Education

B.S., Biological Science/Horticulture, Kansas State University, 1971

M.S., Horticulture, Kansas State University, 1973

Ph.D., Horticulture, Texas A&M University, 1978

Research Interests

• Plant Propagation;
• Tree Crops;
• To study woody (ornamental and native) and herbaceous plant materials with emphasis on plant adaptability, selection, and maintenance requirements to provide a vehicle for arboreta, botanic gardens and the landscape industry to become more closely allied to the University of Nebraska, i.e. GreatPlants®;
• Native woody plant to be used as ornamental plants in horticulture;
• The adaptation of ornamental plants introduced from China and Tibet to the Great Plains Region of the U.S.

Courses Taught

• HORT 1300, Introduction to Horticulture (UNO);
• HORT 1310, Introduction to Horticulture Lab (UNO);
• HORT 221/2210, Plant Propagation (UNL/UNO).

Major Project Activities

• International educational programs with Southeast Asia in the tree crops area with emphasis on China, Tibet, Inner Mongolia and Japan;
• Woody ornamental plants;
• The adaptation of ornamental plants form China and Tibet to the Great Plains Region of the U.S.

Gustafson has 25 years experience working in China (PRC).

Publications

• Gustafson, W.A. 1992. Pecan and walnut insect management. Nebr. Coop. Ext. FS.
• Gustafson, W.A. 1991. Pawpaw: A large Nebr. native fruit. Nebr. Coop. Ext. FS.
• Gustafson, W.A. and T.M. Morrissey. 1990. Blossom dates for select black walnut (Juglans nigra L.) cultivars/clones. Annu. Rpt. Northern Nut Growers Assn. 80:83-86.
• Gustafson, W.A. and T.M. Morrissey. 1990. Northern pecan research - 1989-bud break, flowering and fruiting data for 38 clones/cultivars. Annu. Rpt. Northern Nut Growers Assn.. 80:90-92.
• Gustafson, W.A. 1990. Fruit tree cultivars for Nebraska. Nebr. Coop. Ext NebGuide G90-1005
• Gustafson, W.A. 1990. Nut tree cultivars for Nebraska. Nebr. Coop. Ext. Ext. Circ. 90-1762.
• Gustafson, W.A. 1985. Strawberry cultivars for Nebraska. Nebr. Coop. Ext. NebGuide G85-75 2
• Gustafson, W.A. 1982. Inlay bark grafting: Grafting techniques for large trees. Nebr. Coop. Ext. Ext. Circ. 83-1239.
• Gustafson, W.A., J.B. Storey, and L.W. Shreve.1982. Bench-grafting of pecan. HortScience 17(6):969-970.
• Gustafson, W.A. 1979. The four-flap graft: An easy grafting techniques for nut or hardwood trees. Nebr. Coop. Ext. NebGuide 79-431.