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Ryan Contreras
- HORT 226. Landscape Plant Materials I: Deciduous Hardwoods and Conifers. Fall. 4 credits
- HORT 226e. Landscape Plant Materials I: Deciduous Hardwoods and Conifers. Fall - Online. 4 credits
- HORT 228. Landscape Plant Materials II: Spring Flowering Trees and Shrubs. Spring. 4 credits
- HORT 228e. Landscape Plant Materials II: Spring Flowering Trees and Shrubs. Spring - Online. 4 credits
- HORT 301. Growth and Development of Horticultural Crops. Fall. 3 credits
- HORT 301e. Growth and Development of Horticultural Crops. Fall & Spring - Online. 3 credits
- HORT 310e. Principles of Plant Propagation. Winter - Online. 3 credits
- HORT 311. Plant Propagation. Winter. 4 credits
- Ph.D. Horticulture, The University of Georgia - 2009
- M.S. Horticultural Science, North Carolina State University - 2006
- B.S. Horticultural Science, North Carolina State University - 2002.
- Professor, Oregon State University, Department of Horticulture. 40% Teaching / 55% Research. September 2021 - current.
- Associate Head, Oregon State University, Department of Horticulture. April 2021 - current.
- Associate Professor, Oregon State University, Department of Horticulture. 40% Teaching / 55% Research. September 2016 - September 2021.
- Assistant Professor, Oregon State University, Department of Horticulture. 40% Teaching / 35% Research. December 2009 - September 2016
- Graduate Research Assistant, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, Department of Horticulture. 2006 - 2009
- Graduate Research Assistant, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, Department of Horticultural Science. 2004 - 2006
- 2021 American Society for Horticultural Science Outstanding Cross-commodity Publication Award
- 2020 American Society for Horticultural Science - Research Division Vice President-Elect
- 2019 Oregon Association of Nurseries President’s Five Star Award
- 2018 Oregon Association of Nurseries Distinguished Education Award
- 2018 Western Region Award for Excellence in College and University Teaching in the Food and Agricultural Sciences
- 2016 Oregon Association of Nurseries President’s Five Star Award
- 2015 R.M. Wade Award for Excellence in Teaching and Registry of Distinguished Teachers
- 2013 College of Agricultural Sciences Savery Outstanding Young Faculty Award
- Cara Still - M.S. 2023 - Reproductive behavior and pollinator attraction of Buddleja cultivars. Current Position: Faculty Research Assistant, Ornamental Plant Breeding Program, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR.
- Kristin Neill - M.S. 2020 - Phenotyping Ornamental Plants: Case Studies in Disease Resistance of Cotoneaster and Fruit Quality Attributes from Vaccinium ovatum. Current Position: Horticulturist at Amazon Spheres, Seattle, WA.
- Hsuan Chen - Ph.D. 2018 - Developing Tools for Hardy Hibiscus and Lilac Breeding: Quantile Regression, Cytogenetics, Interspecific Hybridization, Somatic Hybridization, and Marker-Trait Association. Current Position: Assistant Professor, Horticultural Science, NC State, Raleigh.
- Jason Lattier - Ph.D. 2017 - Breeding and Genetics of Lilacs and Hardy Hibiscus. Current Position: Director and Curator Caine Conservatory, High Point University, North Carolina.
- Justin Schulze - M.S. 2017 - Breeding, Production, and Morphophysiology among Cytotypes of Common and Portuguese Cherrylaurel. Current Position: Plant Breeder and Horticulturist with Bailey Nurseries, Inc., Watkinsville, GA.
- Kim Shearer - M.S. 2016 - Inducing and evaluating phenotypic and cytometric variation in landscape plants: Observations from Acer, Galtonia, and Penstemon. Current Position: Curator of Living Collections and Manager Chicagoland Grows at the Morton Arboretum, Chicago, IL.
- Joseph Rothleutner - M.S. 2012 - Genome Sizing and Fire Blight Resistance Screening in Cotoneaster. Current Position: Director of Horticulture and Facilities at Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, CA.
- None
- Madelaina DiPasquale. Phenology and propagation of Camellia grown in Corvallis, OR.
- Josh Ashcraft. Phenology of the maple germplasm collection including synthetic polyploids at OSU Ornamental Plant Breeding
- Ty Seely. Analysis of pollen from 22x, 33x, 44x, and 22x+44x common cherrylaurels.
- Patrice Woodworth. Ploidy analysis of seedlings dervied from 4x Acer ginnala & Acer platanoides and 2x+4x Hydrangea macrophylla.
- Gwyn Alanko: Ploidy analysis of maple seedlings derived from tetraploid parents.
- Sawyer Hurd: Intern and assistant on mockorange breeding to evaluate fragrance, flowering, and form among newly developed hybrids
- Jon Dempster: Fertility and morphological observations of 2x, 3x, and 4x crabapples including 'Prairiefire' and its polyploid derivatives.
- Aleen Haddad: Genome size analysis in Acer: Comparing methods of sample handling and preparation
- Rebecca Reeve: In vivo polyploidization of Hibiscus syriacus using diffferent mitotic inhibitors and application techniques
- Geena Quinones: Non-targeted mutagenesis of Carpenteria californica using varying rates of gamma radiation
- Morgan Chan: Field evaluation and herbarium voucher collection for 49 species of Cotoneaster
- Tucker Doyle: In situ chromosome doubling of four Oregon native plants of varying growth forms
- Tiffany Pham: In vitro polyploidization of Hydrangea macrophylla
- Keith Lukowski: Mapping the woody flora of Oregon State University
- Coral Cummings: Viability and longevity of Prunus laurocerasus and P. lusitanica pollen under varying storage conditions
- Imogene Hollis: Propagation and cataloguing newly received accessions for the Ornamental Plant Breeding Program

ryan.contreras [at] oregonstate.edu
Office: 541-737-5462
Other: ryan.contreras@oregonstate.edu
Agricultural & Life Sciences
2750 SW Campus Way
Program Overview
My teaching and research focuses on woody nursery and landscape plants. I teach spring and fall woody plant identification courses, growth and development of horticultural crops, and plant propagation. Research in my lab is closely aligned with the nursery industry to try and develop new plants that work well in production and serve the needs of growers and gardeners alike. As the nursery industry grows an incredible diversity of crops, we try to address a diverse suite of plants from low growing shrubs or groundcovers to large shade trees. This interest in serving the needs of the industry has led me to initiate projects on nearly 50 genera.
Research
My research program involves several areas of landscape plant breeding and cultivar development. Of primary interest is the development of sterile forms of nonnative species that are of economic importance to Oregon growers to prevent escape from cultivation. Primary techniques to achieve sterility/reduced fertility include development of triploids using ploidy manipulation, as well as mutagenesis by exposing seeds or meristems to physical and chemical mutagens.
My lab conducts fundamental research in traditional genetics, cytogenetics, molecular genetics, and genomics to support the applied breeding program with the goal of developing plants that are attractive to consumers, easy for growers to produce, and resilient in modern landscapes. The end goal is to develop new cultivars that have increased insect and disease resistance combined with superior aesthetics.
Teaching
Team Members
Project Leader - Ryan Contreras
Education
Appointments
Awards and Honors
Research Assistants
Ivory Knutson
Cara Lucker
Current Graduate Students
Adigun McLeod: Ploidy manipulation and genomics of industrial hemp
Dan Blanchard: Developing mapping and database tools for the Oregon State University landscape
Past Students
Undergraduate Researchers and Interns
Current
Past
Cultivar Releases
Hibiscus syriacus 'Flamingo' PPAF
Ribes sanguineum 'Oregon Snowflake' PP26763
Cotoneaster ×suecicus 'Emerald Sprite' PP31,719
Cotoneaster ×suecicus 'Emerald Beauty' PP32,308
Publications (*indicates student author)
2022
*Chen, H. and R.N. Contreras. 2022. Near-Hexaploid and Near-Tetraploid Aneuploid Progenies Derived from Backcrossing Tetraploid Parents Hibiscus syriacus × (H. syriacus × H. paramutabilis). Genes. 13(6):1022. doi: 10.3390/genes13061022
*McLeod, A., K. Vining, T. Hoskins, and R.N. Contreras. 2022. Impact of Indole-3-butyric Acid Concentration and Formulation and Propagation Environment on Rooting Success of ‘I3’ Hemp by Stem Cuttings. HortTechnology. 32(3):321-324. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTTECH05016-21
*Lattier, J.D. and R.N. Contreras. 2022. Flower forms and ploidy levels impact fertility in althea. HortScience. 57(4):558-570. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI16478-21
*Neill, K.E. and R.N. Contreras. 2022. Does Inducing Tetraploidy in Vaccinium ovatum Improve Fruit Traits and Plant Architecture? HortScience. 57(2):312-318. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI16332-21
2021
*Melsen, K., M. van de Wouw, and R.N. Contreras. 2021. Mutation breeding in ornamentals. HortScience. 56(10):1154-1165. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI16001-21
*Neill, K.E., R.N. Contreras, V.O. Stockwell, *H. Chen. 2021. Screening Cotoneaster sp. for resistance to fire blight using foliar inoculation with two strains of Erwinia amylovora. HortScience 56(7):824-830. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI15872-21
2020
Contreras, R.N. and T.C. Hoskins. 2020. Developing triploid maples. Horticulturae 6(4)70. https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae6040070
Hoskins, T.C., *J.D. Lattier, and R.N. Contreras. 2020. Sowing green seed without stratification does not shorten juvenility or increase plant size in common lilac (Syringa vulgaris). HortScience 55(11):1781-1787. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI15328-20
*Lattier, J.D. and R.N. Contreras. 2020. Segregation of flower color and eyespot in althea. J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 145(4):215-227 https://doi.org/10.21273/JASHS04824-19. (JASHS Cover)
Contreras, R.N. and *Shearer, K. 2020. Exposing seeds of Galtonia candicans to ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) reduced inflorescence height, lodging, and fertility. HortScience 55(5):621-624 https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI14775-19.
*Chen, H., J.D. Lattier, K. Vining, and R.N. Contreras. 2020. Two SNP markers identified using GBS are associated with remontancy in a segregating F1 population of Syringa meyeri ‘Palibin’ x S. pubescens ‘Penda’ Bloomerang®. J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 145(2):104-109 https://doi.org/10.21273/JASHS04847-20.
*Petter, J., P. Ries, A. D’Antonio, and R.N. Contreras. 2020. A Tree Selection Survey of Tree City USA Designated Cities in the Pacific Northwest. Arboriculture & Urban Forestry. 46(5):371-384 https://doi.org/10.48044/jauf.2020.027.
*Petter, J., P. Ries, A. D’Antonio, and R.N. Contreras. 2020. How are managers making tree species selection decisions in the Pacific Northwest of the United States? Arboriculture & Urban Forestry. 46(2):148-161.
2019
Hoskins, T. and R.N. Contreras. 2020. Exposing seeds of Sarcococca confusa to increased concentrations and durations of ethyl methanesulfonate reduced seed germination, twinning, and plant size. HortScience 54(11):1902-1906. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI14428-19
Graebner, R.C., H. Chen, R.N. Contreras, K.G. Haynes, and V.R. Sathuvalli. 2019. Identification of a high frequency of triploid potatoes from tetraploid x diploid crosses. HortScience 54(7)1159-1163.
Vining, K.J., I. Pandelova, K. Hummer, N. Bassil, R.N. Contreras, K. Neill, H. Chen, A.N. Parrish, and B.M. Lange. Genetic diversity survey of Mentha aquatica L. and Mentha suaveolens Ehrh., mint crop ancestors. Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution 66(4):825-845.
2018
2017
2016
Contreras, R.N. and L. Meneghelli. 2016. In vitro chromosome doubling of Prunus laurocerasus 'Otto Luyken' and 'Schipkaensis'. HortScience 51(12):1463-1466.
2015
2014
2013
Schwartz, B.M., R.N. Contreras, K.R. Harris-Schultz, D.L. Heckart, J.B. Peake, and P.L. Raymer. 2013. Discovery and characterization of a turf-type triploid seashore paspalum. HortScience 48(12):1424-1427.
Schwartz, B.M., K.R. Harris-Schultz, R.N. Contreras, C.S. Hans, W.W. Hanna, and S.R. Milla-Lewis. 2013. Creation of artificial triploid and tetraploid centipedegrass using colchicine and breeding. Intl. Turfgrass Soc. Res. J. 12:327-334.
Schwartz, B.M., K.R. Harris-Schultz, C.S. Hans, R.N. Contreras, and S.A. Jackson. 2013. Creation of hexaploid and octoploid zoysiagrass using colchicine and breeding. Crop Science 53:2218-2224.
2012
2011
2010
2009
Contreras, R.N. and J.M. Ruter. 2009. Sulfuric acid scarification of Callicarpa americana (Lamiaceae) seeds improves germination. Native Plants J. 10(3):283-286.
2008
Contreras, R.N. and T.G. Ranney. 2008. New opportunities for breeding fragrant rhododendrons. J. Amer. Rhododendron Soc. 62(4):201-202.
2007
Contreras, R.N., T.G. Ranney, S.R. Milla-Lewis, and G.C. Yencho. 2007. Investigating parentage and hybridity of three azaleodendrons using amplified fragment length polymorphism analysis. HortScience 42(3):740-743. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI.42.3.740