University of Nebraska–Lincoln Department of Agronomy and Horticulture students received top honors at the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America and Soil Science Society of America International Meeting in San Antonio, Texas. Students honored include Chad Lammers, Jared Stander, Samuel Koeshall, Alyssa Kuhn, Osler Ortez, Luana Machado Simão and Alex Tonon Rosa.
The Agronomy Club received first-place in the Students of Agronomy, Soils, and Environmental Science Club Poster Competition Undergraduate. Senior Chad Lammers and junior Jared Stander presented the club’s poster titled “Experience Agronomy Day, Training the Future of Nebraska Agronomy.”
SASES is an undergraduate student program of SSSA, ASA and CSSA.
Samuel Koeshall received first-place in the ASA Graduate Student Poster Competition in Semi-Arid Dryland Cropping Systems. He graduated with a master’s degree December 2019 and was advised by Cody Creech, assistant professor of agronomy and horticulture, Amanda Easterly, agronomy research assistant professor, and Rodrigo Werle, assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
Koeshall’s research focused on improving field pea planting practices in western Nebraska and evaluating the benefits of replacing summer fallow with field peas in a dryland cropping system.
Alyssa Kuhn, a master’s student advised by Daren Redfearn, associate professor and Extension forage crop residue specialist, was awarded the Frank D. Keim Graduate Fellowship through the ASA.
This fellowship is awarded to graduate students intending to pursue an agronomy profession and is based on academic excellence and leadership activities. It enhances the National Student Recognition Program and honors the unparalleled academic advising of the late Frank D. Keim, whose students and work have reached around the world.
Kuhn’s research focuses on integrating livestock into the cropping rotation, evaluating the effect of the animal on the subsequent crop performance and yield, as well as their effect on the quality of the soil.
Osler Ortez, a doctoral student specializing in crop production, is advised by Roger Elmore, professor of agronomy and horticulture, and Justin McMechan, assistant professor of entomology. He earned first-place in the CSSA Crop Ecology, Management & Quality Division Poster and Oral Ph.D. Competition. As first-place recipient in his division, he advanced on to the CSSA Society-Wide Student Competition where he was awarded finalist and third-place.
His poster was titled "Corn Growth and Development: Ear Formation Issues" and his oral presentation was titled "Ear Formation Issues: Myth or Reality?"
Ortez’s research focuses on studying and isolating factors responsible for ear formation issues and its subsequent losses in corn. In recent years, corn ear malformation issues have affected crops in Nebraska and other areas in the U.S. Such malformations can result from unknown genetic, environmental and management conditions.
Luana Machado Simão, a master’s student in weed science, is advised by Cody Creech, assistant professor of agronomy and horticulture and dryland cropping systems specialist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Panhandle Research and Extension Center.
Simão earned third-place in the SSSA Soil & Water Management & Conservation Division Oral presentation. Her presentation title was "Effects of Wheat Varieties and Stubble Residue on Soil Water Content and Subsequent Corn Yield.”
Her research focus is to study the impact of standing wheat stubble residue on soil water content and herbicide spray deposition.
Specializing in crop physiology and production, Alex Tonon Rosa, a doctoral student, received the Nelson Yield-Limiting Factors Graduate Scholarship. He is advised by Elmore and Creech.
The purpose of this scholarship is to encourage students to pursue research and careers in support of the diagnosis yield-limiting factors in agronomy. The focus of the scholarship is on leadership and accomplishments and the nominee's long-term personal goals to research and developing improved diagnostic techniques and solutions to yield-limiting factors in agronomy.
Tonon Rosa’s research focus is on cover crop management and crop production. It involves a series of projects looking at the impact of cover crops on rainfed corn production in a traditional wheat-corn-fallow rotation in semi-arid Nebraska. He is also working in Eastern Nebraska on evaluating the feasibility of pulse crop production followed by cover crops, forages and short season crops such as grain sorghum, sunflower, proso millet, corn and soybean.
The ASA-CSSA-SSSA annual meeting was held November 10-13, 2019.
More details at: https://go.unl.edu/vkvo