AMES, Iowa -- A ceremony to name the Iowa State University horticulture greenhouses the Charles V. Hall Greenhouses was held today on campus.
Hall is an emeritus professor and served as chair of the Department of Horticulture from 1974 to 1990. The new greenhouses are important to Hall who stressed the value of such facilities throughout his career.
"The greenhouses are an essential part of everyday activity for students and add a special beauty to campus. This facility is the culmination of what we began in 1978," Hall said.
Hall's plant breeding research led to the creation of several watermelon varieties. He is widely known for the Crimson Sweet watermelons, which have smaller seeds and remain fresh during shipping. The Crimson Sweet variety is grown in more than 50 countries.
The $4 million teaching and research greenhouses opened in 2011 and replaced 98 year-old greenhouses. The new 12,000 square-foot greenhouses include teaching and research areas equipped with state-of-the-art computerized temperature, humidity and light intensity controls to maximize plant production and research.
Jeff Iles, horticulture professor and department chair, said that Hall has been an advocate and friend of the department for more than 40 years. As an administrator, he championed the effort to fund and expand Horticulture Hall in 1980.
"As a plant scientist, his watermelon selections have delighted consumers around the globe, while bringing a steady stream of revenue to Iowa State, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the horticulture department."
The greenhouses extend along the south side of Horticulture Hall, home of the horticulture department. The greenhouse complex is partitioned into sections dedicated to research, teaching and student club activities.