Cover Crop Variety Research
On a field adjacent to the Lincoln Airport, University of Nebraska–Lincoln students from the Plant and Landscape Systems 204 Resource Efficient Crop Management class visit and collect data on plant heights and ground cover at a cover crop variety experiment. Andrea Basche, associate professor of agronomy and horticulture, and her team oversee the research through The Cover Crop Initiative funded by the USDA-NRCS. Community Crops, a program of Family Service Lincoln, manages the site and was interested in partnering with Basche in order to demonstrate sustainable agriculture for the farmers in their program. Through this trial, they hope to compare species and variety performance of several winter cover crops, including cereal rye, winter wheat, triticale and hairy vetch.
Andrea Basche | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
April 15, 2024
Ecological Landscape Design Class
Matt McMaster (front row, from left), Emilie Steinhuer and Sage Eckard from Ryan Lawn Omaha visited PLAS 469 Ecological Landscape Design class to share current projects and work experiences and to promote their internships and employment opportunities. Steinhuer and Eckard are Department of Agronomy and Horticulture alumnae. The course is taught by Kim Todd, professor, extension horticulture specialist and licensed landscape architect in the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
February 23, 2024
Evaluating Soil Cores
Sage Veomett, (left), Haley Klement, Abbie Cox and Gabrielle Clifton evaluate soil cores in Agronomy/Horticulture/Soil 153 Soil Resources class. Course is taught by Becky Young, assistant professor of practice in the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
January 31, 2024
Poinsettia Sale
Plant and Landscape Systems majors Claire Kiolbasa (left) and Emma Kuss prepare for the Horticulture Club’s Poinsettia Sale in the Nebraska East Union.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
November 30, 2023
Up for Review
Macey Wooldrik, a plant and landscape systems major, posts her landscape designs for an enclosed courtyard at Lincoln’s Roper Elementary School on the classroom board for review. PLAS 467 Planting Design is taught by Kim Todd, professor of agronomy and horticulture, and teaches students about processes, principles, and elements using plant materials as a key component of landscapes designed for human intent.
Fran tenBensel Benne | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
November 9, 2023
Microbial Decomposition of Cotton Briefs
Andrea Basche, agronomy and horticulture associate professor, is pictured with students in PLAS 425 AGRO 825 Cover Crops in Agroecosystems after they excavated the underwear from beneath the cover crop plots on East Campus. This fun activity showed the effects of microbial decomposition. Students also collected data to explore how their cover crop mixtures influenced weeds, insects, earthworms and soil nutrient cycling.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
October 19, 2023
East Campus Soil Pit
Agronomy and Horticulture department head Martha Mamo (left) and Becky Young, Agronomy and Horticulture assistant professor of practice and soil judging coach, pose in the East Campus soil pit during PLAS/SOIL 279 Soil Evaluation class.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
Sept. 26, 2023
Turfgrass Morphology
Chris Love (from left), Jordan Kracl and Sam Norrenberns, students in Plant and Landscape Systems 227 Introduction to Turfgrass Management, examine the grass outside Plant Sciences Hall and are asked to describe it. After a lecture on turfgrass morphology, they must go back and use the new terms they learned to identify and describe their assigned turfgrass.
Fran tenBensel Benne | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
Aug. 29, 2023
Wheat Harvest
Agronomy and Horticulture Assistant Professor Katherine Frels’ wheat harvest crew works at Havelock Farm snapping wheat heads from selected F3 populations which will be planted into head rows next planting season.
Sheryl Sierra | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
July 27, 2023
Soil Health Research
Collin Eaton, left, research technician, and Chris Chen, agronomy and horticulture postdoctoral research associate, take a break from doing weed control in associate professor Sam Wortman's zucchini research garden. This research is a part of the Nebraska Urban Soil Health Initiative, a citizen science research project to help gardeners in Nebraska learn different practices to improve their garden's soil health.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
July 5, 2023
Strawberry Harvest
Mia Luong, agronomy and horticulture doctoral student, picks strawberries in research fields on East Campus as part of associate professor Sam Wortman's studies focused on the development of bio-based mulch fabrics.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
June 5, 2023
Planting Seeds for the Future
Briezy Kroeger, left, senior Plant and Landscape Systems major, and Andrea Maldonado, sophomore Graphic Design major, model the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Horticulture Club's t-shirts at their Spring Plant Sale.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
May 23, 2023
Improving Wheat Quality
Sheryl Sierra, an agronomy doctoral student, is working to better understand the key genes related to quality traits in our wheat germplasm and figure out how we can improve combinations of these genes to develop high-quality wheat cultivars for producers in Nebraska. Sierra is advised by Katherine Frels, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture assistant professor.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
May 1, 2023
Spring Blooms
Senior plant and landscape systems majors Briezy Kroeger (left) and Elaina Madison tend to plants in an East Campus greenhouse in preparation for the spring bedding plant sale May 4–6.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
April 17, 2023
Science Slam
Ryleigh Grove, a plant biology major, presents “Navigating the Waves of Change in Scientific Discovery” at the 2023 Student Research Days Slam at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s Wick Alumni Center on March 31.
The Slam is a campus-wide contest in which graduate and undergraduate students from all disciplines are challenged to communicate their work in short, dynamic, engaging presentations, with a winner to be decided by the audience. The Office of Research and Economic Development, Office of Graduate Studies, and Undergraduate Education and Student Success sponsored the event.
Fran tenBensel Benne | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
March 31, 2023
Spring Break
The University of Nebraska–Lincoln Horticulture Club takes a lunch break at Liliʻuokalani Botanical Garden, an urban garden focused on native Hawaiian plants in Honolulu. Portions of this garden were once the property and favorite picnic grounds of Queen Liliʻuokalani, the last reigning monarch of Hawaii. She later donated her land to the City and County of Honolulu to be used for the public's enjoyment.
The club and advisers, Terri James and Mark Canney of the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, traveled to O‘ahu over Spring Break to explore horticulture industries, unique landscape systems and local culture. The club visited nurseries, botanical gardens, a local coffee roaster business, the University of Hawaii research stations and the Polynesian Cultural Center. They did take some free time to check out the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial, several beaches, great local restaurants and a Husker beach volleyball match.
Terri James | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
March 14, 2023
Grass Identification
Abigail Ridder, a senior majoring in plant biology and environmental studies (center), examines a species of grass from the East Campus prairie as part of PLAS 442 / AGRO 842 Wildland Plants course. Students learn to identify more than 200 species of plants from the Great Plains and the tall grass prairie in this course. Cheryl Dunn, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture research manager and herbarium curator, is the instructor.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
February 9, 2023
Kernza® Research
Assistant professor Andrea Basche's team poses in an experiment field at ENREC while harvesting the first year of Kernza®, a perennial grain crop in July 2022. This experiment is part of the Kernza CAP led by the University of Minnesota.
Roberta Rebesquini | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
January 24, 2023
Soybean Research
Juliane Luz, research technician, is at work in professor George Graef's lab with soybean breeding and genetics.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
January 5, 2023
Salute to Graduates
We honor our graduate and undergraduate students earning degrees in December, including Balpreet Kaur Dhatt (from left), Juan David Jimenez Pardo, Maria Carolina Melo Sciencia, Xinzheng “Chris” Chen, Elizabeth Knutson, Rituraj Khound and Jaspinder Singh.
Fran tenBensel Benne | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
December 16, 2022
Hydroponic Tomatoes
Grace Ruff, a senior plant and landscape systems major in horticulture, inspects the hydroponic tomato plants grown in PLAS 307 Hydroponics for Growing Populations in the Plant Science Teaching Greenhouse on East Campus.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
December 7, 2022
Agronomy Club
Adam Whitacre, junior agribusiness major, represented the Agronomy Club at the East Campus IANR Tailgate.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
November 28, 2022
Fall Floral Bouquets
Sophia Merritt, left, and Macey Wooldrik, junior Plant and Landscape Systems majors, show off their design creations in the Fall 2022 PLAS 261 Floral Design class. Stacy Adams, agronomy and horticulture associate professor of practice, teaches the course.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
November 7, 2022
Must Have a Passion
Xavier Fiala, a freshman Plant and Landscape Systems major, shares what he learned from an interview with an alumnus working in a position he would like to pursue someday. This was the final course assignment in PLAS 95 Plant and Landscape Systems Seminar class. The course is taught by Anne Streich, professor of practice and lead instructor, and Martha Mamo, department head.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
October 25, 2022
Frels Sharing Opportunities for New Students
Katherine Frels, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture assistant professor, talks with students in PLAS 95 Plant and Landscape Systems Seminar class about opportunities with the small grains breeding and genetics research group. Students spent the class visiting with faculty and staff representing PLAS emphases and other departmental minors to learn about what courses could be selected as part of their PLAS major. Course is taught by Anne Streich, professor of practice and lead instructor, and Martha Mamo, department head.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
October 17, 2022
Toothbrush Grass
Cheryl Dunn, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture research manager, herbarium curator and instructor for PLAS 442 / AGRO 842 Wildland Plants, shows her class how prairie cordgrass, Spartina pectinata, is in the "toothbrush" tribe. This grass has all the spikelets – the typical arrangement of the flowers of grasses – on one side of the rachis – stem of the plant bearing the flower stalks. Students learn to identify more than 200 species of plants from the Great Plains and the tall grass prairie in this course.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
September 30, 2022
Influence of Cover Crops
Students in PLAS 425/AGRO 825 Cover Crops in Agroecosystems course planted cover crop mixtures and buried cotton briefs on an East Campus research field. Late October, they will collect data to explore how their cover crop mixtures influenced weeds, insects, earthworms and soil nutrient cycling and will see the extent of decay on the cotton briefs to determine soil health. Course is taught by Andrea Basche and Sam Wortman.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
September 13, 2022
2022 AHGSA
Members of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Agronomy and Horticulture Graduate Student Association serve as the representative body for graduate students in the department. They work to promote communication, interaction and a closer relationship among graduate students and with faculty and staff. Martha Mamo, center front, advises AHGSA.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
September 6, 2022
Identifying Grass Species
Anne Streich, right, explains vegetative characteristics used to identify grass species to Plant and Landscape Systems majors Jagger Amend, left, Walker Petersen and Scout Allen in the PLAS 327 Turfgrass Science and Management course. Streich is a professor of practice in the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
August 31, 2022
Meet Our Graduate Student
Mandeep Singh, #UNLAgroHort doctoral student, is evaluating herbicide interactions to better manage herbicide-resistant volunteer corn in corn. Singh is advised by Amit Jhala, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture associate professor and Extension weed management specialist.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
August 24, 2022
Discovery Days
Jennifer Weisbrod, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture assistant extension educator and coordinator of the Pesticide Safety Education Program, shows how chemicals move through soil by magnetism to an East Campus Discovery Days and Farmers Market visitor.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
August 16, 2022
2022 Nitrogen Use Efficiency Workshop
Laila Puntel, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture assistant professor, chaired the NUE workshop held at Nebraska Aug. 1 through Aug. 3. The workshop centered on networking and exchanging innovative ideas around how to move science forward to improve nitrogen use efficiency in agriculture systems. This unique Nebraska event brought together over 150 scientists and graduate students and offered the opportunity to highlight the essential role of water management when it comes to N management decisions.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
August 2, 2022
Coleus Cultivars
Brightly colored coleus cultivars brighten up the Backyard Farmer Garden on East Campus. Grown for their attractive foliage, coleus is a member of the mint family, Lamiaceae, and is native to the tropics of Asia.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
July 22, 2022
Meet Our Graduate Student
Ramandeep Kaur, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture doctoral student, is working on the management of Atrazine, Glyphosate and ALS-inhibiting Herbicide-resistant Palmer amaranth in herbicide-resistant and food grade corn. Kaur is advised by Amit Jhala, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture associate professor and Extension weed management specialist.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
July 11, 2022
Hatch and Release
It’s a whole new world for the ducklings that hatched in the Keim Hall Courtyard on June 13. On the longest day of the year, Keim Hall staff members guided the mother and her ducklings into the wild. The ducklings have been a wholesome surprise for those who frequent Keim Hall.
Craig Chandler | University Communication
June 20, 2022
Making Discoveries
The Department of Agronomy and Horticulture hosted a booth with three activity stations for youth and adults at the first Discovery Days and Farmer’s Market of the season June 11 on the University of Nebraska–Lincoln East Campus. Agronomy graduate students Alyssa (Kuhn) Hall and Tauana Ferreira De Almeida helped participating youth observe and learn about seeds, characteristics of a plant and plant succession. Participants planted seeds in a cup of soil to take home to grow in their own garden. They were also given growing and harvesting tips for their plant.
Fran tenBensel Benne | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
June 11, 2022
Installing Moisture Sensors
Tauana Ferreira De Almeida, a doctoral student in agronomy and horticulture, installs moisture sensors at a Precision Sustainable Agriculture cover crop, on-farm project near Crofton, Nebraska. Ferreira De Almeida is advised by Assistant Professor Andrea Basche, a soil and water scientist in the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture. Basche, along with a team of collaborators, is part of a $10 million U.S. Department of Agriculture award to advance the use of cover crops in the United States.
Andrea Basche | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
May 27, 2022
Blooming Colors
Sarah Wulf, Horticulture Club president, and club members tag plants in the greenhouse in preparation for the club’s spring bedding plant sale May 4–6.
Fran tenBensel Benne | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
May 2, 2022
Spring in the Backyard Farmer Garden
Daffodils, Narcissus spp., are one of the earliest spring-blooming flowers seen on campus and are a great indicator that winter is over. Because of this, they are seen to represent rebirth and new beginnings.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
April 20, 2022
Erosion Simulation
Paul Jasa, Nebraska Extension Engineer, demonstrated his rainfall simulator to students in Becky Young’s PLAS/SOIL 153 Soil Resources. The rain simulator dropped about an inch of rain in just a few minutes on five tilled soil scenarios – 100% residue cover, 30% residue cover, no residue cover, no till soil with no residue cover, and a cut of long-term brome grass. The differences were observable as runoff filled glass jars. Jasa also flipped each pan of soil over to observe infiltration depth of the rain into the soil. The tilled soils with no cover and 30% cover developed crusts that limited infiltration and increased runoff, leaving the deeper portions of the soil trays dry.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
April 12, 2022
Happy National Soy Foods Month
Soybeans, Glycine max, second stage of growth is called cotyledon. Cotyledons are the first plant structure to emerge from the soil and act as leaves to gather nutrients through photosynthesis for the immature plant for its first seven to ten days. Soybeans are one of only a few plants that provide a complete protein containing all essential amino acids essential for our health.
April is National Soy Foods Month so be healthy and eat soy.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
April 1, 2022
Cammack Promotes Department
Taylor Cammack, junior horticulture major, is the Student Ambassador for the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture. She can be seen promoting the department to prospective students and guests. “I want to be able to tell future and current students my story and show they how they can succeed here,” Cammack said.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
March 17, 2022
Estimating Soil Organic Matter
Students estimate organic matter content by soil color in the Agronomy/Horticulture/Soil 153 Soil Resources lab taught by Rebecca Young, assistant professor of practice, in the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
March 9, 2022
Bell Peppers
Cultivars of bell pepper, Capsicum annuum, produce fruits in different colors including green, red, yellow, orange, white and purple. Botanically classified as berries, they are used in salads and cooked dishes and are high in vitamins A and C. These peppers were part of a vegetable variety trial in associate professor Sam Wortman's research fields on East Campus.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
March 2, 2022
Prairie Clover
Prairie clover, Dalea spp., provide high quality forage for livestock and other herbivores, pollen and nectar for bees and other pollinators, seeds for birds and small mammals, and will release excess nitrogen back into the soil. During drought years, prairie clover remain mostly green and blooming, even when surrounded by dried-up plants. Photo taken at Nine-mile Prairie.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
February 21, 2022
2022 Crops Judging Team
The Crops Judging Team is an extracurricular, intercollegiate contest team and will be competing at West Texas A&M University Feb. 19. 2022 team members include Daniel Frey (front row from left), Jessica Stander, Sarina Janssen, Katie Jo Steffen, Landon Cuba (back row from left), Will Stalder, Nathan Donoghue, Korbin Kudera and Jared Stander, team coach.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
February 11, 2022
Floral Design Creations
Horticulture 261 Floral Design students show off their design creations in the Fall 2021 class. Pictured are Kaylee Arndt (from left), Paxton Brittingham, Victoria Wehrman, Quin Sleddens and Alley Becker. Stacy Adams, agronomy and horticulture associate professor of practice, teaches the course.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
February 1, 2022
Eat Your Broccoli
Mom would say “Just eat it, it’s good for you.” Tended by Nebraska Master Gardeners, this delicious specimen grew in the Backyard Farmer Garden.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
January 25, 2022
Sorghum Research
Broom corn, Sorghum vulgare var. technicum, is a variety of sorghum that has traditionally been used for making brooms after the seeds have been stripped. More drought tolerant than other grain sorghum, it has a dryer stiff stalk which produces heads with fibrous seed branches that may be as much as 36 inches long. The seeds can be used for animal feed. These plants grew during the Summer 2021 growing season in Department of Agronomy and Horticulture professor Ismail Dweikat’s research plots on East Campus.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
January 19, 2022
Cold Day on East Campus
Sunny skies belie the cold temperatures on East Campus. Greenhouses keep both plants and researchers warm for ongoing research all year.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
January 5, 2022
2021–2022 Agronomy Club Members
Members of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Agronomy Club strive to provide educational and leadership opportunities and training outside of the conventional university classroom. The club helps stimulate interest in agronomic work among university students and foster a spirit of cooperation and mutual helpfulness among students and faculty. It also provides an opportunity for wider acquaintances with agronomic workers and industry professionals.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
December 17, 2021
Horticulture Club Poinsettias
Elaina Madison, a sophomore horticulture major, checks on the Horticulture Club’s poinsettias in the Teaching Greenhouse West before customers arrive. The club held online and in-person sales this year and will again provide poinsettias for the university’s December graduation ceremonies.
Fran tenBensel Benne | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
December 1, 2021
Hydroponics Class Demonstrations
Senior horticulture majors Deanna Montanez Mendoza (second from left) and Jenna Lukas (right) answer Gary Bell’s questions during the Horticulture 307 Hydroponics for Growing Populations class open house Nov. 23. The class is taught by Stacy Adams, associate professor of practice in agronomy and horticulture.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
November 23, 2021
The Influence of Cover Crop Mixtures
Dominic Johnson, a junior agronomy major, cuts and sorts cover crops by plant family. He and other students in Agronomy 425/825 designed and planted cover crop mixtures on campus in early September. On Oct. 20, students collected data to explore how their cover crop mixtures influenced weeds, insects, earthworms and soil nutrient cycling.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
November 11, 2021
Meet Our Graduate Student
Jaspinder Singh, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture doctoral student, prepares samples to quantify the endogenous levels of a phytohormone, auxin. Auxins are known as key regulators of plant growth and development and orchestrate cell division, cell elongation and differentiation, root and stem tropisms, and more. However, there is not much known about how the changes in auxin levels during the post-fertilization events affects the seed development.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
November 3, 2021
Our Undergraduate Student Team
Department of Agronomy and Horticulture undergraduate student services team includes, from left, Taylor Cammack, junior horticulture major and student ambassador, Tai Pleasant, recruiter, and Anne Streich, undergraduate advisor.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
October 28, 2021
Comparing Seed Germination Rates
Kayla Safarik, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture master's student, observes an experiment comparing germination rates of different cover crop seeds in Agronomy 425/825 Cover Crops in Agroecosystems. Course is taught by Andrea Basche, assistant professor, and Sam Wortman, associate professor.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
October 18, 2021
Love Plants
Jared Stander, senior agronomy major and Crops Judging Team coach, shows off his love of plants!
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
October 11, 2021
Name That Plant
Junior plant biology majors Lydia Regier (from left) and Katie Bathkey, along with junior computer engineering major Jonas Sieglaff, learn to use a dichotomous key to identify grass specimens in Agronomy/Natural Resources/Grassland 442/842 Wildland Plants course. Cheryl Dunn, research manager and herbarium curator in the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, teaches the course.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
October 4, 2021
Results Verified
Elizabeth Yrkoski, teaching assistant for Agronomy 132 Agronomic Plant Science Laboratory and senior agricultural economics major, poses at a test question in the Teaching Garden east of Plant Sciences Hall. Meghan Sindelar, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture assistant professor of practice, teaches the course.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
September 28, 2021
Lab in the Soil Pit
John Tines, sophomore turfgrass and landscape management major and teaching assistant for the Agronomy/Horticulture/Soil 153 Soil Resources lab, gives directions in the East Campus soil pit on how to describe a soil profile and how to identify soil properties in relation to how they affect land use. Meghan Sindelar, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture assistant professor of practice, teaches the course.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
September 21, 2021
Our Garden Classroom
Kim Todd, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture associate professor and extension horticulture specialist, teaches Horticulture 212 Woody Plants for Landscapes class in the Backyard Farmer Garden east of Keim Hall.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
September 14, 2021
Our Gardens
The Backyard Farmer Garden and the Teaching Garden serve as outdoor classrooms for hands-on learning for many of the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture courses.
Ann Powers | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
September 8, 2021
Transplanting Plants
Ellen T. Paparozzi, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture professor (from left), demonstrates how to properly transplant plants to Anna Wennekamp, Jamie Dasenbrock, Hallie Savidge and Victoria Boden in the Horticulture 355 Perennial, Pot and Bedding Plant Production Laboratory class in an East Campus greenhouse.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
August 30, 2021
Soil Resources Lab
Keeley Conrad (from left), Jared Prevette and Stella Lepkowski estimate organic matter content by soil color in the Agronomy/Horticulture/Soil 153 Soil Resources lab taught by Rebecca Young, assistant professor of practice, in the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
August 23, 2021
Planting the Seed
Mandeep Singh, doctoral student in the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, helps a future scientist plant seeds in a cup of soil at the Plant a Seed booth during East Campus Discovery Days and Farmers Market on August 14.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
August 14, 2021
Collecting Soil Cores
Department of Agronomy and Horticulture's Rebecca Young, assistant professor of practice, demonstrates for Michael Kaiser, assistant professor (left), and Christopher Anuo, agronomy doctoral student, proper use of a truck-mounted hydraulic soil probe in collecting soil cores at Nine-Mile Prairie for use in Agronomy 153 Soil Resources classes.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
August 9, 2021
Soil Research
Elizabeth Oys, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture master’s student, works in an East Campus greenhouse characterizing and quantifying weed seeds present in soil samples collected from sites across Nebraska that have grown cover crops. The data is used to determine if cover crops impact weed populations and to use it as a reference when taking weed samples during the growing season. Oys is advised by Department of Agronomy and Horticulture Assistant Professor Andrea Basche.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
August 2, 2021
Cover Crop Research
Garrett Snodgrass, a junior agronomy major (left), works with Tauana Ferreira de Almeida, an agronomy doctoral student, to process corn seedlings to evaluate disease in corn planted after cereal rye and hairy vetch cover crops are terminated at different times, before or after planting corn. Almeida is advised by Department of Agronomy and Horticulture Assistant Professor Andrea Basche.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
July 26, 2021
Hydroponic Plant Production Research
Stacy Adams, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture associate professor of practice (left), and Mark Iradukunda, a senior integrated science major and summer research assistant, show off 5-week-old bib lettuce grown on floating rafts using the deep flow technique in an East Campus greenhouse.
Hydroponic plant production systems provide an opportunity for urban farmers with limited land to grow fresh produce quickly where it is sold.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
July 12, 2021
Soil Health Research
Sophia Merritt, a sophomore horticulture major, is at work in Assistant Professor Andrea Basche’s lab learning the basics of an optimized ultrasonication method to investigate how nitrogen within soil organic matter responds to three years of cover crop treatment. This research is part of the Nebraska Soil Health Initiative by Nebraska’s On-Farm Research and the USDA-NRCS.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
July 6, 2021
Strawberry Research
Judy Jean, left, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture graduate student, works with Ellen Paparrozi, professor of agronomy and horticulture, to determine if there are adequate nutrient salts in the soil by measuring the electrical conductivity of the soil using a BlueLab Pulse meter and a cell phone. Paparozzi and Alan Weiss, Nebraska alumnus and owner of Papio Valley Nursery, are investigating the possibility of propagating strawberries for spring and summer growing in Nebraska.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
June 16, 2021
I Love Soil
Fernanda Krupek, agronomy and horticulture doctoral student, shows off her love for soil at the East Campus Discovery Days and Farmer’s Market on June 12. The event will be held again 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on July 10 and Aug. 14. More information at discoverydays.unl.edu.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
June 12, 2021
Strawberry Plot Research
Caleb Wehrbein, left, agronomy and horticulture graduate student, and Cole Hammett, freshman plant biology major, measure weed density and soil moisture in strawberry plots in associate professor Sam Wortman's research fields on East Campus.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
June 10, 2021
Nebraska Soil Research
Andromede “Andy” Uwase, left, senior integrated science major, and Christopher Anuo, agronomy doctoral student, evaluate soil cores taken from sites across Nebraska used for long-term arable crop production or from native prairies to see the impact of land use on deep soil organic carbon dynamics.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
May 27, 2021
Nebraska Soil Summer Institute
Becky Young, Meghan Sindelar and Martha Mamo prepare kits of classroom supplies for soil science activities for the second annual Nebraska Soil Summer Institute they will teach virtually Jun 1–10. NE SSI is a professional development workshop for Nebraska high school science and agriculture teachers to both develop a better understanding of soil science and to practice using soil science to teach core ideas and cross-cutting concepts from the Nebraska Science Standards. The 13 participants each received a stipend and the kits as part of the program.
Casey Lundberg | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
May 24, 2021
Collecting wheat tissue samples
Erika Derr, junior agronomy major, collects tissue samples in a wheat on-farm research plot in Nemaha County. In this field, sensor-based nitrogen management on wheat is being evaluated. The trial is part of a Nebraska On-Farm Research Network project evaluating ag technologies for improved nitrogen management and is sponsored by a USDA-NRCS CIG grant.
Laura Thompson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture and Nebraska Extension
May 17, 2021
Planting popcorn and sweetcorn
Cleo Babor, sophomore plant biology major, and Jonathan Niyorukundo, senior integrated science major, plant various popcorn and sweet corn lines being bred for novel color and nutritional profiles on East Campus.
David Holding | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
May 10, 2021
Planting Season Begins
Corn planting is underway at Havelock Farm.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
May 5, 2021
Horticulture Club Plant Sale
Jamie Dasenbrock, a junior horticulture major, repots a geranium during a club work session. Members of the Horticulture Club prepare plants in the greenhouses on East Campus. The plants will be sold at their annual spring plant sale which runs April 28-30.
Craig Chandler | University Communication
April 26, 2021
SPRING!
Saucer magnolia, Magnolia × soulangeana, blooms next to Keim Hall on East Campus.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
April 14, 2021
Air Layering in the Greenhouse
Students in the Horticulture 133 Plant Science Lab work on air layering two rubber trees in the science teaching greenhouse on East Campus. Air layering is the propagation of a plant while still on the parent plant. The course is taught by Stacy Adams, associate professor of practice in agronomy and horticulture.
Stacy Adams | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
April 6, 2021
Agronomy Club Apparel Delivery
Nathan Donoghue, junior agronomy major and Agronomy Club treasurer, delivers apparel the club sold to raise funds for outreach activities such as CASNR Community Night and Experience Agronomy Day. Funds are also used for student travel to professional meetings, workshops and contests. About Agronomy Club.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
March 25, 2021
Crops Judging Team
Adam Striegel, center, spent his last week as the Crops Judging Team coach preparing team members for the April contest in Kansas. Team coach since 2016, Striegel will soon graduate with a master’s degree in agronomy and a Doctor of Plant Health degree. 2021 team members include agronomy majors Katie Jo Steffen, left, Jared Stander, Korbin Kudera and Sarina Janssen, right.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
March 15, 2021
Plant Science Lab
Freshmen Jack Morris (left) and Connor Jensen (center) harvest kidney beans and record wet and dry weights for the light–dark plant science experiment in the Agronomy 131 Plant Science lab taught by Anne Streich, associate professor of practice in the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture.
Fran tenBensel Benne | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
March 9, 2021
Think Flowers
Flowers will soon replace the snow and brighten up the Backyard Farmer Garden once again.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
February 23, 2021
Ecological Landscape Design Class
Horticulture 469 Ecological Landscape Design students presented their Everett Elementary School landscape design projects to Scott Wieskamp, Lincoln Public Schools Director of Operations. The class is taught by Kim Todd, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture associate professor.
Tai Pleasant | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
February 6, 2021
Preparing Soil Samples
Will Swanholm, an undergraduate teaching assistant for Agronomy/Horticulture/Soil 153 Soil Resources, prepares demonstration samples to provide data for students to conduct calculations on samples from a soil core. The malt mixers disperse the soil samples as part of the hydrometer analysis to determine soil texture. Swanholm is a junior mechanized systems management major.
Becky Young | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
February 6, 2021
East Campus Entrance
A beautiful and cold day on East Campus.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
January 31, 2021
January Blizzard
A record January storm covered Lincoln with more than 13 inches of snow and closed the campus for two days.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
January 26, 2021
Roundhead Lespedeza
Frost covers roundhead lespedeza (Lespedeza capitata), a native herbaceous perennial growing in the mini prairie on East Campus.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
January 18, 2021
Frosted Leaves
Hoarfrost collects on leaves in the Backyard Farmer Garden during a cold and foggy morning.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
January 7, 2021
Resting Mourning Dove
Snow falls as a mourning dove rests on patio furniture during a recent storm.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
December 29, 2020
Snow covered garden
Snow covers the Backyard Farmer Garden on East Campus.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
December 14, 2020
Fall on the prairie
Plants in the East Campus mini prairie.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
December 10, 2020
Tree Climbing Success
Tai Pleasant, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture undergraduate recruiter, successfully climbs an East Campus tree during his lesson in proper tree climbing.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
October 30, 2020
Recruiting Team
Tai Pleasant, left, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture undergraduate recruiter, and Logan Anderson, sophomore agronomy major and student ambassador, celebrate the recruitment teams successful virtual aloe propagation activity with students in a Norfolk High School agronomy class.
Tatyana Gulchuk | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
November 13, 2020
Tree climbing
Martha Mamo, Professor and Head of the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, hangs from an East Campus tree during her first lesson in proper tree climbing.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
November 5, 2020
Ready to climb trees
Ann Powers, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture Research Technician III and gardening and landscaping guru, prepares to teach proper tree climbing on East Campus tree.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
October 30, 2020
Collision of seasons
The first snow melts on still green corn in the East Campus teaching garden.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
October 26, 2020
Winter is coming
Research doesn’t stop at Nebraska during the cold months. The greenhouses keep both plants and researchers warm.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
October 22, 2020
Last of the harvest
Alyssa Kuhn, a graduate student in the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, directs research technician and combine driver Joshua Reznicek where to begin harvesting a row of corn. Kuhn works with associate professor Daren Redfearn in researching integrated crop, forage and livestock systems to evaluate the crop response following grazed corn residue and cover crops. Each year they harvest and collect grain yields to see if the addition of cattle into the system has a positive or negative impact on crop production.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
October 12, 2020
Harvest Begins
Joshua Reznicek, a research technician in the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, combines soybeans in a field on East Campus. Alyssa Kuhn, a graduate student working with associate professor Darren Redfearn, uses this field in a research project involving integrated crop, forage and livestock systems where they are evaluating the crop response following grazed corn residue and cover crops. Each year they harvest and collect grain yields to see if the addition of cattle into the system has a positive or negative impact on crop production.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
October 2, 2020
Fall Planting
Department of Agronomy and Horticulture research technologists Greg Dorn and Mitch Montgomery plant winter wheat at Havelock Farm. Dorn is driving the tractor while Montgomery feeds the seeds into the planter.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
Sept 29, 2020
Wear a mask
Chuck Francis, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture professor, said he wears a mask to protect himself, and more importantly to protect others, and to serve as a role model for how to confine this devastating disease.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
Sept 22, 2020
Outdoor Classroom
Andrea Basche, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture assistant professor, teaches her Agronomy 405 Crop Management Strategies senior capstone course on a beautiful fall day in an outdoor classroom west of Plant Sciences Hall on East Campus.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
Sept 17, 2020
Somerset Seedless
Grape harvest is taking place at Nebraska vineyards. These sweet pink table grapes, Somerset Seedless, grew in the high tunnel on East Campus as part of the University of Nebraska Viticulture Program’s research efforts.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
Sept 10, 2020
Outdoor student learning
An Agronomy 132 Agronomic Plant Science Laboratory student works on an assignment in the Teaching Garden east of Keim Hall. The garden supports student learning by providing exposure to common field and garden crops. This class is taught by Meghan Sindelar, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture assistant professor of practice.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
Sept 2, 2020
Class in the garden
Christian Elowsky, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture assistant professor of practice, teaches Horticulture 200 Landscape and Environmental Appreciation class in the gardens east of Keim Hall.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
August 27, 2020
Digging at Parker Pit
Soil judging coaches Judy Turk, School of Natural Resources assistant professor (left), and Becky Young, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture assistant professor of practice, record instructional videos at Parker Pit in southwest Lincoln for their Soil 279 Soil Evaluation class. Students study soils through direct experience in the field as part of their preparation to be on the University Soil Judging Team.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
August 21, 2020
Picking peppers
Sam Wortman, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture associate professor (left), and Elizabeth Cunningham, sophomore horticulture major, harvest and sort bell peppers on East Campus as part of a vegetable variety trial funded by the Nebraska Department of Agriculture through the USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant Program.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
August 4, 2020
Picking sweet corn
Department of Agronomy and Horticulture's graduate students Fernanda Krupek (from left), Yavuz Delen, Osler Ortez, Nicolas Cafaro, Christopher Anuo, Jasmine Mausbach, and Gonzalo Rizzo pick a truckload of delicious sweet corn for AHGSA’s annual giveaway held Aug. 4.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
August 4, 2020
We love our plants
Sometimes we have to pamper our plants like these melons in the specialty crops garden on East Campus.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
July 27, 2020
Delen outstanding in his field
Department of Agronomy and Horticulture's doctoral student Yavuz Delen works on sunflower breeding and genetics with a focus on understanding the genetic diversity and the genomic basis of some complex traits in sunflowers using genome-wide association studies. Delen is advised by professor Ismail Dweikat.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
July 16, 2020
Smiling Sunflower
Department of Agronomy and Horticulture's doctoral student Yavuz Delen creates a happy sunflower!
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
July 16, 2020
Harvesting Wheat
P. Stephen Baenziger, professor and Wheat Growers Presidential Chair, harvests wheat with his crew at Havelock Farm.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
July 7, 2020
Wheat Harvest Crew
P. Stephen Baenziger, professor and Wheat Growers Presidential Chair, center, stands with his socially distanced wheat harvest crew at Havelock Farm.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
July 7, 2020
Ready for Harvest
Winter wheat at Havelock Farm is ready to harvest.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
July 2, 2020
Coneflower
Echinacea purpurea or coneflower blooms in the Backyard Farmer garden on East Campus.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
June 25, 2020
Planting the Teaching Garden
Department of Agronomy and Horticulture's Meghan Sindelar, assistant professor of practice (forefront), and Tom Galusha, agronomy research technologist I, plant a variety of crops in the teaching garden so it is ready for students in the fall.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
June 25, 2020
Planting Sudangrass
Elizabeth Cunningham, sophomore horticulture major, plants sudangrass cover crop with a walk-behind tractor and 3-row precision planter on East Campus.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
June 15, 2020
Guttation Drops
Guttation drops hang from corn leaves in Osler Ortez’s research plot at Havelock Farm. These drops are normally located on the tips or edges of leaves and are the result of the plant secreting excess moisture/water from its pores. Gutattion generally happens overnight, when transpiration is suppressed (closed stomata) and soil moisture is high. Ortez is a doctoral student in the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture and is advised by Roger Elmore, emeritus professor of agronomy, and Justin McMechan, assistant professor of entomology.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
June 12, 2020
Describing Soils in the Pit
Becky Young, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture assistant professor of practice, demonstrates techniques for describing soils, in the East Campus teaching pit, for an instructional video for the Nebraska Soil Summer Institute for high school science teachers.
Aaron Young | Geologist with Conservation and Survey Division, School of Natural Resources
June 9, 2020
Packing Winter Triticale
Alyssa Kuhn, agronomy and horticulture graduate student (from left), and animal science graduate students Morgan Grabau and Kallie Calus, use their stocking feet to pack flowering winter triticale into five-gallon buckets to mimic the process of preserving it as silage.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
June 2, 2020
Scoring Wheat Flowering
Fang Wang, agronomy and horticulture doctoral student specializing in plant breeding and genetics, records wheat flowering at Havelock Farm.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
May 29, 2020
Distributing Joy
Horticulture Club co-adviser Stacy Adams loads a flat of plants into a vehicle at the first-ever Mental Health Plant Distribution event held May 21.
Craig Chandler | University Communication
May 21, 2020
Planting Corn at Havelock
James Schnable’s crew were finally able to plant corn at Havelock Farm following rain. Brandi Sigmon, assistant professor of practice in plant pathology (left), and Christine Smith, research manager, load seeds into the planter. Driving the tractor is Josh Reznicek, agronomy and horticulture ag research technician.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
May 6, 2020
Hands-on Learning
Husker senior Chad Lammers balances work on the family farm in Hartington, Nebraska, with completing his Bachelor of Science in plant biology and minor in agronomy from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.
Photo courtesy of Claire Schilmoeller
May 3, 2020
Winter Wheat at Havelock
Winter wheat reaches for the sun at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Havelock Farm.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
April 27, 2020
Apple Blossom
Malus domestica or Minnewashta Zestars apple blooms by Plant Sciences Hall on East Campus.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
April 27, 2020
Pasque In Bloom
Pulsatilla patens or pasque flowers bloom in front of Keim Hall on East Campus.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
April 22, 2020
Our Fearless Leader
Martha Mamo, Professor and Head of the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, stands in front of Plant Sciences Hall on East Campus.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
April 22, 2020
Dogwood Days of Spring
Cornus florida or ‘Cherokee Chief’, a dogwood, flowers near Keim Hall on East Campus.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
April 22, 2020