The Nebraska Crop Improvement Association honored Amanda Easterly, research associate professor of agronomy and horticulture, with the Distinguished Service award at the NCIA awards banquet during their annual Seed Improvement Conference Jan. 14.
Easterly coordinates research projects at the High Plains Ag Lab and around the state. She is a member of the Dryland Cropping Systems Program, led by Cody Creech, Fenster Professor of Dryland Agriculture, and the Crop Performance Testing Program.
Her current research focuses on the needs of producers who farm in the semi-arid Nebraska Panhandle and surrounding regions, including selecting cultivars, management practices, and abiotic and biotic stresses that limit productivity. Easterly’s role involves collaboration with colleagues at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and neighboring institutions.
In 2019, the ag lab began overseeing the program previously referred to as the state variety trials. The program involves testing various hybrids and wheat, corn, grain sorghum and spring wheat varieties. The results are shared with growers, giving them comparative yield data to make informed decisions. Easterly has the opportunity to mentor students and visiting scholars who help and learn at the ag lab.
