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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Dr. Gene Lester and Dr. Yin-Tung Wang of Weslaco |
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have been named Fellows by the American Society for Horticultural |
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Science in recognition of their outstanding contributions to |
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horticulture and the ASHS; and |
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WHEREAS, Founded in 1903, the ASHS is the largest |
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organization dedicated to advancing horticultural research, |
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education, and application, and election as a Fellow is the highest |
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honor that it can bestow on its members; and |
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WHEREAS, Dr. Lester has served for nearly 25 years as a |
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post-harvest vegetable researcher at the U.S. Department of |
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Agriculture ARS Kika de la Garza Subtropical Research Center, where |
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he has devoted his career to improving the post-harvest |
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preservation of fruits and vegetables and to developing |
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grower-friendly methods of improving their nutritional levels; his |
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accomplishments include developing a method to keep muskmelons |
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edible for two to three weeks longer than usual, extending the shelf |
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life of cut fruit, and developing foliar sprays to increase sugars |
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and beneficial nutrients in cantaloupes; and |
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WHEREAS, An orchid production expert, Dr. Wang has served as |
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a horticulturist at the Texas A&M University System Agricultural |
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Research and Extension Center since 1984; he specializes in |
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developing modern production systems for potted orchids, and his |
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work has made the plants one of the best selling ornamental |
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commodities in the world; elected executive secretary of the |
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International Commercial Orchid Growers Organization, he has |
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written more than 70 refereed publications and received more than |
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$1 million in grants and gifts for his research; moreover, he has |
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mentored and taught numerous graduate students in horticulture; and |
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WHEREAS, The recognition of Dr. Lester and Dr. Wang as |
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Fellows by the American Society for Horticultural Science justly |
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acknowledges their remarkable achievements in agriculture, which |
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have enriched and improved our state and nation; now, therefore, be |
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it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 80th Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate Dr. Gene Lester and Dr. Yin-Tung |
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Wang on being named Fellows by the American Society for |
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Horticultural Science and extend to them sincere best wishes for |
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continued success; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Dr. Lester and Dr. Wang as an expression of high regard |
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by the Texas House of Representatives. |