Field, Lab, Earth
Field, Lab, Earth is a podcast that explores past and present advances in agronomic, crop, soil, and environmental sciences. It features interviews with researchers whose work appears in journals, books, and magazines published by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America. The discussions highlight scientific findings and their implications for agriculture and the environment. The podcast also clarifies that opinions expressed by authors are their own and not those of the societies or their affiliates.
Episodes
Forest Residue Biochar with Dr. Dipita Ghosh
"Role of biochar made from low-value woody forest residues in ecological sustainability and carbon neutrality" with Dipita Ghosh. Forest debris can clutter forests, squelch healthy growth, and increase the risks of dangerous wildfires, but open burning these residues can be just as problematic, with increased greenhouse gas emissions, pollution, and, that's right, wildfire risks. Turning forest de
Connections July 2026, Soil Judging with John Galbraith, Holden Mrizek, and Liz Eroshenko
John Galbraith, Holden Mrizek, and Liz Eroshenko join Jim Cudahy to discuss soil judging and the recent International Soil Judging Contest. Contact us at podcast@sciencesocieties.org or on Twitter @FieldLabEarth if you have comments, questions, or suggestions for show topics, and if you want more content like this don't forget to subscribe. If you'd like to see old episodes or sign up for our new
Novaluron and Annual Bluegrass Weevil with Dr. Benjamin McGraw
"Lethal and sublethal effects of novaluron, a novel insect growth regulator, on annual bluegrass weevil, Listronotus maculicollis Kirby, lifestages in turfgrass" with Benjamin A McGraw. Today we'll be talking to Dr. Benjamin McGraw. Annual bluegrass weevil or ABW is a pest that preys on golf course turf. Novaluron is a new pesticide that may be able to help control ABW, but how does it work and at
Geophysical Methods and Agriculture with Dr. Sophia Becker
"Geophysical tools for agricultural management: trends, challenges, and opportunities" with Dr. Sophia Becker Geophysical tools can help boost productivity and cut costs in the field, but, as with all areas of technology, work must be done to ensure smooth and useful implementation. In this episode, Sophia joins me to discuss her work studying opportunities and challenges for geophysical methods.
Soil Health Principles in Iowa with Dr. Marshall McDaniel and Hillary Olson
"Putting the Soil Health Principles to the Test in Iowa, USA" with Dr. Marshall McDaniel and Hillary Olson Soil health principles can help guide farmers in best practices for long term soil health and improvement. However, it's important to test these principles across locations and contexts to see how their implementation is actually shaping soil health. In this episode, Marshall and Hillary join
Connections April 2026, Science Policy Updates with Michael Torrey and Julie McClure
Michael Torrey and Julie McClure of Torrey Advisory Group join Society CEO Jim Cudahy to discuss the impacts of the current administration on the Societies' sciences, the Farm Bill, and how our members can be involved. Contact us at podcast@sciencesocieties.org or on Twitter @FieldLabEarth if you have comments, questions, or suggestions for show topics, and if you want more content like this don't
Wild Bee Sunflower Nectar Preferences with Dr. Jarrad Prasifka
"Wild bee visitation unaffected by disparate nectar phenotypes in a sunflower inbred line population" with Dr. Jarrad Prasifka. Bees are important pollinators for sunflowers. But, just like humans, they also have preferences, which means it's important for sunflower breeders to breed the kinds of sunflowers that bees like best. In this episode, Dr. Jarrad Prasifka joins me to discuss sunflower nec
Living Mulches in Organic Corn with Ben Brockmueller
"Mechanical management strategies improve corn production in organically managed living mulch systems" with Ben Brockmueller. Organic farming is a rich and rewarding challenge for farmers, but without the use of herbicides and other conventional methods, weed suppression can be a problem. Cover crops functioning as living mulches can be one way to overcome this challenge, but what works in one cro
Connections February 2026, A Life in Viticulture with Dr. Paul Skinner
Dr. Paul Skinner discusses his career in viticulture and his time as a member of the Soil Science Society of America. Contact us at podcast@sciencesocieties.org or on Twitter @FieldLabEarth if you have comments, questions, or suggestions for show topics, and if you want more content like this don't forget to subscribe. If you'd like to see old episodes or sign up for our newsletter, you can do s
Sorgoleone with Drs. Sakiko Okumoto, Bill Rooney, and Guntur Subbarao
"Synthesis, function, and genetic variation of sorgoleone, the major biological nitrification inhibitor in sorghum" with Drs. Sakiko Okumoto, Bill Rooney, and Guntur Subbarao When we fertilize our crops, some of the nitrogen from that fertilizer gets converted into different forms through processes called nitrification and denitrification. When non-plant available forms of nitrogen exit the soil t
Connections, January 2026 with Drs. Wade Thomason, Felix Fritschi, and Aaron Daigh
We're trying something a little bit different. In addition to our regular episodes with Abby, we'll be adding a monthly bonus episode with Jim Cudahy, the CEO of the Societies. In this first episode, Jim has a chat with the three Society presidents, discussing current challenges and opportunities for the Societies, including ways that members can get the most out of our programs, but guests will v
Rescuing Potato from Buckwheat Volunteers with Dr. Andrew McKenzie-Gopsill
"The critical period of cover crop management: A framework for maximizing biomass potential and minimizing volunteers with buckwheat" with Dr. Andrew McKenzie-Gopsill Buckwheat can be a powerful driver of ecosystem services in potato rotations grown in Canada, but with its long-lived seeds and ability to make a whole lot of them in a short time, it can also pose a serious volunteer problem. In thi
Optimizing Genomic Selection in Strawberry with Dr. Joshua Sleper
"Within-family genomic selection in strawberry: optimization of marker density, trial design, and training set composition" with Dr. Joshua Sleper If plant breeding were a poker game, you'd have to play a lot of hands to beat the house. Quantitative genetics hopes to give players an advantage by recognizing patterns that can point to future success. In strawberry, a genetically complex and labor-i
Giant Ragweed Suppression with Guilherme Chudzik and Dr. Rodrigo Werle
"Cereal Rye Biomass Effects on Giant Ragweed Suppression Inform Management Decisions" with Guilherme Chudzik and Rodrigo Werle. For farmers in the Midwest, giant ragweed can be a giant problem. In Wisconsin, where long emergence windows, aggressive growth, herbicide resistance, and power-packed seeds make suppression difficult, farmers are always looking for more hammers to hit this nasty nail on
Halloween Special: Spring Dead Spot with Dr. Wendell Hutchens
"Fifteen years of findings: Advancements in spring dead spot research from 2009 to 2024" with Dr. Wendell Hutchens Spring dead spot is a disease that lies in wait before going after your turfgrasses, transforming your favorite golf course into the set of your favorite PG-13 slasher. This episode, Wendell joins me to discuss the mega gains made in the last 15 years of spring dead spot research, in
Genomic Selection with Dr. Jianming Yu
"Genomic Selection: Essence, Applications, and Prospects" with Dr. Jianming Yu Genomic Selection is a plant breeding innovation that aims to speed plant breeding by using predictions from a training model enabled by genomics and statistics to guide the breeding decisions. With around thirty years of history around this innovation, it was about time to develop a review on it. Enter Dr. Jianming Yu
The Nitrogen Value of Cover Crops with Dr. Guillermo Marcillo
"The Nitrogen Value of Cover Crops" with Dr. Guillermo Marcillo. Cover crops are known for their ability to provide economic and ecosystem services to farmers, including, for example, impacting soil nitrogen. But how much nitrogen, exactly, can cover crops add or remove and how do we find out? In this episode, Guillermo joins me to discuss his work collating research data to get to the bottom of c
Compost Organic Matter in a Snap with Dr. David C. Weindorf
"Toward sustainable compost use: Prediction of organic matter via smartphone image analysis" with Dr. David C. Weindorf Compost needs to be regularly tested to ensure labels regarding organic matter, nutrients, and more remain accurate. However, getting compost tested is time- and cost-intensive. This episode, Dr. Weindorf joins me to discuss how developing a model to predict organic matter from c
Cover Crops and the Transition to Organic with Nick Boogades
"Early impacts of cover crop selection on soil biological parameters during a transition to organic agriculture" with Nick Boodages. Incorporating cover crops is an important step in the transition from conventional to organic growing practices, but in Texas, limited resources can bring complications. In this episode, Nick joins me to discuss his work researching how to help farmers make the leap.
Soybean Seed Protein Decline with Dr. Anuj Chiluwal
"United States soybean seed protein concentrations – current status, challenges and some potential crop management solutions" with Dr. Anuj Chiluwal. Soybeans are a crucial crop in the United States for a variety of uses, including for its use as a protein source in animal feed. However, in recent years, high yield varieties have seen a steady decline in seed protein concentration. In this episode
Precision Turfgrass Management with Dr. Briana Wyatt and Dallas Williams
"Using electromagnetic induction to inform precision turfgrass management strategies in sand-capped golf course fairways" with Dr. Briana Wyatt and Dallas Williams Golf courses are well known for their beautiful greens, but overusing fertilizer and water to keep them looking pristine can lead to inefficient, expensive, and environmentally damaging waste. Precision turfgrass management can help, bu
The Soil Health Cycle with Dr. Bijesh Maharjan
"Soil Health Cycle" with Dr. Bijesh Maharjan Researchers, advisers, and farmers alike know that soil health is important, but taking steps forward in the knowledge of which practices to use and their impacts can be difficult. Enter the soil health cycle, an iterative approach to help track how practices and their implementation take soil health forward. In this episode, Bijesh joins me to discuss
Speed Breeding to Combat Wheat Disease with Drs. Nidhi Rawat and Vijay Tiwari
"Evaluation of speed breeding conditions for accelerating Fusarium head blight and deoxynivalenol screening in wheat" with Nidhi Rawat and Vivek Tiwari. Fusarium head blight (FHB), also known as head scab, is one of the most significant diseases affecting wheat, causing substantial economic losses for farmers in the U.S. and worldwide. While FHB resistant wheat lines have been identified, breedi
Economics of Autonomous Strip-Cropping with Professor James Lowenberg-DeBoer
"Economics of strip cropping with autonomous machines" with James Lowenberg-DeBoer. With the growing global population, the demand for food continues to rise. However, increasing food production often depends on intensive farming practices and agricultural inputs that can negatively impact environmental health. To counter this, promoting crop diversity, improving soil health, and reducing disease
Benefits of Microarthropods with Dr. Ashley Jernigan
"Microarthropods improve oat nutritional quality and mediate fertilizer effects on soil biological activity" with Dr. Ashley Jernigan Microarthropods are little critters that can have a big impact on crop production, particularly when it comes to nutrient cycling and nutrient acquisition. However, there's still much to learn about how the work these little helpers do is affected when paired with d
Grazing Cover Crops in the Great Plains with Drs. John Holman and Augustine Obour
"Grazing cover crops: How does it influence soils and crops?" with Drs. John Holman and Augustine Obour. Cover crops have a lot of uses depending on where you live and what you grow, but in some regions like the Great Plains, it can take a little extra help to make sure they're as helpful as they can be. In this episode, John and Augustine join me to discuss the advantages and challenges of grazin
Pipeline remediation timelines with Theresa Brehm
"Soil degradation and crop yield declines persist 5 years after pipeline installations" with Theresa Brehm. Underground pipeline installations are crucial for energy supply, helping to meet rising demand. However, these installations can significantly impact agricultural lands due to soil excavation, heavy machinery use, and resulting soil disturbances. Although companies typically offer support t
Managing Sorghum Aphid with Drs. Somashekhar Punnuri, Karen Harris-Shultz, Joseph Knoll, and Xinzhi Ni
"Invasive sorghum aphid: A decade of research on deciphering plant resistance mechanisms and novel approaches in breeding for sorghum resistance to aphids" with Drs. Somashekhar Punnuri, Karen Harris-Shultz, Joseph Knoll, and Xinzhi Ni. Sorghum is an important crop in the United States, grown for grain, forage and bioenergy purposes. However, its production is facing several challenges due to abio
Upscaling Soil Moisture Data with Dr. Tyson Ochsner
"Upscaling soil moisture from point scale to field scale: towards a general model" with Dr. Tyson Ochsner Field scale soil moisture measurements can be difficult to attain. Point scale data can be too small to give field scale advice, and data gathered from satellites often lack important specificity. In this episode, Tyson joins me to discuss a new method to upscale point data into field scale so
Phenotyping Crop Variety Mixtures with Flavian Tschurr and Corina Oppliger
"Mixing things up! Identifying early diversity benefits and facilitating the development of improved variety mixtures with high throughput field phenotyping" with Flavian Tschurr and Corina Oppliger. With increasing yield instability in monocropping systems due to diseases, pests or climatic factors, crop diversification is a potential strategy to improve crop performance and yield stability. Howe
Biochar-Dairy Manure Mixes with Dr. Touyee Thao
"The effects of different biochar-dairy manure co-composts on soil moisture and nutrients retention, greenhouse gas emissions, and tomato productivity; observations from a soil column experiment" with Dr. Touyee Thao. Increasing food production needs can sometimes put a strain on the environment. Waste from crop and animal production can exacerbate this problem. But, when waste can be turned into
Flyway Flooding Impacts with Dr. Amitava Chatterjee
"Shallow water habitat management influences soil CO2 efflux from agricultural fields in the Lower Mississippi River Basin (LMRB), USA" with Amitava Chatterjee. The Lower Mississippi River Basin (LMRB) serves as a critical stopover habitat for migratory birds traveling between Canada and Central and South America, presenting both challenges and opportunities for habitat conservation. To support th
Leaf Mold Compost for Urban Agriculture with Kyle Richardville
"Leaf mold compost for better soil and crop health" with Kyle Richardville Growing vegetables in urban gardens is becoming a popular and ever more important option for supporting families with nutritious and healthy produce. However, the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides can cause negative impacts on soil, crop, and human health. To reduce these negative impacts, there is a growing intere
2024 Blooper Reel
It's our birthday! That means it's time for our annual birthday blooper reel! Enjoy our favorite flubs from the previous year and thank you again for listening! Remember that if you like our show, rating, reviewing, and sharing with friends are the best ways you can show your support. Contact us at podcast@sciencesocieties.org or on Twitter @FieldLabEarth if you have comments, questions, or sugges
Combatting Drought with WAPs with Dr. Sanandam Bordoloi
"Efficacy of novel water-absorbing polymer amended soil for improving drought resilience of Solanum lycopersicum" with Dr. Sanandam Bordoloi. Drought can be a major problem for tomatoes, particularly in changing climates. Water-absorbant polymers can help water stay in the soil to help tomatoes thrive, but costs can make it hard for farmers to use them. In this episode, Sanandam joins me to discus
Phytoremediation for Urban Agriculture with Marie-Anne Viau and Dr. Adrian Paul
"Can we simultaneously decontaminate and cultivate? An urban cherry tomato story" with Marie-Anne Viau and Dr. Adrian Paul Contamination of various kinds can make it difficult to ensure healthy and safe food crops in urban agriculture. Phytoremediation is a strategy where we may be able to use plants' incredible natural abilities to help with this problem. This episode, Marie-Anne and Adrian join
Improving Maize Pollination Efficiency with Dr. Dylan Schoemaker
"A practical method to improve the efficiency of pollination in maize breeding and genetics research" with Dr. Dylan Schoemaker Mismatched pollination times can make desirable genetic matches beyond the reach of practical plant breeders. Storing pollen is one solution, but limitations in cost and feasibility can make viable pollen storage tricky. This episode, Dr. Dylan Schoemaker shares his work
Bioenergy Cropping on Marginal Lands with Dr. Dileepa Jayawardena
"Comparative productivity of six bioenergy cropping systems on marginal lands in the Great Lakes Region, USA" with Dileepa Jayawardena. Bioenergy crops present a promising source for biofuel production, offering a potential solution to reduce reliance on fossil fuels. However, they face criticism for potentially encroaching on arable land essential for food production to sustain growing populati
Soil-Landscape Rehabilitation with Dr. Sharon Schneider
"Key soil properties and their relationships with crop yields as affected by soil-landscape rehabilitation" with Dr. Sharon Schneider. Soil erosion is one of the major issues in agriculture that causes loss of the topsoil layer, reducing soil health and crop productivity. There are several ways to check soil erosion and its impacts on crop and soil health. One of the potential strategies to reduce
Recalibrating the Pennsylvania PSNT with Dr. Charlie White
"Recalibrating the Pennsylvania pre-sidedress soil nitrate test recommendations for modern corn production" with Charles White. Nitrogen management is one of the most important agronomic practices in modern crop production systems. The Pre-Sidedress Soil Nitrate Test, also known as the PSNT, gives farmers an estimation of plant available nitrogen in the soil, allowing them to calculate how much ni
Precision Agriculture for Improving Wheat Yield and Quality with Olga Walsh
"Precision nitrogen management for improving yield and protein content in wheat" with Dr. Olga Walsh. Nitrogen is one of the most important nutrients for crops, which is required in large amounts for crop production and demands precise nutrient management methods due to its highly mobile property in plants and soils and high chances of leaching. Precise nutrient management is also important for im
Mitigating Coastal Eutrophication with Drs. Wafa Malik and Patrick Durand
"Nitrogen mitigation scenarios to reduce coastal eutrophication" with Wafa and Patrick. Eutrophication is a state of overgrowth of aquatic plants, such as algae and seaweeds, in water bodies due to the excessive pouring of nutrients from different sources like agriculture, industry, and human settlements, causing disturbances to the ecosystems. Coastal eutrophication is a major issue worldwide due
Latent Variable Phenotypes in Lentil with Sandesh Neupane and Derek Wright
"Focusing the GWAS Lens on days to flower using latent variable phenotypes derived from global multienvironment trials" with Sandesh Neupane and Derek Wright. Lentil, a pivotal pulse crop, is recognized as an important part of food and nutrition security in the world. It has rich sources of important nutrients, is easy to cook, and thrives well on the farm. Due to its rich dietary benefits, lentil
Phosphorus Conservation Practice Trade-offs with Drs. Peter Kleinman and Deanna Osmond
"Addressing conservation practice limitations and trade-offs for reducing phosphorus loss from agricultural fields" with Dr. Pete Kleinman, Research Leader, USDA, and Dr. Deanna Osmond, Professor, North Carolina State University. Conservation practices are important techniques that help us move towards a more sustainable planet. But when these tools are applied without proper testing and a holisti
Halloween Special: Fall Armyworm with Drs. Sandra Woolfolk and Leigh Hawkins
"Genes and genetic mechanisms contributing to fall armyworm resistance in maize" with Sandra Woolfolk and Leigh Hawkins, research entomologist and molecular biologist (respectively) at USDA-ARS. Fall armyworm is a major pest around the world, causing millions of dollars in damages yearly. However, farmers are not alone in the fight against these invasive creatures, with plant breeders coming along
Food Waste Microplastics with Kate Porterfield and Dr. Eric Roy
"Microplastics in Composts, Digestates and Food Wastes: A Review" with Kate Porterfield, PhD Candidate at University Vermont and Dr. Eric Roy, Associate Professor at University of Vermont. Diverting organic materials and food waste from landfills and recycling them for beneficial use in agriculture is a great way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, intermingled microplastics from packagin
Environmental Effects on Garlic Quality with Dr. Pablo Cavagnaro
"Genotypic and environmental effects on the compounds associated with garlic flavor, health-enhancing properties, and postharvest conservation" with Dr. Pablo Cavagnaro. Garlic is a widely consumed species used for culinary as well as therapeutic and medicinal purposes. Different compounds within garlic can affect its effectiveness for these purposes, which are also driving factors for the market
Microbial Function in Restored Wetlands with Amelia Fitch
"Partial recovery of microbial function in restored coastal marshes of Oregon, USA" with Amelia Fitch, PhD Candidate at Dartmouth College Draining or restoring a wetland has a significant impact on the land's ability to store carbon. A lot of that has to do with the microbial communities that live within these wetlands, but when a wetland is restored, how long does it really take for those communi
Pesticide Potential in Tailwater Recovery Systems with Dr. Matt Moore
"Pesticide trends in a tailwater recovery system in the Mississippi Delta" with Dr. Matt Moore, Supervisory Ecologist and Research Leader of the USDA-ARS Water Quality and Ecology Research Unit at the National Sedimentation Laboratory in Oxford, Mississippi Farmers in Mississippi have a two-fold problem. Agriculture requires a lot of water, leading to a water quantity problem, and agricultural run
100th Episode Funstravaganza
It's our birthday, our five-year anniversary, and our 100th episode, which means it's time to paaaaarty! Join us for a brief interview with host Abby as she looks back on five years of podcasting, followed by our usual birthday blooper reel. Contact us at podcast@sciencesocieties.org or on Twitter @FieldLabEarth if you have comments, questions, or suggestions for show topics, and if you want more
Cover Crop Questions with Drs. Joby Czarnecki and Beth Baker
"Transitioning from conventional to cover crop systems with minimum tillage does not alter nutrient loading" with Drs. Joby Czarnecki and Beth Baker of Mississippi State University Cover crops are often lauded as agricultural heroes boasting of a variety of ecosystems services and benefits to farmers and the world. But are these crops always the best option and do they always provide benefits wher
Recovering Amaranth Seeds from Manure with Drs. Anthony Brusa and Melissa Wilson
"Comparison of methods to recover amaranth weed seeds from manure" with Drs. Anthony Brusa and Melissa Wilson, Minnesota State University Palmer Amaranth is a pesky pest that can devastate crops, and when this sneaky pest's seeds creep into animal feed, they can find their way into unsuspecting farmers' fields. This episode, Drs. Anthony Brusa and Melissa Wilson give us the inside scoop on what fa
Global Reliance on Corn Belt Dent with Dr. Stephen Smith
"Global Dependence Upon Corn Belt Dent Maize Germplasm: Challenges and Opportunities" with Dr. Stephen Smith, Affiliate Professor at Iowa State University Plant breeders are constantly trying to find the best crosses to increase the traits farmers and consumers want. However, continually crossing the same varieties can decrease the genetic gene pool over time, making plants susceptible to certain
Controlled Freezing Experiments in Perennial Flax with Dr. Neil Anderson
"Controlled Freezing Studies as a Corollary Selection Method for Winterhardiness in Perennial Flax (Linum spp.)" with Neil Anderson, Professor & Interim Department Head at the Department of Horticultural Science, University of Minnesota Flax is an important crop worldwide for its many uses, but as with all plants, its global use is limited by the conditions in which it can grow. Enter Neil Anderso
Decode 6 with DJ May
This time, we take a break from our regularly scheduled programming for a brief interview and sample episode from our sister podcast, Decode 6. Contact us at podcast@sciencesocieties.org or on Twitter @FieldLabEarth if you have comments, questions, or suggestions for show topics, and if you want more content like this don't forget to subscribe. If you'd like to see old episodes or sign up for our
Humor in the Classroom with Dr. Andrés Varhola
Episode Title: Humor in the Classroom with Dr. Andrés Varhola Show notes: ""His lectures were like watching a show on Netflix": A success story of laugh tracks in prerecorded undergraduate lessons" with Dr. Andrés Varhola. When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, teachers had to rapidly adapt to new, fully online teaching environments. For Andrés, who had a naturally humorous teaching style, he needed to n
The Roots of Drought Resistance with Dr. Maryse Bourgault and Jessica Williams
"Relationships between roots, the stay-green phenotype, and agronomic performance in barley and wheat grown in semi-arid conditions" with Dr. Maryse Bourgault and Jessica Williams. Roots are an important factor in drought-resistance as they are the primary way by which plants uptake the water they need to survive. However, measuring roots can be a difficult, time-consuming, and destructive process
3D Fruit Form Reconstruction with Dr. Mitchell Feldmann
"Cost-effective, high-throughput phenotyping system for 3D reconstruction of fruit form" with Dr. Mitchell Feldmann Various research and breeding programs study phenotypical traits—or traits that can be discerned via the five senses—to evaluate the quality of their target crops. However, getting data on these traits, often via human-made measurements, can be time-consuming, subjective, and inaccur
Optimizing Industrial Hemp Production with Dr. Josh Freeman
"How do pinching and plant density affect industrial hemp produced for cannabinoids in open field conditions?" with Dr. Josh Freeman. Industrial hemp has only recently been re-introduced in American production systems. Therefore, there's a lot to learn about how to best produce this versatile crop in American climates. This episode of the Field, Lab, Earth podcast, Josh discusses his work testing
Modeling Water Use in Biofuel Crops with Dr. Alexandria Kuhl
"Root Water Uptake of Biofuel Crops Revealed by Coupled Electrical Resistivity and Soil Water Content Measurements" with Dr. Alexandria Kuhl Biofuel crops can be used to create fuel from renewable plant materials. Corn is the most common example, but as research progresses, scientists are looking to expand their biofuel crop pool to include woody perennials and ornamental grasses. These plants hav
Life Cycle Analyses and Greenhouse Gases with Dr. Hoyoung Kwon
"Greenhouse gas mitigation strategies and opportunities for agriculture" with Dr. Hoyoung Kwon Agriculture and food systems can be strong contributors to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and, in turn, climate change. However, in the midst of this reality, there are also abundant opportunities to improve our systems, reduce emissions, and move towards a more sustainable future…so long as we can ident
Popping Sorghum Performance with Kent Mitchell
"Assessment of Kernel Characteristics to Predict Popping Performance in Grain Sorghum" with Kent Mitchell Popping sorghum is a niche alternative to popcorn, with no large hulls, a neutral flavor, and smaller kernels. While the tasty snack is growing in popularity, much remains to be learned about the practices that can produce the best popping product. This episode, Mitchell discusses his research
Halloween Special: Aphids and Hornworms and White Flies, oh my! with Dr. Vikram Baliga
It's Halloween, which means its spooky time. Throughout history, humans have battled some pretty scary pests, from aphids to spider mites, white flies and more. This episode, Vikram Baliga of the Planthropology podcast walks us through some of the scary adaptations these pests have that have made them so effective and progress we've made in fighting back the hordes. Tune in to learn: How plants d
Improving Edamame with Dr. Bo Zhang
"'VT Sweet': A vegetable soybean cultivar for commercial edamame production in the Mid-Atlantic U.S." with Dr. Bo Zhang Edamame, or edible soybean, is a popular snack. However, due to a lack of US specific soybean varieties, domestic production hasn't been able to keep up with consumer demand. In this episode, Bo discusses her work breeding varieties that are better suited to US growing conditions
Modeling for Climate Change with 2022 World Food Prize Laureate Dr. Cynthia Rosenzweig
The World Food Prize was established by Dr. Norman Borlaug and is the equivalent of the Nobel Prize in agriculture. This year's winner is Dr. Cynthia Rosenzweig, whose extensive work in crop modeling, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and activism is helping to prepare the world to combat the effects of climate change. In this episode, Cynthia discusses her work as a crop modeler, her work with fa
Biosolids Research in Colorado with Dr. Jim Ippolito
"The Clean Water Act and Biosolids: A 45-Year Chronological Review of Biosolids Land Application Research in Colorado" with Dr. Jim Ippolito Biosolids are the human waste products that are managed and produced by wastewater treatment plants. While many simply flush and forget their waste, biosolids can have a variety of advantageous environmental impacts when applied at proper rates and locations.
A Proactive Approach to Lithium Pollution with Dr. Alex Chow
"Proactive Approach to Minimize Lithium Pollution" with Dr. Alex Chow Lithium is a chemical element that has recently gained much attention for its use in rechargeable batteries for electric vehicles and electronics. However, with recycling and re-use programs still in their infancy, there is a growing concern about potential lithium pollution. This episode, as part of our two-part miniseries on t
Managing Poultry Manuresheds with Dr. Ray Bryant
"Poultry manureshed management: Opportunities and challenges for a vertically integrated industry" with Dr. Ray Bryant Poultry farms are often heavily concentrated in certain areas of the country. This can lead to excessive amounts of nutrient-rich poultry manure in manuresheds with no easy way to return it to the fields that need it. This episode, Ray discusses recent research into how big these
Battling Rice Weeds with Seeding Depth with Dr. Alex Ceseski
"Seeding depth effects on elongation, emergence, and early development of California rice cultivars" with Dr. Alex Ceseski. In California, several compounding factors make it difficult for farmers to protect their crops from weeds and algae using traditional weed control methods. Dr. Alex Ceseski and his team and working to fix that. By exploring the viability of drill-seeding in California rice p
2022 Blooper Reel
It's our blooper reel! Our podcast is turning four this year. As a birthday treat, enjoy bloopers from our last orbit around the sun. Want to get us a birthday treat in return? Rate and review us on your favorite podcast app or platform. Contact us at podcast@sciencesocieties.org or on Twitter @FieldLabEarth if you have comments, questions, or suggestions for show topics, and if you want more cont
Optimizing Food-Feed Production in Smallholder Systems with Dr. Peter Thorne
"Redesigning traditional weed management practices in faba bean fields to optimize food-feed production in the smallholder system" with Peter Thorne. Researchers work hard to develop best practices and recommendations for farmers. However, cultural practices may affect how farmers do or are able to implement these recommendations on their farms. This episode, Peter discusses his work bridging the
Picking on Nitrogen Rates with Drs. Brian Arnall, Josh McGrath, and Wade Thomason
There are multiple tools for farmers to work with when deciding Nitrogen recommendation rates. All of them operate on the spectrum between mechanistic and empirical approaches. In this episode of the Field, Lab, Earth podcast, Drs. Brian Arnall, Josh McGrath, and Wade Thomason discuss the key differences between these approaches, how they interact with accuracy and precision, how they intertwine w
Maize Breeding for Protein-Restricted Diets with Matthew Woore, Dr. Sherry Flint-Garcia, and Dr. James Holland
"The Potential to Breed a Low-Protein Maize for Protein-Restricted Diets" with Matthew Woore, Dr. Sherry Flint-Garcia, and Dr. Jim Holland Phenylketonuria is a metabolic disorder which results in a need for a strict low-protein diet. This restricts the intake of corn and many corn-based foods. This episode, Smitty, Sherry, and Jim discuss their work developing a low-protein corn variety so that in
Soil Sensing on Mars with Drs. Doug Cobos and Colin Campbell
In 2008, NASA launched their Phoenix Lander to take measurements on Mars. This episode, Drs. Doug Cobos and Colin Campbell talk about their experiences working with NASA and the Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL), what they were measuring, and what their data can tell us about Mars. Tune in to learn: The challenges involved in creating sensors for extraterrestrial environments What measurements NASA wanted
Urban Food Forests with Dr. James Allen
"Urban food forests in the American Southwest" with Dr. James Allen. Food forests are multi-level polycultures where fruit and nut trees, vegetables, shade trees, mushrooms, aquatic plants, and more can all exist in the same urban or rural space. They're known to have many benefits, both environmentally and socially; however, in more arid climates like the American Southwest, there are a few hurdl
Multifunctional Agroforestry with Dr. Sarah Lovell
"Agroforestry at the Landscape Level" with Dr. Sarah Lovell Agroforestry is where trees are grown alongside other crops or livestock. It's an extremely flexible practice that can be adapted to both urban and rural environments and at a variety of scales. In this episode, Dr. Sarah Lovell discusses the various uses and forms of agroforestry, how agroforestry can benefit both farmers and their surro
Microplastic Movement through the Soil with Yingxue Yu
"Current understanding of subsurface transport of micro- and nanoplastics in soil" with Yingxue Yu. Microplastics can come from all kinds of sources, including broken down bottles, face and body scrubs, plastic bags, tire tracks, agricultural mulch films, sewage waste, and more. However, for as ubiquitous as these plastics can be, there's still much to be learned about how they move through our so
Profitable Nitrogen Rates for Corn with Dr. Carrie Laboski
Nitrogen is an important nutrient for corn which, when applied as a fertilizer, can increase yields. However, too much nitrogen can lead to negative impacts on human health, water quality, plant health, and the environment. This episode, Carrie discusses her work testing nitrogen rate recommendation tools and how we can best balance profitability, plant health, and the environment. Tune in to lear
Salt-Affected Roadside Grasses with Dr. Eric Watkins
"Review of cool-season turfgrasses for salt-affected roadsides in cold climates" with Dr. Eric Watkins. Salt is commonly spread on roads in colder regions to help keep them clear of dangerous ice. However, salted roads can pose some environmental risks. Roadside turfgrasses can help alleviate some of those problems, but drought, heat, salt, ice, and more can mean a roadside is not always the happi
Turfgrass Greenhouse Gas Emissions with Drs. Quincy Law and Jon Trappe
"Greenhouse gas fluxes from turfgrass systems: Species, growth rate, clipping management, and environmental effects" with Drs. Quincy Law and Jon Trappe Greenhouse gases are naturally occurring gases that contribute to climate change. These gases, like carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and methane, are both absorbed and produced by turfgrasses; however, it is possible that choosing the right grass sp
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