Field, Lab, Earth

"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. If you would like more information about this topic, this episode's paper is available here: https://doi.org/10.1002/vzj2.70029 This paper is always freely available. 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 so here: https://fieldlabearth.libsyn.com/. If you would like to reach out to Sophia, you can find her here: sophbecker16@gmail.com Resources CEU Quiz: https://web.sciencesocieties.org/Learning-Center/Courses/Course-Detail?productid=%7bDF24CF1D-266B-F111-A826-0022480A5E44%7d Transcripts: https://www.rev.com/app/transcript/NmEzM2YwMTIyNTVkN2IyN2QwZjg0YjE1bzRzODNvLW4zQTRq/o/VEMxMDUwMTAxNTEy VZJ Agrogeophysics Special Section: https://acsess.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/15391663/2021/20/4#heading-level-1-2 Geophysics conquering new territories: The rise of "agrogeophysics" by Sarah Garré: https://doi.org/10.1002/vzj2.20115 Field, Lab, Earth is Copyrighted by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America.

"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 and his team of coauthors. This episode, we skate the surface of a topic that could go down for miles, covering key areas of genomic selection, what it is, how to use it, and where we can aim to go in the future. Tune in to learn: · How genomic selection was developed · Why genomic selection should be seen as an innovation in rather than alternative to plant breeding · Why growing out crosses still matters · How AI could be integrated to further genomic selection If you would like more information about this topic, this episode's paper is available here: https://doi.org/10.1002/tpg2.70053 This paper is always freely available. 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 so here: https://fieldlabearth.libsyn.com/. If you would like to reach out to Jianming, you can find him here: jmyu@iastate.edu https://www.agron.iastate.edu/people/yu-jianming/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jianming-yu-92b6617b/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/iowa-state-university-raymond-f-baker-center-for-plant-breeding/ Resources CEU Quiz: https://web.sciencesocieties.org/Learning-Center/Courses/Course-Detail?productid=%7b001D06ED-D9AA-F011-BBD3-000D3A599510%7d Transcripts: https://www.rev.com/app/captions/NjhlZmI3ODYwMWFmOTFkYzdlYWRiMjhhM29MVTM2MVduOEFD/o/Q1AwNDYyNDc5Mzkz CSA News article: https://www.sciencesocieties.org/publications/csa-news/2025/november/essence-of-genomic-selection Field, Lab, Earth is Copyrighted by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America.

"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 cell phone pictures might make this process a whole lot easier. Tune in to learn: · Which factors best correlated with organic matter · How the team collected 157 different compost samples · How application can affect the acceptable window for success on accuracy · What camera-related factors affected the methods and results If you would like more information about this topic, this episode's paper is available here: https://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.70121 It will be freely available from August 15-August 31, 2025. 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 so here: https://fieldlabearth.libsyn.com/. If you would like to reach out to David, you can find him here: dweindorf@georgiasouthern.edu https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-c-weindorf-43875b110/ Resources CEU Quiz: https://web.sciencesocieties.org/Learning-Center/Courses/Course-Detail?productid=%7b91295D26-E579-F011-B4CC-000D3A599510%7d Transcripts: https://www.rev.com/app/transcript/Njg5ZTBjNDZjMjFjM2ZlZThkNTdhYmJiWEhIRXQ0eUl3WlRi/o/VEMwMzgxNjg4NTA4 Compost Research and Education Foundation: https://www.compostfoundation.org/ Agronomy Journal: https://acsess.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/14350645 Compost Science and Utilization: https://www.tandfonline.com/journals/ucsu20 Waste Management: https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/waste-management Field, Lab, Earth is Copyrighted by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America.

"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, Anuj joins me to discuss the sources of this decline and some potential strategies to combat it. Tune in to learn: · Why soybean seed protein is declining in US soybean · How the US may be a template for other countries with similar problems · What temporary solutions may be available for this problem · Which future research paths may bring about more sustainable solutions If you would like more information about this topic, this episode's paper is available here: https://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.21731 This paper is always freely available. 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 so here: https://fieldlabearth.libsyn.com/. If you would like to reach out to Anuj, you can find him here: anuj.chiluwal@kysu.edu https://www.kysu.edu/directory/faculty-staff/anuj-chiluwal.php https://www.linkedin.com/in/anuj-chiluwal/ Resources CEU Quiz: https://web.sciencesocieties.org/Learning-Center/Courses/Course-Detail?productid=%7bAC0EA3C0-3F50-F011-877A-00224808D254%7d Transcripts: https://www.rev.com/app/captions/Njg1MWI0MjE2MDAzODViYzNhZjVkNjYzWE4wOEZYc1pLNHNQ/o/Q1AwMTA4NTk3MzE4 "Soybean management for seed composition: The perspective of U.S. farmers" paper: https://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.21082 "Exploring Nitrogen Limitation for Historical and Modern Soybean Genotypes" paper: https://doi.org/10.2134/agronj2018.04.0271 "Quantification of Soybean Leaf Senescence and Maturation as Impacted by Soil- and Foliar-Applied Nitrogen" paper: https://doi.org/10.2134/cftm2018.07.0051 "Probability of Yield Response to Inoculants in Fields with a History of Soybean" paper: https://doi.org/10.2135/cropsci2009.04.0185 "Late-Season Nitrogen Applications Increase Soybean Yield and Seed Protein Concentration" paper: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2021.715940 "Is soybean yield limited by nitrogen supply?" paper: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2017.08.009 "Assessing Variation in US Soybean Seed Composition (Protein and Oil)" paper: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2019.00298 "Regional analysis of planting date and cultivar maturity recommendations that improve soybean oil yield and meal protein concentration" paper: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2022.954111 Extension fact sheet: https://www.kysu.edu/documents/college-of-agriculture-communities-the-sciences/2025-Fact%20Sheet%20Soybean%20Seed%20Quality.pdf University of Minnesota annual soybean quality reports: https://extension.umn.edu/soybean/soybean-seed-quality Thank you to our volunteer Om Prakash Ghimire for help with the shownotes and other assets. Thank you to Cole Shalk from 12twelve Media for the Audio Processing on today's episode. Field, Lab, Earth is Copyrighted by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America.

"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 his work on the soil health cycle. Tune in to learn: · How the soil health cycle is similar to human health care cycles · What the four steps of the soil health cycle are · Why it's important to have a soil health cycle · What the literature says about the current state of the soil health cycle If you would like more information about this topic, this episode's paper is available here: https://doi.org/10.1002/agg2.20504 This paper is always freely available. 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 so here: https://fieldlabearth.libsyn.com/. If you would like to reach out to Bijesh, you can find him here: maharjan@unl.edu https://x.com/Nebraska_soils Resources CEU Quiz: https://web.sciencesocieties.org/Learning-Center/Courses/Course-Detail?productid=%7b3687C77E-BE1E-F011-998A-0022480989AC%7d Transcripts: https://www.rev.com/app/transcript/NjgwMDExNTJlZGVmODgyNjliNWNhMmQzbEVZNXpiYV8xWGtU/o/VEMwOTY5NDE4NDEw Supracentennial special section call for papers for Soil Science Society of America Journal: https://acsess.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/14350661/specialsectioncall#supracentennial-field-experiments Maharjan Lab: www.maharjanlab.com Thank you to our volunteer Om Prakash Ghimire for help with other assets. Thank you to Cole Shalk from 12twelve Media for the Audio Processing on today's episode. Field, Lab, Earth is Copyrighted by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America.

"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 and pest pressure are crucial. Mixed cropping presents a viable solution but poses challenges for mechanization and labor efficiency. In this context, customized autonomous machines and advanced technology can play a key role in facilitating mixed cropping while lowering production costs. In this episode, Dr. James Lowenberg-DeBoer shares insights from his research on the economics of strip cropping—the simplest form of mixed cropping—using autonomous machines. He explores the feasibility and profitability of this approach, along with the challenges and opportunities in restoring crop biodiversity and ecosystem services, ultimately fostering better environmental health and sustainable agriculture. Tune in to learn: What is mixed cropping? What makes a farm machine "autonomous"? How do autonomous machines contribute to environmentally friendly agriculture? What are the economic differences between automated strip farming and conventional strip farming? What are swarm robots in agriculture? If you would like more information about this topic, this episode's paper is available here: https://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.21536 This paper is always freely available. 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 so here: https://fieldlabearth.libsyn.com/. If you would like to reach out to James Lowenberg-DeBoer, you can find him here: JLowenberg-DeBoer@harper-adams.ac.uk Resources CEU Quiz: https://web.sciencesocieties.org/Learning-Center/Courses/Course-Detail?productid=%7b33E6AEA6-E1EA-EF11-A731-6045BD0350B4%7d Transcripts: https://www.rev.com/app/transcript/NjdhZTQyYmQwNjA1ZDQwNmFmYjNkYTU1LVVGWURKXzFZcFIy/o/VEMwOTcyNzA1Njg4 Center for Effective Innovation in Agriculture: https://www.linkedin.com/company/71561378/admin/dashboard/ Hands Free Farm: www.handsfree.farm Precision Agriculture Journal: https://link.springer.com/journal/11119 Digitization for Agroecology: https://d4agecol.eu/ Prairie Strips in the Conservation Reserve Program: https://www.nrem.iastate.edu/research/STRIPS/ Stockcropper: https://thestockcropper.com/ Thank you to our volunteer Om Prakash Ghimire for help with the shownotes and other assets. Thank you to Cole Shalk from 12twelve Media for the Audio Processing on today's episode. Field, Lab, Earth is Copyrighted by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America.

"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 grazing cover crops in the Great Plains. Tune in to learn: · Which factors most impact strategy when incorporating cover crops · How to alter cover cropping strategy depending on the soil moisture · How incorporating cover crops and livestock can increase profitability · How cover crops can help with forage shortages If you would like more information about this topic, this episode's paper is available here: https://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.21475 This paper is always freely available. 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 so here: https://fieldlabearth.libsyn.com/. If you would like to reach out to John, you can find him here: jholman@ksu.edu If you would like to reach out to Augustine, you can find him here: aobour@ksu.edu If you would like to reach out to Tanner Judd from our Student Spotlight, you can find him here: tcjudd@wisc.edu Resources CEU Quiz: https://web.sciencesocieties.org/Learning-Center/Courses/Course-Detail?productid=%7bB578A14C-E8BE-EF11-B8E8-002248082C44%7d Transcripts: https://www.rev.com/app/transcript/Njc2NWFjMDZlY2VmZGEyMzAxYWVmZjVmMm1YaXJlc25RSUY2/o/VEMwNTU1NTk5MjQy EA Consumables is the exclusive US distributor of organic elemental analysis products by UK laboratory supplies manufacturer, Elemental Microanalysis. Visit the EA Consumables website for high quality elemental analysis consumable supplies that offer performance you can trust. Thank you to our volunteer Om Prakash Ghimire for help with the shownotes and other assets. Thank you to Cole Shalk from 12twelve Media for the Audio Processing on today's episode. Field, Lab, Earth is Copyrighted by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America.

"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 abiotic and biotic factors, with aphids emerging as a significant pest in last decade. Once considered a minor pest, sorghum aphids have become a major threat to sorghum cultivation due to susceptible varieties and insufficient pest management strategies. In this episode, Dr. Somashekhar Punnuri, an associate professor from Fort Valley State University; Drs. Karen Harris-Shultz and Joesph Knoll, research geneticists with USDA ARS; and Dr. Xinzhi Ni, a research entomologist from USDA ARS, share their insights on current research efforts and new methods to combat sorghum aphids. Tune in to learn more about: · What characteristics sorghum aphids have · How sorghum aphids reproduce · What resistance mechanisms sorghum has · What the current efforts are in breeding aphid resistant sorghum varieties · What the challenges are in aphid management in sorghum If you would like more information about this topic, this episode's paper is available here: https://doi.org/10.1002/csc2.21301 This paper is always freely available. 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 so here: https://fieldlabearth.libsyn.com/. If you would like to reach out to Som, you can contact him here: Punnuris@fvsu.edu https://ag.fvsu.edu/members/profile/view/63 If you would like to reach out to Karen, you can contact her here: karen.harris@usda.gov https://www.ars.usda.gov/people-locations/person?person-id=43959 If you would like to reach out to Joe, you can contact him here: joe.knoll@usda.govhttps://www.ars.usda.gov/people-locations/person?person-id=48564 If you would like to reach out to Xinzhi, you can contact him here: xinzhi.ni@usda.gov https://www.ars.usda.gov/people-locations/person?person-id=35259 If you would like to reach out to Sarah Chu from our Student Spotlight, you can find her here: sarah.chu@tamu.edu X: https://x.com/weedysarahchu Resources CEU Quiz: https://web.sciencesocieties.org/Learning-Center/Courses/Course-Detail?productid=%7bDF51FF70-9397-EF11-8A6A-000D3A350361%7d Transcripts: Coming soon Sorghum Checkoff: https://www.sorghumcheckoff.com/our-farmers/insects-weeds-diseases/insect-control/sugarcane-aphid/ "Biological and genetic features of introduced aphid populations in agroecosystems" published in Current Opinion in Insect Science: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cois.2018.01.004 Sorghum aphid reporting tool: https://www.myfields.info/ Thank you to our volunteer Om Prakash Ghimire for regular help with the shownotes and other assets. Thank you to Cole Shalk from 12twelve Media for the Audio Processing on today's episode. Field, Lab, Earth is Copyrighted by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America.