B.S. Southeastern Louisiana University
M.S. Louisiana State University
Ph. D. Louisiana State University

My education and interest is plant stress physiology and development of ornamental nursery crops. The environmental impact and management of woody ornamental plant production is of particular interest. Collaborative research efforts have allowed my program to be particularly effective. I have cooperated with numerous scientists on a national and international level. International travel has allowed me to exchange new and innovative methods. Irrigation water quality, distribution, pollution, and use of plants for phytoremediation have been researched. My goal is to make it clearly understood that agriculture is the solution to pollution, not the problem.

Environmental impacts on plant growth and development has been a focus of my research.

• Plant adaptations to inundation events such as hurricanes and sea rise will only become more important. These adaptations can be used to manage our changing environment.
• Managing urban pollution has become a major issue in Louisiana. Solid waste surface impoundments, Pb abatement, and ozone pollution reduction and impacts can be improved using nursery crops. Shoreline and estuary ecology are negatively impacted by nutrient loads. Ornamental trees, shrubs and grasses are part of the solution.
• Water quality and management is crucial worldwide. I have been working collaboratively to efficiently disperse irrigation water and manage runoff. A simplified irrigation system was developed that can reduce up to 50% waste.
• Nursery media physical and chemical properties have become a challenge with bark scarcity with increased demands. Controlled release fertilizers offer a benefit to maximize production.

I have taught both undergraduate- and graduate-level horticulture classes: Introduction to Horticulture, Plant Propagation, Urban Landscape Management, Nursery Management, Green Enterprises, Golf Course Management, Horticulture Capstone Course, Undergraduate and Graduate Research Problems and Graduate Seminar. I have major professor for more than 20 graduate students and have mentored over 100 high school and middle school Science Fair students.

I have enjoyed nursery field visits and trials over the years. Working with growers is truly a favorite part of my job. I have published extension publications and participated in many field days and workshops. Community outreach and education programs impact a diverse population.

I have served as Co-Director of the LSU Coastal Roots Program since 2001. This program is a nursery stewardship project in Louisiana (56 school nurseries), Chile (four school nurseries) and Belize (2 planned nurseries). Students learn biology, ecology, horticulture, forestry, coastal management and community service. They produce plants in their school nurseries for restoration projects.

Blanchard, B. P. and E. W. Bush. 2016. LSU Coastal Roots™ Program Handbook: A Year in the Yard. Sea Grant. Louisiana Sea Grant College Program, Louisiana State University. 2^nd Edition. Baton Rouge La. In English and Spanish.

Bush, E. W., D. P. Shepard, P.W. Wilson, and J. N. McCrimmon.1999. Carpetgrass and centipedegrass tissue Fe and Mn accumulation in response to soil waterlogging. Journal of Plant Nutrition. 22(3):435-444.

Bush, E. W., P.W. Wilson, D. P. Shepard and G. McClure. 2000. Enhancement of seed germination of common carpetgrass and centipedegrass seed. HortScience. 35(4):769-770.

Bush, E., D. Shepard, P. Wilson and J. McCrimmon. 2000. Carpetgrass (Axonopus affinis) freezing tolerance and nonstructural carbohydrate composition. HortScience. 35(2):187-189.

Dunwell, W. C., D. Fare, M. Arnold, K. Tilt, G. Knox, W. Witte, P. Knight, M. Pooler, W. Klingeman, A. Niemiera, J. Ruter, T. Yeager, T. Ranney, R. Beeson, J. Lindstrom, E. Bush, A. Owings and M. Schnelle. 2001. Plant Evaluation Program for Nursery Crops and Landscape Systems by the Southern Extension and Research Activities /Information. Exchange Group-27. HortTechnology. 11:373-375.

Bush, E. W., K. M. Leader and A. D. Owings. 2001. Foliar accumulation of Zn in tree species grown in pine bark media amended with crumb rubber. Journal of Plant Nutrition. 24(3):503-510.

Bush, E. W., A. L. Gray, P. W. Wilson and R. P. Edling. 2003. A closed capture irrigation effluent system for monitoring large container leachate. HortTechnology. 13(2):363-365. April-June 2003.

Mumbahri McCharo, E. W. Bush, C. Broussard, and D. R. LaBonte. 2003. Molecular and morphological investigation of ornamental liripogons. J. of Amer. Hort. Soc.128(4):575-577.

Bush, E. and A.. Owings, and K. Leader. 2003. Foliar accumulation of zinc in trees grown in hardwood bark media amended with crumb rubber. J. of Plant Nutrition.26:1413-1426.

Johnson, C. E. and E. W. Bush 2005. ‘La Belle’ Peach. HortScience. 40:856-857.

Bush, Edward and Pam Blanchard. 2009. Low cost can yard for educational purposes. Hortscience 19:364-368.

Karsh, K., Bush, E., Hinson, J., and Blanchard, P. B. 2009. Integrating Horticulture Biology and Environmental Coastal Issues into the Middle School Science Curriculum. HortTechnology.19:813-817.

Coker, E., G. Bachman, C. Boyd, P. Blanchard, E. Bush, and M. Gu. 2010. Coastal Roots: Connecting Students with Sustainability in Mississippi and Louisiana. HortTechnology. 20:499-502.

Wells, Daniel E., Edward W. Bush, Jeffrey S. Beasley, and Charles E. Johnson. 2013. Effects of Phosphorus Source, Phosphorus Rate, and Liming Rate on Growth and Quality of Verbena canadensis Britton ‘Homestead Purple’ and Lantana camara L. J. of Environmental Horticulture.

Fontenot, K., E. Bush, R. Portier, B. Meyer and J.Beasley. 2014. Determining an Optimum Tree Species for the Phytoremediation of Cumene and 4-Cumylphenol in Groundwater. J. Environ. Hort. 32(4):196–202.

Bush, Edward W. and Jeff Beasley. 2015. Scientists Optimize Nursery Irrigation Practices by Managing Water Output. Louisiana Agriculture. 58(3):35.

Bush, N., Bush, E., Blanchard, P., Bush, N. and Conover, J. 2015. Studying the Ecological Benefits of Spartina Grass Species and Use of a Mathematical Model (Pick’s Theorem) for Historical Documentation and Future Restoration of Hypoxic Marshlands. Journal of Water Resource and Protection. 7:1363-1374.

Fontenot, D., E. Bush, J. Beasley, C. Johnson, and K. Fontenot. 2015. Evaluating Bermudagrass ( Cynodon dactylon), Seashore Paspalum (Paspalum vaginatum) and Weeping Lovegrass (Eragrostis curvula) as a Vegetative Cap for Industrial Brine Landform Stabilization and Phytoremediation. J. of Plant Nutrition. 38:237-245.

Fontenot, K., E. Bush, and S. Gravois. 2017. Lettuce Grow: Universities Collaborating with Non-Profits to Provide Child Care Development Educators with Garden Knowledge and Experience. HortTechnology. 27:1-4.

Title: Fertilizer and soil recommendations for grain crops
Submitted to: Grain Board
Funds: $25,000 (2016-17)
Investigators: E. Bush

Title: Phytoremediation and stabilization of a solid waste surface impoundment
Submitted to: Motiva
Funds: $31,000 (2016-2017)
Investigators: Lou Gaston and Ed Bush

Title: Fertilizer and soil recommendations for grain crops
Submitted to: Grain Board
Funds: $25,000 (2015-16)
Investigators: E. Bush

Title: Mr. & Mrs. Chandler Coastal Roots Support
Funds: $25.000 (2014)
Submitted to: Mr. & Mrs. Chandler
Investigators: P. Blanchard and E. Bush CO-PI

Title: Phytoremediation and stabilization of a solid waste surface impoundment
Submitted to: Honeywell Co.
Funds: $352,000 (2008-10)
Investigators: E. Bush and J. Beasley

Title: Coastal Roots Initiative
Submitted to: America’s Wetland Foundation
Funds: $10,000 (2009)
Investigators: P. Blanchard and E. Bush

Title: Phytoremediation using ornamental grasses
Submitted to: Georgia Gulf
Funds: $11,000 (2007)
Investigators: E. Bush and D. Fontenot

Title: Closed Aquifer phytoremediation using tree species.
Submitted to: Georgia Pacific
Funds: $ 52,000 (2007-8)
Investigators: Edward Bush, Kiki Fontenot, and Ann Gray

Title: Coastal Roots: School Seedling Nursery Program for Habitat Restoration
Submitted to: LA Sea Grant College Program
Funds: $29,847 (2007)
Investigators: P. Blanchard and E. Bush

Title: Establishing a native plant arboretum
Submitted to: Frost Foundation
Funds: $40,000 (1993)
Investigators: Charles E. Johnson, Steve Hotard, Leron Robbins, and Edward Bush

Title: Use of recycled rubber tires for a horticultural amendment.
Submitted to: Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality
Funds: $350,000 (1993)
Investigators: Rod Hendricks, Allen Owings, and Edward Bush

Theissan, M., E. Bush, E. and J. Beasley. 2017. Automated irrigation device to regulate commercial irrigation for nursery production. Provisional Patent. Full Patent in Progress.