Illinois Extension in March, 2002 as a horticulture educator at the Edwardsville Extension Center, later to accept the role of Extension specialist.
Her program area is primarily commercial fruit and vegetable production, but also includes acting as first contact for home gardeners. Her main focus is on sustainable fruit and vegetable production which includes variety selection, plant culture, pest management, and water and fertility management. She also teaches fruit and vegetable production to Master Gardeners throughout central and southern Illinois, and is an instructor for the Pesticide Safety and Education Program. She carries out applied research and demonstration trials on food crop horticulture in southern Illinois and carries her Extension program to a variety of horticulture related groups on fruit and vegetable production, including professional grower associations, gardening clubs, and high schools and community colleges.
Wahle is the state coordinator for the cider and hard cider contests sponsored by the Illinois State Horticulture Society. She also contributes articles to several newsletters, including the Illinois Fruit and Vegetable News, the Illinois Specialty Grower News, the Grape Connection, the Master Gardener Newsletter, and the Green Thumb. In addition, she was a co-editor for the Midwest Strawberry Production Guide.
She is program chair for the Southern and Southwest Illinois Commercial Tree Fruit Growers Schools and the Southern Illinois Commercial Vegetable Growers School. In addition, she participates on the program planning committee for several other local, regional, and multi-state meetings including the Horseradish Growers School, the Small Fruit and Strawberry Growers School, the Illinois Grape Growers & Vintners Annual Conference, the Illinois Specialty Growers and Agritourism Conference, and the Illinois Organic Conference.
