FFAR Fellows Program

To increase margins in U.S. blueberry production, modern plant breeding tools such as genomic selection and phenomic selection are used. However, a challenge in using these tools is effectively allocating resources while maintaining accuracy. Breeders currently rely on algorithms to guide their selection decisions. Andunola is studying near-infrared spectroscopy as a viable, more cost effective alternative.-

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Enoch is examining how Cooperative Extension Agents use social media in the dissemination of emerging technologies and ideas for farmers to adopt sustainable practices. He also is documenting how these extension agents deal with misinformation to get a better understanding of how it can be addressed.

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Bruhn’s research analyzes soil properties, water balance, nutrient cycling and crop yields between subsurface drainage and deficit subirrigation, an optimization strategy in which irrigation is applied during drought-sensitive stages of crop growth. Bruhn aims to identify sites where deficit subirrigation can sustainably intensify production with site-specific models and ultimately improve agriculture water management.

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Cason studies Salmonella in chicken broiler flocks in differing stages of production leading up to processing. Determining this prevalence throughout bird life cycles will help with pre-harvest screenings and necessary interventions. Her research will establish improved methods for Salmonella surveillance and sampling protocols, resulting in a reduction of Salmonella arriving at processing and a safer supply of nutrient-dense food on the dinner plate.

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Although sexed semen technology is available in several countries, its implementation is costly and often not feasible. Falade’s research looks at biotechnological methods of gene editing to eliminate the production of animals of an undesired sex and also produce more disease resistance.

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Fajardo’s research examines soil and water assessment tool models to understand phosphorous sources in a watershed in eastern North Carolina. His findings will provide insight into where and when there is a higher risk of phosphorous leaching, a process in which phosphorus attaches to soil particles and makes its way to surface water, which can cause algae growth and result in decreased levels of oxygen. This research could lead to improvements in watershed management.

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The link between nutrition and physical and emotional health is well-documented.. However, in the U.S., 11% of the total population experiences food insecurity. That rate is twice as high for families recently impacted by incarcerated individuals. Fredrick’s research explores individuals’ navigation of the food system during their re-entry into society.

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Perennial grain crops are seen as a promising tool for addressing agriculture impacts on the ecosystem because their extensive root systems retain nutrients and build soil carbon storage. Their impact may be even more profound if they’re managed with intercropping legumes for increased nitrogen availability, however, more information is needed on microbial exchanges in root systems between the two crops.
Grinspan’s research evaluates root system diversity and function across seven states to get a better understanding of those microbial relationships to inform soil health decisions.

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Hanneman’s research focuses on two aspects relating to human consumption of staple grains. She is exploring the quantitative genetics of vitamin B3, an essential nutritional compound historically absent in maize, with the goal of making unavailable forms of B3 available for the human diet through genetic breeding. Additionally, Hanneman is examining grain quality of sorghum during milling/processing in Haiti, Senegal and Uganda. Using models for predictive traits and consulting with local women for cooking methods, her research aims to develop a low-cost breeding selection method for desired traits.

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Hu’s research explores the advancement of modeling and computation in revolutionizing farming practices. Hu is combining a Ruminant Farm Systems models with whole-farm dairy systems model to closely monitor effects of management practices on production to environmental outcomes. Hu’s goal is for the tools to enable the evaluation of farm management decisions without actual intervention.

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Although pollinators provide critical ecosystem services in the pollination of key crops, most key pollinators are wild, native species whose populations are on the decline. Ibarra-Garibay’s research creates a healthy ecological system to test the environmental stressors on native bumble bees to better understand pesticide application, analysis and exposure methods, and how bumble bees can be incorporated with other Integrated Pest Management Tools.

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With an increased interest in soil health in society, there has been increased adoption of conservation practices such as no-till and cover cropping on high plains farms. Jackson’s team of researchers are conducting a comprehensive study on 30 farms across Colorado, Kansas and Nebraska to understand the impact of farmer-led practices transitioning from conventional to regenerative to help inform farmer-centric results and strategies for transitioning to a soil-health-focused system.

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Although there is adequate research on the effects of certain foods and diets and our health, there is a knowledge gap about what in our food is causing that downstream effect. For instance, most food composition databases comprise of roughly 150 biomolecules, although there are more than 26,000 known. Keohane’s research uses chemical detections, spectrometry and data analysis to characterize known and unknown biomolecules in food. The impact of her work will be a comprehensive database of food biomolecules, leading to a better understanding on food’s effects of disease management, childhood nutrition, allergies and more.

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With over 100 crops grown in the U.S. relying on pollinators, insects are playing a vital role in farming systems. However, pest problems continue to be significant threats to yields around the globe. In 2021, 40% of global crop losses were due to pests. Kucherov’s research seeks to understand initial invasive pest invasions, how they move across the landscape and how certain landscapes can deter pests from infesting fields.

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Bacillus cereus is a common foodborne pathogen that poses a serious threat to food safety and human health. Past research has often focused on food handling practices for control, but more studies are needed to better control the pathogen and reduce its presence directly on food products. This is especially true for ethnic grain producers whose products lose quality during refrigeration. Mohammadi’s research looks at identifying the most effective food additives to control outgrowth in chickpea and rice flours and will develop new technologies and evaluations to eliminate the presence of bacillus cereus directly on chickpea and rice flours.

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Crop rotations have been a widely adopted strategy in North Dakota for managing pests and pathogens as well as increasing soil health. However, crop residues can harbor fungal pathogens such as Fusarium, which cause blights, wilts and rots in several common crops. These fungi are highly adaptable to a range of regions which makes it difficult to control. Navasca’s research looks at Fusarium’s ability to acquire and adapt to different crop rotations within these regions. The outcomes will improve crop rotation strategies through a better understanding of their biology in diversified cropping systems.

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Endophytes are a group of fungi that are known for their ability to increase yields and nutrient uptake, and improve disease and pest stress tolerance. However, they can also pose their own risk as a serious crop pathogen. Currently, little is understood about what factors drive endophyte functions and makeup in sustainable production systems. Newbold’s research seeks to understand the biotic and abiotic factors that influence endophyte roles in row cropping systems.
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Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is a corn genetically engineered to produce proteins that have toxiccharacteristics toward specific insects. However, insects like European Corn Borer (ECB) are beginning to develop a resistance to Bt. To understand how quickly ECB’s resistance to Bt is spreading, Yamikani’s research will document DNA mutations in transporter genes of ECB, and will identify molecular markers to track them and understand the frequency of positive resistant alleles.

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Overuse of the Mississippi River Valley Aquifer for rice production has resulted in a decline in surface and groundwater, which has led to increased pumping costs and dried-up wells in the Lower Mississippi River Basin. Current rice production practices involve intensive water use with a constant, 2-4 inches of flooding during pre-harvest. . However, some studies indicate involving alternative wetting and drying demonstrates that nitrogen-use efficiency is improved and water use is decreased by 39 percent. Oakley’s research examines whether the alternative wetting and drying practice can be integrated into automated irrigation systems, and if can can be economically integrated into large scale production systems.

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Perennial ground cover in cropping systems is a practice that involves planting two different crops simultaneously, to provide constant ground cover on the soil. This provides ecosystem services such as reducing soil erosion, minimizing runoff and enhancing drought resilience. Since traditional methods of monitoring soil erosion are time-consuming and their mathematical models have limitations, Olowoyeye’s research identifies new technological models to replace traditional models and get more accurate data on the effectiveness of intercropping systems in controlling soil erosion.

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Smallholder farms are predominant across sub-Saharan Africa and Asia and are increasingly prevalent in urban and suburban settings in the developed world. Most smallholder farms are family-owned, grow a heterogeneous mix of crops and sell surplus produce for income. Oluoch’s research uses data and artificial intelligence to inform strategies for improving agricultural practices in smallholder farms, particularly with irrigation and water management.

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Grasslands and rangelands make up 40% of terrestrial ecosystems and hold an estimated 30% of global carbon stocks. Regenerative grazing management practices have emerged as a possible tool to help mitigate climate change with their ability to use grassland ecosystems as a carbon sink. Patterson’s research contextualizes the impact of livestock management on soil carbon dynamics in three distinct grazing systems: semi-arid, sub-humid and temperate.

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Global demand for biofuels is projected to grow by 28% in the next five years. In order for the biofuel industry to reach net zero emissions by 2050, feedstocks used in biofuel production are grown in a sustainable manner to avoid negative impacts on biodiversity, food prices, food availability and freshwater systems. Pinchi-Davila’s research looks at sorghum as a viable genetic model for biofuel feedstocks due to its worldwide use, high productivity, stress tolerance and several other factors. In particular, her research looks at sorghum’s root microbiomes and their fungal interactions as a way to genetically select for drought tolerance.

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The U.S. cattle industry loses an estimated $5.7 billion annually to fly and tick parasitism. Aside from several limiting factors these parasites cause on growing cattle, they also are associated with the transmission of diseases such as pink eye, mastitis and blood cell parasites. . Producers need the use of integrated pest management in order to combat these losses without the over-reliance on chemical interventions. Smith’s research looks for an automated system for pest surveillance as well as a study of how producers adopt a new surveillance system.

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Methane emissions, a byproduct of microbial fermentation in ruminant livestock like dairy and beef cattle, are also a potent greenhouse gas. The fermentation process in the animals’ rumen also represents a 10% energy loss, leading to feed inefficiency. Kairi Tanaka’s research studies the development of mitigation strategies such as additives that inhibit the methane-producing process in the rumen.

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Though there is much research about individual organisms in food processing environments, more data is needed about community interactions pertaining to these organisms. Vice’s research looks at the behavior of microbial communities in meat processing facilities His research will eventually contribute to novel intervention strategies to combat sanitizer resistance and ensure a safer food environment.

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Crop disease detection has conventionally relied on visible symptoms, which is time-consuming and results in yield losses. Vincent’s research is utilizing machine learning algorithms with hyperspectral imagery to establish disease severity. The outcomes will develop a model of hyper-spectral field imagery and machine learning that can be applied to many crops and help improve food security and sustainability.

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Stink bugs are an invasive pest, a native pest and a beneficial predator in New Jersey peach orchards. Waltman’s research investigates how landscape variables like crop diversity, edge density and percent of forest in the surrounding landscape can predict the abundance of these insects and their egg success rates. Her research will inform growers on how they can utilize the landscape and their agricultural management to control stink bug problems.

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Wang’s research looks at soil health through the rhizosphere, a nutrient-rich region of soil that surrounds the plant root. Wang is creating a novel sentinel plant platform for monitoring rhizosphere dynamics. The resulting impact of the research will be a greater understanding of the rhizosphere’s ability to cycle nutrients, greenhouse gas emissions and planet health.

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Soybean disease is a large cause of yield loss in soybean plants. Zuchelli’s research looks at the overall most profitable way to control soybean disease. He does this by developing models to forecast disease occurrence through spores in the environment. Once an accurate forecast is established, evaluating which control method(s) present the most suitable solution will help producers become more efficient with their resources.

Rubisco is an enzyme found in most vegetables that has an abundance of nutritional value. The increase in attraction for plant-based foods brings attention to rubisco extraction; however, knowledge gaps still exist for extraction and product formulation. Balfany is extracting rubisco from crop waste to produce a high-quality food product.

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Plant pathogens have been a long pressing challenges for crop breeders and farmers. Latest technological toolkits help in genotyping crops to mitigate these pathogens yet, there is still limited access to such technology. Beutler’s research is developing a platform to monitor the evolution of fungal pathogens in cereal crops and rapidly mitigate them.

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Bogati is developing a physiological process-based model for different types of soybeans to improve prediction accuracy under various environmental scenarios. This research helps breeders and producers find the most suitable crops with the highest performance based on region.

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Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is a combination of respiratory diseases or cattle pneumonia in which bacteria and viruses infect the lungs, compromising the immune system and sometimes leading to animal death. Martinez is analyzing ways in which commensal bacteria can be used as an antibiotic alternative to prevent the spread of BRD.

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Chu is examining harvest weed seed control technologies to control seeds that are harvested at the same time as the crop. This research helps decrease the use of herbicides and tillage which severely impact soil health

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The California strawberry industry, valued at 2 billion dollars, suffers significant losses from disease. Conyers’s research is investigating if cyanobacterial extract can protect strawberry plants against disease.

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Davis is researching the effects of long-term tissue culture on mutation in wood plants, such a pistachio. This research is also elucidating the genetic locus for salt tolerance in pistachio.

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Synthetic fertilizers can be detrimental to soil health over time. Biosolids are treated wastewater products that can be land applied as an alternative to synthetic fertilizers. Desjardins is focusing on the impacts of long-term biosolids applications and cover crop grazing on soil health and sustainable crop productivity in dryland grain systems.

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The threat of wildfire smoke to vineyards has predominantly been an issue in the western United States. Smoke exposed grapes result in smoky, ashy and medicinal sensory characters that are undesirable in wine. Garcia is testing the films and determining whether the novel film coatings are a prospective preventative measure to stop wildfire smoke from entering the grapes.

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Fungicides are an important tool for farmers because they help protect against plant pathogens that cause damage to crops; however, overuse of fungicides lead to several problems such as resistance and environmental contamination. Garnica is characterizing the climatic factors associated with the incidence of a common foliar disease in wheat in North Carolina and developing models to help predict the optimal time to spray the crop.

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Blueberries have evolved from a regional commodity in the United States to a global specialty crop in a short span of time. Yet, several fungal and bacterial infections are preventing blueberries from reaching their full production potential. Ghimire is identifying genomic regions that regulate response to diseases in blueberries which helps for disease resistance.

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Klett is examining how new crop insurance incentives could help farmers in the Midwest adopt more climate smart land use practices at scale. This research is incentivizing mass adoption of cover crop usage to improve soil health.

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Komondy is examining the factors that drive increased pathogen transmission by insect vectors and the implementation of precision agricultural tools to facilitate the intelligent use of insecticides and to forecast pest outbreaks. This research develops a sequential sampling plan for onion thrips in onion production regions

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A plant’s access to nutrients in soil is essential for producing an abundance of sustainable crops. Kwafo is understanding the underlying mechanisms affecting nutrient deficiencies in food crops under elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations by exploring soil conditions, reduced distribution and accumulation of nutrient tissues.

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Lamon is identifying techniques to increase genetic diversity in peanut. This research helps peanut companies reduce seed contamination and mitigate the negative effects of diseases and climate change on peanut harvests.

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Fungal pathogens that cause corn ear-rots are common worldwide, though the pathogens alone do not consistently result in significant yield loss. McLaughlin is studying the impacts of specific traits in corn hybrids on mycotoxin mitigation, as well as other pre-harvest management strategies to determine effective and sustainable integrated pest management (IPM) to assist growers in managing ear rots and mycotoxin contamination.

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Accumulated soil phosphorus is an important source of agricultural phosphorus loss, and it poses a continuous risk of loss to both surface and ground waters. Mumbi is understanding the concentration patterns and variance of soil phosphorus in agricultural watersheds and how these patterns influence phosphorus delivery to nearby waterways.

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Blueberries are widely cultivated and consumed throughout the world due to their pleasant flavor and numerous health benefits. Oh is unraveling the physiological and genetic mechanisms underlying fruit softening to improve blueberry shelf-life. This research is working to minimize food loss in blueberries while maximizing shelf-life quality.

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The grape mealybug is an insect virus that results in a 60 percent decrease in grape yield and a significant decline in the quality of harvested grapes. Onayemi is analyzing alternative integrated pest management (IPM) methods of mating disruption to control the grape mealybug.

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Stink bugs are devastating and persistent insect pests across much of the Southeastern United States. Focusing on corn, cottonand soybean within various ecoregions across North Carolina, Orta is identifying flora present within the woods surrounding fields as a driver for early-season stink bug colonization.

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Pseudoperonospora cubensis is a pathogen that causes mildew in crops. The pathogen is mainly controlled with weekly fungicide applications, which can cause long term effects to the crops. Torres is developing an ideal disease alert system would warn when to initiate the required weekly sprays at a time when fungicides.

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Honeybees (Apis mellifera) are the most important agricultural pollinators, used to pollinate everything from apples to pumpkins. When necessary, they will fly several miles in search of forage to meet the nutritional needs of the colony, which can cause cross-pollination between fields. Reed is reducing foraging distance to improve isolation practices.

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Shittu is developing a decision support system (DSS) for wheat growers in Pennsylvania. This research helps wheat growers to make disease management decisions relevant to their individual farms.

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Climate change has a direct impact on agriculture, food security and human health. Due to projected increases in temperature and shifts in rainfall patterns, changes in crop yields are inevitable. Shrestha is building genomic prediction models by understanding and utilizing the genetics behind the genotype-by-environment interaction.

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Surber is uncovering the function of two xylem-abundant sulfate transporter genes on sulfate metabolism in wood forming tissue. This research providing insight into how tree growth and metabolism will shift and how this will affect biomass production for biofuels.

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Tarnonsky is developing different strategies to increase efficiency in the different phases of beef production and measure their environmental impact (carbon and water footprint), production level and cost effectiveness. This research contributes to reduction in air pollution and source of carbon sequestration, wildlife habitat and water reservoirs.

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Tropical maize is highly important to maize breeding as it is the most genetically diverse maize there is. Tropical maize is thought to have beneficial alleles, not found in temperate maize, that could be exploited to create new and improved maize varieties. Tyson is using biotechnology as a way to potentially improve maize varieties and tropical maize breeding.

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Wong is developing and releasing improved spring wheat varieties for Montana spring wheat producers by finding a gene that controls spikelet number per spike in wheat and understanding plant plasticity and interaction effects on grain yield among multiple yield component traits.

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As the population increases, food insecurity is also on the rise. One potential solution for addressing agriculture and food security challenges is plant growth-promoting (PGP) microbes. Ahmad is identifying and understanding the microbes that colonize wheat roots and the surrounding soil. This research will reduce agricultural inputs like pesticides and fertilizers while also increasing crop yields and improving soil health. 

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Sweet potatoes are an essential horticultural crop. Severe weather events, higher humidity and temperatures can increase the crop’s susceptibility to plant pathogens. Butler is analyzing climate, weather, land use and soil data to understand the effects it has on crop yield, size and marketability of the sweet potato. This research focuses on data collected from field to market and will provide insight on how sweet potatoes impact the food system.

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Domestication of bread wheat has created a lack of genetic diversity in wheat compared to its wild relatives. By using genetic introgression, the transfer of genetics from one species into another, genetic diversity can be reintroduced. Carroll is identifying patterns of genetic introgression using a single genotyping data to help improve bread wheat yield and overall bread quality.

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Addressing food productivity gaps between supply and demand are critical to ensuring food security. Shiang-Wan Chin is developing a multi-objective decision making software tool to support farmers to profitability manage their farms while sustaining the environment.

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Prairie potholes are depressional wetlands often found in the upper Midwest region on the United States. Prairie pothole wetlands are typically drained to improve crop yields yet, this hinders the benefits that wetlands provide on soil health and water management. Chizen is evaluating how soil carbon storage impacts the type of prairie pothole wetland and overall soil health.

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Invasive pests such as the helicoverpa zea can be economically damaging, impacting a variety of essential crops such as soybean, corn and more. Pests are developing resistance to current insecticide usage. Dillard is assessing how current reduced of no-till recommendations can be integrated with pest management. This research provides a site-specific sustainable pest management tool that can replace current short-term insecticide usage.

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Farmers and ranchers are faced with the growing demand for animal protein, while also maintaining overall productivity and animal welfare. Osario Doblado is evaluating the use of astringent biomolecules such as tannins/saponins to increase beef cattle performance while decreasing greenhouse gas emissions.

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Regenerative agriculture has great potential to improve crop yields, water management and reduce greenhouse gas emissions; however, questions remain about the ability of regenerative agriculture to deliver. Ellis is evaluating the soil health, socio-economic and climate resilience impacts of regenerative agriculture systems to determine sustainable on-farm practices that restore degraded ecosystems.

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Heat stress is an increasingly grave concern in swine production due to the impacts of climate change. Genetic selection for pigs at the nucleus level can help provide a sustainable population. Graham is assessing the transgenerational epigenetic effect in-utero heat stress in swine populations.

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Morbidity, increasing mortality rates and disease resistance negatively impacting the swine industry. Grohmann is evaluating environmental data derived from smart farms using advanced remote sensors to increase profitability, sustainability and animal welfare in the swine industry.

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Severe contemporary drought has altered the role of soil health and drought tolerance in plants. Hammer is investigating how microbiome benefits are altered by drought selection, local adaptation and the mechanisms underlying those effects. This research provides the basis for breeding for microbiome-mediated benefits.

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Water scarcity is a rising challenge as population increases and the effects of climate change intensifies. Lamsal is developing a model that quantifies water consumption at fine spatial and temporal resolution for the United States. This research provides and understanding of how past water use and projected future crop water requirements will impact agriculture.

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Sweet potatoes vary in size to a great degree across individual potatoes. For this reason, many sweet potatoes are discarded for not meeting local and international market regulations. Enrique Pena Martinez is using optical sensors to predict sweet potato growth parameters. This research will improve the efficiency and sustainability of sweet potato production.

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Cattle stomach fermentation of plant matter is a large producer of methane emissions. This methane is then belched out by the animal and makes up almost half of a dairy farm's emissions. McCabe’s is examining feed additives that are provided to cows to reduce their enteric fermentation emissions.

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McDaniel’s is conducting research on alternative pest management technologies in vineyards. The technologies she is pursuing include heated horticulture oil, ozonated water and ultraviolet C light (UVC) as pest management for powdery mildew and grape mealy bug in vineyards.

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A profitable sale of sweet potatoes oftentimes depends on a preferred appearance as consumers purchase sweet potatoes of a desired look and size. McDowell is optimizing the sweet potato supply chain in North Carolina by analyzing data and providing insight on how to produce more of the desired sweet potatoes, improving sweet potato harvests and decreasing food waste.

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Ingestion and subsequent cellular uptake of double stranded RNA (dsRNA) molecules triggers the RNA interference gene silencing mechanism resulting in sequence-specific suppression of the target gene. Silencing of essential insect genes by a complementary dsRNA can result in growth inhibition, abnormalities or insect death. Mishra is focused on understanding resistance to insecticidal dsRNA in the Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata). 

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Morales is examining an image-derived phenotype known as the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) which is a measure of canopy coverage and plant photosynthetic activity. His goal is to understand the stability of this phenotype across genotypes (maize hybrids and alfalfa accessions) and across environments.

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During weaning, piglets are exposed to a variety of infectious agents as they are transported and housed with other piglets. This often leads to post-weaning diarrhea (PWD) during the first two weeks post weaning, a serious challenge to the swine industry causing significant economic loss.  Fecal transplant therapy might be effective in the treatment of PWD. Oladele’s research explores the relationship between the microbiome and the host, using this understanding to develop fecal transplant therapy for the prevention and treatment of PWD.

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Olivo’s research is testing and comparing multiple whole-farm evaluation tools for assessment of environmental outcomes on a range of New York dairy farms. He is also developing key performance indicators and benchmarking strategies for a holistic assessment of a farm’s environmental performance.

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Paudel’s research is focused on the onion, one of the important agricultural produce in Georgia and the U.S., and the effects of the bacterial pathogen Burkholderia gladioli pv. allicola (Bga). Disease mechanisms, survival, dispersal and host interactions aspects of this soil-borne pathogen are relatively understudied. Paudel’s goal is to understand the genetic determinants of virulence in this pathogen using a functional genetics approach.

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50% of cultivable lands will be lost by the middle of the 21st century due to soil salinity. Traditional breeding and genetic engineering approaches using glycophytic (salt-sensitive) plants have had only limited success in developing salinity-resistant plants, despite significant efforts. Pradhan is unraveling the genetics of salt tolerance traits in halophytic (salt tolerant) turfgrasses by including a comparative approach with salt sensitive crop relatives like sorghum and finger millet. This may help pave the way for breeding salt tolerant cereals to combat food insecurity caused by yield loss due to saline soils. 

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Liver abscesses occur in 12-32% of the cattle in most feedlots. Thomas is designing a model to study liver abscesses more accurately and in more detail. Additionally, he is examining the effectiveness of non-pharmaceutical and traditional liver abscesses prevention strategies.

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Pregnancy loss in cattle accounts for billions in lost revenue to the beef industry each year. It is often a challenge to pinpoint exactly what causes reproductive loss. Carvalho da Silva is identifying markers influenced by sex-steroid concentration that will predict pregnancy outcomes in cattle. Decreasing pregnancy loss will lead to an increase in production per unit of land and a more profitable enterprise.

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Providing an environment that is optimal for swine and inhospitable for disease-causing agents is critical for pig producers. Understanding the swine microbiome, genetic materials such as bacteria and fungi that live inside pig bodies can help provide insights into health and disease issues impacting pig production systems. Lauren Anderson is investigating potential probiotic options from hardy, outdoor pigs that can improve pig welfare, reduce producer costs and ensure affordable pork products for consumers.

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Fat digestion in dairy cattle is a complex topic that is not widely understood. Feeding fat supplements as an energy sources to support high milk productions is common, however, the efficiency varies from animal to animal due to differences in digestibility and metabolism. Milk fat is essential to producers as it is a major contributor to milk prices. Sarah Bennett is studying the optimal feeding of fatty acids, the building block of the fat in the body and food consumed, to the dairy cow to maximize digestibility and milk fat yield while maintaining the cow’s health. This research helps milk producers determine which feeding regimes are best for optimal milk fat production.

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An increase in human population can stress food and agricultural resources and put increased pressure on the environment. The insect-as-food-and-feed movement is gaining momentum as a novel way to provide protein for human and animal consumption, as edible insects contain high-quality protein. Black soldier fly larvae are especially ideal as livestock feed because of their high protein content. Maria Chavez is investigating potential applications for waste produced by black soldier fly larvae during the industrial rearing process. This research can improve overall soil health and benefit horticultural crop production.

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Ekramul Ehite is improving the commercial viability of fuel, chemical products and lignocellulosic biomass derived from energy, an abundant and renewable resource from plants, by using computational techniques to identify the fundamental properties that affect the flow feedstock, which are raw materials that supply fuel or a machine. This research contributes to the development and efficient usage of conventional and unconventional crops for enhanced crop diversity and farm profitability, while enhancing food security.

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Phytophthora infestans, a fungus-like organism also called water mold is the causal agent of potato late blight, a devastating disease. Potato producers primarily use chemical fungicides to control late blight, however these fungicides have off target effects on the leaf surface, soil and aquifers. University of Wisconsin, Madison researcher Shane Hansen is investigating alternative methods to control late blight in potato by using spray induced gene silencing (SIGS). This research equips growers with more environmentally friendly tools to protect potato crops and provide consumers with a safe product.

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Deleterious losses of nitrogen can be detrimental to soil microbial communities and crops. Focusing on different three perennial grains crops, Siwook Hwang is analyzing how these different crop varieties and systems influence root exudates, fluids that are emitted through the root that influence the rhizosphere, and the microbial community composition of the rhizosphere. This research is improving the overall functionality of soil communities.

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Water loss in rice crops compromises overall performance and survivability which threatens food security. Optimizing stomatal density and physiology provides a promising avenue for increasing water use efficiency without affecting crop performance. Nicholas Karavolias is improving the fundamental understanding of stomatal development and physiology in grasses while increasing productivity in crops in future climatic conditions.

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Palmer amaranth, an aggressive pig weed species poses a major threat to crop production and profitability. Growers must produce at an unprecedented pace to provide for a growing population, begging the critical need for sustainable solutions to combat such weeds. Focusing on cotton production, Sarah Kezar is developing integrated strategies for minimizing seedbank addition from palmer amaranth escapes, which will improve the longevity of herbicide tools.

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Nanoscale engineering tools pave new opportunities for exploring plant biotechnology, genetic transformations and improving water retention in crops. Alison Lui is analyzing fundamental theories of fluid flow and continuum mechanics to model the response of cells to external stimuli, such as engineered nanoparticles and nonpolar molecules.

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Cowpea is a commercial crop commonly cultivated and highly nutritious for consumers globally, contributing significantly to the world economy. Devastating viral diseases in cowpea threatens global food security and impacts the economy. Jamila Mweta is investigating the resistance of organically grown cowpea to viral diseases to determine efficient crop management strategies.

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Lactic acid bacteria, a group of probiotic organisms commonly found in dairy products, among other benefits enhances lactose digestions and strengthens immune health. Echo Pan is using CRISPR-CAS technology to characterize how lactic acid bacteria can engineer the next generation of lactobacillus-based vaccines for humans and animals and antimicrobials for food safety.

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Bt crops also known as bacillus thuringiensis, are a genetically modified bacteria that naturally produces toxins to protect the crop from pests. Resistance evolution by insects threatens the sustainability and success of Bt crops. North Carolina State University researcher, Daniela Pezzini managing the resistance of Helicoverpzea, a globally threatening pest, to Bt toxins expressed in corn. This research combines insect behavior and genetic data to evaluate the development of resistance.

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Soil health practices are essential for delivering a multitude of ecosystem services. Adoption of soil health practices in major corn and wheat producing states is alarmingly low. Aaron Prairie is analyzing management, soil and biodiversity data from 24 farms in Kansas to understand the mechanisms promoting soil health and management practices that facilitate them.

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Food systems and food security are complex phenomena involving dynamic interactions between physiological processes, societies, economies and the environment. Traditional, reductionist approaches do not capture unintended consequences nor complex interrelationships between space and time. Abigail Roche is employing a community-based, system dynamics modeling method to identify the non-linear, interdependent relationships within the urban food system that characterize food security resilience and fragility.

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Cover crops, especially grass species such as cereal rye, are well-known to mitigate nutrient loss from soils. However, cover crop adoption rates are low in the cold upper Midwest due to the short growing season. Manuel Sabbagh is understanding the impacts these management practices have on nutrient cycling and soil health, and how that affects row-crop productivity.

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Plant tissue culture and transformation is a critical step for viable modern plant breeding. Given its many advantages, such as long life, energy efficiency, low radiated heat and reliability, LED lighting is the future for plant tissue culture and transformation, but very little is known about the impact of LED lighting on the process. Xiaonan Shi is examining the effect of LED lighting intensity and spectrum on plant tissue culture and transformation.

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Global population growth, climate changes and the decrease in arable farmland across the world increases the immediate need for highly productive and resilient crop cultivars. Conventional breeding approaches to increase yields of major crops, such as rice and maize, cannot keep pace with the speed of change. Simon Sretenovic is developing and optimizing precise genome editing technologies in plants so that we can keep pace with global needs.

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Livestock accounts for about 14.5% of global greenhouse gases. Close to 89% of the methane produced by livestock comes from the rumen of the animals through a group of microorganisms called methanogens. These volatile fatty acids constitute the primary source of energy for the livestock to synthesize milk, proteins, and fat. Renan Stefanini Lopes is identifying the key microbes in the establishment and maintenance of this fermentation scheme in order to biologically improve rumen systems and decrease methane production.

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Switchgrass is a leading biofuel feedstock for the emerging bio-economy. Soil microbes play a critical role in crop health and yield. Jeremy Sutherland is leveraging deep-learning computational methods to improve breeding lines of switchgrass for desirable traits relevant to the US bioenergy market.

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The fermentative capacity of enteric microbes allows ruminants to utilize lignocellulose material. This enables ruminants to transform fibrous feedstuffs, from land not suitable for growing human-edible food, into meat, milk, vitamins and minerals. Sara Tondini is enabling precision management of the rumen microbiome to maximize the conversion of these fibrous feedstuffs, while minimizing the environmental impact of ruminant production systems.

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Gene discovery is crucial to our ability to develop next-generation crops in response to the climate crisis, a growing population, and human nutrition which all play a role in food insecurity. Majority of collective research is focused on a subset of genes, not due to their importance, but due to human biases in how we conduct science and discover genes. Lauren Whitt is creating an unbiased gene selection method for genome wide association studies (GWAS). This research eliminates the bias that overlooks unknown genes and enables candidate gene selection in non-model, poorly annotated species.

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The maritime Pacific Northwest is the only region suitable for spinach seed production in the U.S.. However, Fusarium Wilt, a fungus caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. Spinaciae, limits the potential of spinach in this region. Batson’s research identifies and characterizes unique regions F. oxysporum f. sp. spinaciae to understand what makes spinach susceptible to this fungus.

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Traditional corn-based diets fail to provide lactating dairy cows enough methionine and lysine, two essential amino acids. Without these nutrients, cows cannot reach their full potential for milk production. Beckett is determining the optimal combinations of feed for lactating dairy cows at several lactation stages and developing technologies to deliver these nutrients in a digestible form.

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The emerging grape industry in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic is facing fungal diseases, which have not been well characterized. The lack of understanding is threatening yields of this increasingly important commodity. Cosseboom is examining the fungal pathogens causing these diseases to better understand and manage these diseases.

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Massive resources have been invested into nutrition interventions, programs and policies. However, long-term, concrete changes in the target communities are few and far-between. Donley is reassessing nutrition programs, incentives and interventions through a systems lens. Donley’s research examines the effects of specific actions on the food system to understand where interventions have the greatest impact.

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Flores is working with poultry, manufacturing their feed, processing the birds and analyzing large data sets. Flores aims to prove that artificial intelligence tools can advance agricultural research and the poultry industry.

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Weeds are an ever-present challenge for farmers, as they draw on the same nutrients the plants need. Current weed management strategies are overly reliant on chemical herbicides, which has led to an increasing number of herbicide resistant weeds. Gannett is researching alternatives to chemical weed control.

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Biochar, a charcoal-like substance created by burning organic agriculture material, is added to soil to enhance plant growth and reduce the need for water and fertilizer. Gelardi is investigating the effect biochar has on crop performance, environment and human health.

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More advanced, scalable technology is needed to increase agricultural sustainability. Goh’s research is developing technology that delivers genes to plants to improve crop performance.

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The human gut microbiome is a collection of bacteria, viruses and fungi in the human body that contributes to both health and disease. Korth’s research is identifying components of agricultural products, with a focus on crop plants, that alter the state of the microbiome. Korth is characterizing bacteria associated with health traits to develop diet supplements that improve human health.

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Probiotics are the bacteria that live inside our bodies and benefit health and prebiotics are the fiber that these probiotics eat to survive. Krug is analyzing changes in the GI microbiota, cognitive function, sleep quality, mental health and 24-hour urinary free-cortisol concentrations. This study expands the literature and knowledge about the role of prebiotics and probiotics in human health.

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Marshall is measuring how various management practices in 13 orchards influence water conservation, nutrient use efficiency, nitrogen cycling, soil structure, carbon accumulation and storage and soil microbial communities. This research improves knowledge of soil health in orchard systems.

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In the U.S., animal surgical procedures, such as castrations and dehorning, are often performed in ways that negatively impact animal welfare. Martin is investigating the role of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in controlling pain to assist veterinarians in administering pain control.

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Meeting future global food production demand requires enhanced tools and technologies. Ni’s research is developing technology to increase long-term crop yield.

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With the growing threats of climate change and diminishing natural resources, farmers must do more with less – and fast. Patel’s research is using genetic engineering to improve photosynthetic efficiency, improve water use and maximize crop yield.

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The sunflower-like perennial, Silphium integrifolium, which provides numerous ecosystem services, is losing its pest and pathogen resistance traits. Peterson is conducting a survey of the natural genetic variation of wild Silphium integrifoliu populations to assess where variation for pest and pathogen resistance exists.

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Cowpea is widely cultivated as a vegetable crop and a dry bean in semi-arid regions of the world. Cowpea productivity may be hindered by increasing temperatures and diseases. Ritte is identifying cowpeas with drought-tolerance and disease resistance to improve yields in a changing climate.

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Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on plant roots can improve yields, reduce the need for water and fertilizers and protect crops from pathogens. Stevenson’s research is addressing knowledge gaps preventing the fungi’s most effective use and application.

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Weeds can cause up to 45 percent yield loss when left unchecked in a crop. Herbicides are often the most cost-effective weed control, but herbicide resistance reduces their effectiveness. Barker aims to understand herbicide resistance in weeds and develop recommendations for sustainable herbicide management practices.

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Becker is examining the beneficial relationship between Mortierella elongate, a fungus that breaks down organic matter in soil and tomato plants.

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Blueberries are expensive because they must be hand harvested, which accounts for up to 90 percent of production costs. Machine harvesting blueberries can decrease costs by 60 percent, but machines only work if the berries are firm. Cappai is using new breeding techniques to develop blueberries that are machine harvestable to lower production costs.

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Dashner aims to understand iron uptake from soil in cacao plants and improve farmers’ ability to grow crops in iron-deficient environments.

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One of the biggest challenges in manure management is identifying economically feasible methods of volume reduction. Deviney is concentrating nutrients into a storable and transportable product by removing up to 90 percent of the excess water. Her research improves manure management in livestock operations through nitrogen recovery and understand barriers to adoption of sustainable technologies.

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Kernza is the grain of Intermediate wheatgrass and was bred to increase grain yield. While researchers are working on the basic agronomics of this crop, the decline in seed yield after the first production year has not yet been addressed. Favre is exploring best management practices to maintain Kernza seed yield.

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Dairy cows develop metabolic stress when transitioning from gestation to lactation, which can cause metabolic disease. Heat stress can also compromise health in early lactation dairy cattle. Metabolic and heat stress in cows causes at least $1.5 billion in yearly economic losses. Fontoura is defining nutritional therapies to improve the metabolic health and productivity of dairy cows at the onset of lactation and when exposed to heat stress.

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Composting recycles waste from landscapes, animals and food waste. Biochar is a product of recycling carbon-rich landscape waste. Hoglund studies the effects of compost and biochar on the water-holding capacity, nutrient availability and physical stability of dryland soils. This research aims to improve soil health, conserve irrigation water and improve agricultural productivity.

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The Monarch butterfly population is declining rapidly. Krueger is developing agricultural land management practices to improve the health of Monarch butterfly populations.

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Mathison is exploring how Adaptive Multi-paddock (AMP) grazing influences the health and wellbeing of farmers who adopt the practice

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The dairy cattle industry has widely adopted artificial insemination (AI), yet practical challenges have limited the use of AI in more extensively raised beef cattle systems. Mueller's research examines the potential for combining advanced breeding technologies, including AI, to improve the distribution of elite cattle genetics.

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Bacterial leaf streak in corn is an emerging disease in North and South America. Recently, the disease has began infecting sweet corn, popcorn and grain corn in the U.S. and Argentina. Ortiz Castro is developing solutions to combat bacterial leaf streak in corn by understanding the ecology of the disease and creating an integrated management program.

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In 2014, black rot reemerged, threatening sweet potato production in North Carolina and other U.S. states. Sweet Potatoes are not resistant to this disease in part because cultural practices have managed black rot since the 1950s and breeding for resistance in sweet potatoes is a slow process. Parada Rojas is developing back rot-resistant sweet potato varieties.

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Canary seed contains higher protein content than other commonly used cereals. This grain was approved for human consumption by the USDA and Health Canada in 2016 and is a potential plant-based protein source. Perera is exploring processing techniques to expand the uses of canary seed.

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Fusarium Head Blight (FHB), also known as head scab, is a devastating crop disease that reduces the yield potential in wheat and barley. Singh is examining the mechanism behind Fusarium Head Blight resistance in wheat and developing management practices to help mitigate this disease.

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Uncontrolled inflammation in dairy cows is associated with infectious and metabolic diseases. Strickland explores how micronutrients, like vitamin A and E, affects inflammation and immune function. This research aims to investigate the use of supplements to prevent disease, decrease antibiotic use and improve cow welfare.

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Increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide over the last few decades mean that the carbon dioxide concentration inside plants cells is now higher than is needed to achieve maximum rates of photosynthesis. By focusing on a plants’ photosynthetic abilities, Xie is increasing drought tolerance in plants through methods that do not decrease productivity.

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