2024 Seminar Series

February 1, 2024

Hydroponic Approaches and Value to the Food Supply Chain

STACY ADAMS
Professor of Practice, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Alternative production practices must be employed to supplement and secure the future of the global food system. Hydroponics may address challenges associated with distribution interruptions, environmental influences, socioeconomics, catastrophe, and war. Opportunities exist for entrepreneurship or farm diversification into high value specialty crops. This presentation highlights hydroponic approaches and value within the food supply chain.

February 8, 2024

I Want TO...Science + Art Process to Create Landscapes for Plants and People

KIM TODD
Professor and Extension Horticulture Specialist, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, University of Nebraska–Lincoln

The positive effects of exposure to nature are well-documented, yet decisions are often made based on lack of understanding about all landscapes as systems. This seminar will demonstrate a simple universal process that can result in creation of beautiful, practical, manageable, and resilient landscapes of any size that enhance human well-being.

February 15, 2024

Rural Prosperity Nebraska: Connecting Research and Practice to Rural Community Vitality

MARY EMERY
Director, Rural Prosperity Nebraska; Professor, Agricultural Leadership, Education & Communication, University of Nebraska–Lincoln

This presentation will focus on Rural prosperity Nebraska (RPN) and its mandate to connect research and extension in support of rural communities, families, and businesses. RPN extension includes work in community leadership, local and regional food systems, community economic development and entrepreneurship, cooperative development, placemaking and resident attraction, and community and youth engagement.

February 22, 2024

Toward Adaptive Grazing: Leveraging Different Rangeland Monitoring And Assessing Techniques

BIQUAN ZHAO
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Department of Animal Science, University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Adaptive Grazing has been aware of a strategy for rangeland management. Implementing adaptive grazing is challenging due to the dynamics in forage production, livestock behaviors, and external environment such as climate change. This talk covers my research in long-term forage production monitoring for plant functional groups, forage biomass estimation by using drone remote sensing, and cattle grazing behavior modeling through GPS collars. Those rangeland monitoring techniques were utilized to enhance our understanding of rangeland dynamics and can help better application of adaptive grazing strategies.

February 29, 2024

Sustainable Vegetable Production from the Land of Corn and Hogs

AJAY NAIR
Professor and Extension Vegetable Specialist, Department of Horticulture, Iowa State University

This seminar will focus on research conducted in the area of sustainable vegetable production and will provide a quick snapshot of the agriculture industry in Iowa. Research topics would include cover crops, conservation tillage, integrated systems, and soil amendments such as biochar.

March 7, 2024

Advancing Digital Agriculture for Improving Agronomic Decisions

IGNACIO CIAMPITTI
Professor, Farming Systems, Department of Agronomy, and Director, Institute for Digital Agriculture and Advanced Analytics, Kansas State University

This presentation will focus on discussing the bottlenecks for translating science into actionable management and topics related to digital agriculture, and use of new technologies such as satellite imagery and new data visualization to assist producers on developing relevant agronomic decisions.

March 21, 2024

Nitrogen and Water Management Strategies to Reduce Nitrate Leaching in Irrigated Sandy Soils

ARSHDEEP SINGH
Doctoral Candidate, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Nitrogen and water are essential inputs for getting a high corn yield. However, excessive nitrogen and water inputs can deteriorate environmental quality. Optimizing these inputs can result in profitable corn production with less environmental impact. This presentation will focus on in-field strategies for optimizing nitrogen and water inputs to improve nitrogen use efficiency and decrease nitrate leaching losses in irrigated corn fields of Nebraska.

March 28, 2024

Rapid Soil Sensing for Precision Agriculture and Carbon Market

YUFENG GE
Professor, Department of Biological Systems Engineering, University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Dense, quantitative soil data are increasingly demanded for applications like precision agriculture, climate modeling and carbon crediting. Ge's lab has been working on enabling tools and systems for rapid, low-cost measurement of soil properties. In this seminar, Ge will cover a few projects his team have worked on, key results and lessons learned.

April 4, 2024

Impact of Land Use on the Storage and Turnover of Soil Organic Carbon: Stories from the Subsoil

Michael Kaiser
Assistant Professor of Applied Soil Chemistry, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Land use change is one of the main drivers of organic carbon storage in soils but significant knowledge gaps exist towards the response of biogeochemical cycles in the subsoil. In this seminar, Kaiser will present and discuss data from more than 20 sites in Nebraska. At these sites they sampled soil under cropland, native prairie or forest down to depths of at least 3 meters. The samples were analyzed for carbon storage and turnover, ecologically relevant carbon fractions, microbial community structure and soil mineral characteristics. The data of these analyses can help to develop improved land use strategies to increase the long-term carbon storage beyond the topsoil.

April 11, 2024

Integrating Agronomy and Machine Learning to Analyze Yield Gap Magnitudes and Causes from Field to Global Levels

FERNANDO ARAMBURU MERLOS
Research Assistant Professor, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Identifying untapped opportunities for crop production increase is crucial to guide food security interventions. In this presentation, Merlos will show how agronomic knowledge, big data and machine learning can be integrated to map yield potentials at high resolution and identify agronomic practices that promptly deliver large on-farm yield gains.

April 18, 2024

This seminar has been CANCELED:
The FoodU Program at Auburn University

DESMOND LAYNE
Head and Professor, Department of Horticulture, Auburn University

FoodU provides Auburn students with transformational food system learning experiences as they grow hyperlocal fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers to support consumption and utilization in Campus Dining, the Culinary Sciences program and in two on-campus restaurants. Produce is grown outdoors in raised beds, in greenhouses, vertical farms and on a rooftop. Program highlights, best practices and challenges will be discussed.

April 25, 2024

Advances in Quantitative Trait Modeling

TIANJING ZHAO
Assistant Professor of Theoretical Quantitative Genetics, Department of Animal Science, University of Nebraska–Lincoln

BRIAN RICE
Assistant Professor of Quantitative Genetics, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, University of Nebraska–Lincoln

INDRANIL MUKHOPADHYAY
Professor, Department of Statistics, University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Quantitative genetics is crucial for understanding complex traits, enhancing crop and livestock breeding, and tackling challenges such as food security and environmental sustainability. However, the breadth of topics in quantitative trait modeling is vast. In this seminar, three experts will discuss how cutting-edge research, mentoring students, and securing funding for innovative projects, can contribute to addressing global food security. Co-sponsored with the Department of Animal Science and the Department of Statistics.

Sept. 12, 2024

Pollen-mediated Gene Flow and Transfer of Herbicide Resistance Alleles

AMIT JHALA
Associate Department Head, Professor and Extension Weed Management Specialist, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Managing herbicide-resistant weeds is a challenge for growers. Once herbicide-resistant weeds evolve, it can be spread by pollen, known as pollen-mediated gene flow. Reproductive biology differs markedly among weed species, as does the potential for gene flow. Pollen-mediated gene flow at a distance could allow the spread of rare herbicide resistance alleles and favor the evolution of multiple herbicide-resistant biotypes through the accumulation of resistance genes in an individual weed or weed population. Amit Jhala will discuss examples of economically important weeds such as waterhemp, palmer amaranth, and giant ragweed and crops such as corn and popcorn to demonstrate the role of pollen-mediated gene flow in transfer of herbicide-resistance alleles.

Sept. 19, 2024

Cultivating Collaboration: Incorporating Social Science for Innovative Approaches to Agriculture and Wildlife Research

BROOKE MCWHERTER
Research Assistant Professor and Natural Resource Social Scientist, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Wicked challenges in natural resource management demand more than just traditional solutions — they require a collaborative, multi-disciplinary approach. This presentation will showcase how integrating social science with environmental and agricultural research enhances our ability to address these complex issues. Through current and ongoing projects, Brooke McWherter will discuss the development of collaborative research, share key social science findings, and outline her vision for future work at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.

Sept. 26, 2024

Genetic Basis of Grain Yield and Quality under Heat Stress in Rice

ANIL CHANDRAN
Ph.D., Research Technologist, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Heat stress during the grain-filling period has a detrimental effect on rice yield and quality. The development of heat-resilient cultivars could help address this issue if tolerant alleles can be identified and incorporated into the germplasm. This presentation will focus on the research conducted to understand the genetic basis of grain yield and quality under heat stress in rice.

Oct. 3, 2024

Design Thinking for Specialty Crop Innovations in the Field and Classroom

SAM WORTMAN
Associate Professor and Environmental Horticulturist, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Design thinking for innovation is a systematic, iterative, and creative process for solving problems and developing new products, practices, and services in plant and landscape systems. In this seminar, Sam Wortman will share an example of design thinking for innovation in his research, leading to commercialization of the RootThru Weed Barrier. He will also discuss classroom strategies for engaging students in design thinking through the creation of their own innovations.

Oct. 10, 2024

Making the Case for Manure to Improve and Enhance Natural Resources

AMY SCHMIDT
Professor and Livestock Bioenvironmental Engineer, Department of Biological Systems Engineering, University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Using manure to fertilize crops is a practice as old as time. However, as agricultural production systems have become more specialized (e.g., less integrated), reliance on inorganic fertilizers has increased while manure has increasingly become viewed as an environmental pollutant and nuisance. When properly managed, though, manure serves as a valuable fertilizer and soil amendment to provide essential crop nutrients and support the living ecosystem in soil. This presentation will explore the role of soil health in achieving food security, natural resource protection, and resilience to climate change, and the value of recycling locally available manure as a cropping system input prior to importing inorganic fertilizers.

Oct. 17, 2024

Droughts, Agriculture, and Public Health

JESSE BELL
Claire M. Hubbard Professor of Water, Climate and Health, Department of Environmental, Agricultural, and Occupational Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska–Lincoln; Director of Water, Climate, and Health Program at UNMC; Director of Water, Climate and Health at the Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute at the University of Nebraska
 

The mission of the Water, Climate and Health programs at the University of Nebraska is to develop interdisciplinary research, education and collaborative solutions to public health challenges associated with environmental issues in Nebraska and around the world. As the founding director, Jesse Bell has helped grow these programs to over 25 faculty, staff, and students. In this seminar, Bell will discuss how human and natural processes are connected to changes in the environment and climate.

Oct. 24, 2024

The Use of Gene Expression to Predict Gene Function in Maize and Sorghum

VLADIMIR TORRES-RODRIGUEZ
Research Assistant Professor, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, University of Nebraska–Lincoln
 

Vladimir Torres-Rodrigues joined the James Schnable lab in October 2021 as a postdoctoral scholar, since then he has been working with quantitative genetic techniques to predict genes associated with a phenotype. He became a Research Assistant Professor this July.

Oct. 31, 2024

Assessing and Advancing Digital Agriculture in Nebraska

GUILLERMO BALBOA
Research Assistant Professor in Nutrient Management and Digital Agriculture, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Nebraska is a leader in adopting Digital Agriculture (DA) tools across the U.S. This seminar will assess the state of DA in Nebraska and highlight ongoing efforts to develop, evaluate, and promote tools and technologies that address the state’s agricultural challenges.

Nov. 7, 2024

The FoodU Program at Auburn University

DESMOND LAYNE
Department Head and Professor, Department of Horticulture, Auburn University

FoodU provides Auburn University students with transformational food system learning experiences as they grow hyperlocal fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers to support consumption and utilization in Campus Dining, the Culinary Sciences program and in two on-campus restaurants. Produce is grown outdoors in raised beds, in greenhouses, vertical farms and on a rooftop. Desmond Layne will discuss program highlights, best practices and challenges.

Nov. 14, 2024

Cattle Grazing and Conservation: Rangeland Research at the Gudmundsen Sandhills Lab and Barta Brothers Ranch

MITCH STEPHENSON
Associate Professor and Rangeland Management Specialist, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, Associate Director of the Panhandle Research, Extension and Education Center, University of Nebraska–Lincoln

The Gudmundsen Sandhills Laboratory and Barta Brothers Ranch have provided the University of Nebraska–Lincoln a valuable working landscape in the Sandhills to conduct rangeland research. This presentation will highlight past and present rangeland research at these locations.

Nov. 21, 2024

Technology Application in Soybean Breeding

KYLE KOCAK
Research Scientist, Corteva Agriscience

New technology has fundamentally changed plant breeding programs inside Corteva. Identifying and leveraging technology is a key component of running a modern soybean breeding program. Kyle Kocak will discuss some examples of how genetic gain can be accelerated by successfully applying new technology to plant breeding.
 

Note: This presentation video will not be posted to the website.