Tough Pests Call for Team Solutions: Building a Coalition for Wheat Stem Sawfly
TEAM SAWFLY GROUP PRESENTATION
Katherine Frels, Assistant Professor, Small Grain Breeding and Genetics, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture; Jeff Bradshaw, Director, Doctor of Plant Health Program; Amanda Easterly, Research Assistant Professor, Crop Performance Testing Program, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture; and Cody Creech, Associate Professor, Dryland Cropping Systems, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, University of Nebraska–Lincoln
Wheat stem sawfly is an emerging crisis in the Northern High Plains. With the potential to affect wheat production, but also to disrupt standard crop rotation and management practices, wheat stem sawfly is a challenge that cannot be solved by one research discipline. This pest is an opportunity to engage in unique, interdisciplinary, multi-state research while simultaneously working towards solutions with our stakeholders.
One Health: Linking Human, Animal, Plant, and Ecosystem Health in Nebraska and Beyond
LIZ VANWORMER
Director, Nebraska One Health, Associate Professor, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska–Lincoln
One Health brings together people with diverse backgrounds, skills, and perspectives to improve the health of humans, wild and domestic animals, plants and our shared environments. From zoonotic diseases and pesticide contamination to connections between biodiversity and health, VanWormer will share updates on interdisciplinary One Health research, teaching and community engagement.
Experiential Learning and Community Engagement in SCIL 101
JENNY DAUER
Associate Director for Undergraduate Education, Associate Professor in Science Literacy, School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska–Lincoln
Experiences and Lessons in Growing an Impactful, Local On-Farm Research Program in South Central Nebraska
SARAH SIVITS
Cropping Systems Extension Educator, Nebraska Extension, University of Nebraska–Lincoln
This presentation will highlight the steps Sivits has taken and the lessons learned in her role as a Nebraska Extension Educator growing a locally dynamic on-farm research presence over six to seven years in south central Nebraska as part of the Nebraska On-Farm Research Network.
From Data Mining to Pleiotropic Effects, Environmental Interactions, and Phenomic Predictions of Natural Genetic Variants in Sorghum and Maize
RAVI MURAL
Assistant Professor of Quantitative Genetics and Genomics, South Dakota State University
Crop yield hinges on genotype variation, environmental responses, and genotype x environment interactions. Understanding links between plant traits and yield across diverse environments is crucial for predicting performance. Mural will discuss how while leveraging plant quantitative genetics, he and researchers compiled data from a maize super-panel, 1,118 accessions, with 100+ traits and 17M genetic markers using community association populations. This presentation will offer insights into genetic correlations, pleiotropy, and the genetic control of genotype-environment interplay.
Scaling On-Farm Research in Image-Based Fertigation with Customer-Driven Development
JACKSON STANSELL
Founder and CEO, Sentinel Fertigation, Lincoln, Nebraska
Translating research to a commercial product is challenging. Doing so without involving customer-driven development, even during the research phase, is nearly impossible. This presentation will focus on the impact of customer-driven development of Sentinel Fertigation’s N-Time software for image-based fertigation and implications for research in agriculture and natural resources.
Tracking Invisible Threats: A Comprehensive Study of Brucellosis and Leptospirosis Infectious Diseases at Human-Livestock Wildlife Interface in Tanzania, East Africa
SHABANI MULLER
Doctoral Student, Graduate Research Assistant, School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska–Lincoln
The major objective of Muller’s research was to determine the prevalence and transmission of brucellosis and leptospirosis, two neglected infectious diseases that can be transmitted from animals to people in rural agricultural communities. This presentation will show how using cross sectional epidemiological studies, Muller detected anti-Brucella antibodies in humans, livestock, and wildlife within the Katavi-Rukwa ecosystem, with cattle showing the highest seroprevalence of exposure. Additionally, pathogenic Leptospira species were found in people who farm and keep large herds of livestock emphasizing the need for active disease surveillance. These findings underscore the importance of addressing infectious diseases to safeguard a community’s well-being and inform public and animal health policies in Tanzania, Africa, and beyond.
RNA Interference for Insect Pest Management
ANA MARIA VELEZ
Professor, Department of Entomology, University of Nebraska–Lincoln
RNA interference (RNAi) is a gene-silencing mechanism conserved across eukaryotic organisms. RNAi has been widely used as a research tool to study gene function. Over the past decade, RNAi has been investigated for agricultural applications, including managing plant insect pests. During this presentation, Velez will provide an overview of the current state of using RNAi for insect pest management.
Delivering Soil Health Knowledge to the Farmer
CRISTINE MORGAN
Chief Science Officer, Soil Health Institute, Morrisville, North Carolina, Adjunct Professor, Texas A&M University
The Soil Health Institute aims to incite management change using relevant examples of how improved soil condition and functioning can lead regenerative agricultural production. In this seminar, Morgan will show how the Institute and its partners are combing geographically relevant observations of soil condition with web apps, phone apps, and storytelling to translate relevant soil health knowledge to farmers and their advisors.
Where and How can Instructors Assess Science Practices in Undergraduate Biology Courses?
BRIAN COUCH
Susan J. Rosowski Associate Professor, School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska–Lincoln
National reports have called for undergraduate biology courses to integrate concepts and practices as a means to help students develop integrated science proficiency. Couch will present and share nationwide data on the extent to which this call has been realized within introductory biology course assessments as well as propose a novel question format that instructors can use to assess integrated biology proficiency.
Note: This presentation video will not be posted to the website.
The Land-Grant Water & Cropping System Educator – Insights, Opportunities, and Challenges
NATHAN MUELLER
Extension Water and Cropping Systems Educator, Nebraska Extension, University of Nebraska–Lincoln
Nebraska Extension has 23 Water & Cropping Systems Educator positions. Gain insights into the roles of an accountability region educator. Learn about opportunities to work with an educator to integrate your research, teaching, and outreach. Mueller will share successes and challenges in working alongside stakeholder groups and university faculty to deliver on the land-grant mission.
Open Data for Improved Cropland Nutrient Budgets and Nutrient Use Efficiency Estimations
CAMERON LUDEMANN
Researcher, Wageningen University and Research, Netherlands
Ludemann will highlight new field experiment databases and prediction models his team are developing to improve estimates of crop harvest index and nutrient concentrations of crop products and residues with an aim to improve nutrient budgets and nutrient use efficiency measures at a local and global scale.
Linking the Modification of Biochar Surface by Iron Oxides Under Field Conditions With Enhanced Nitrate Retention
BRITT FOSSUM
Agronomy Doctoral Student in Environmental Studies, University of Nebraska–Lincoln
Efforts to develop soil management strategies that increase the retention of carbon, nutrients, and water have resulted in promising but inconsistent results. Fossom will present on how this study aims at clarifying the effects of biochar application and winter cover crops on soil carbon stocks, crop productivity, and potential mechanisms for nitrogen retention as analyzed under field conditions.
Exploring Maize Resilience Through Genetics, Phenomics, and Canopy Architecture
ADDIE THOMPSON
Assistant professor, Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences, Michigan State University.
Cohost with CROPS, a graduate student and postdoc group funded and supported through the Center for Plant Science Innovation. Social following the seminar.