UW-Madison Agronomy

We have exciting news to share! Our program is now a part of UW-Madison's Department of Plant and Agroecosystem Sciences. Posts related to agronomy and our program will now come from this page: UW-Madison Department of Plant and Agroecosystem Sciences

Graduate student profile! Victor Ribeiro is a visiting MS graduate student in Dr. Werle’s program at UW-Madison; he is originally from Minas Gerais, Brazil and earned his BS from Federal University of Jequitinhonha & Mucuri Valleys. He is evaluating the ability of single active ingredient PRE-emergence soybean herbicides to persist in the soil and provide residual control of various w**d species. In collaboration with Dr. Jean-Michael Ané's lab (UW-Madison, Agronomy and Bacteriology), he is also investigating the influence of PRE-emergence herbicides on soybean nodulation and biological nitrogen fixation. His work will promote greater understanding of the benefits and limitations PRE-emergence herbicides can bring to soybean cropping systems, as well as answers to what, if any, biological impact herbicide use may pose.

Faculty spotlight! Valentin Picasso is an Assistant Professor in the Agronomy Department and his research focuses on forages and perennial grain crops, resilience to climate change, and ecological intensification of dairy and beef grazing systems. With a goal of developing more sustainable food systems for future generations, Picasso and his team are researching perennial grain and forage crops like Kernza. They are also discovering which traits make forages like alfalfa more resilient to a changing climate. This Spring Picasso will be teaching Agronomy 377: Cropping Systems of the Tropics! If you are interested in summer undergrad research, contact the Picasso lab.

UW Agronomy is now on Instagram! please follow us for news and updates on agronomy, agroecology, and the plant breeding plant genetics program!

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/27/dining/row-7-seed-company-dan-barber.html?smid=tw-share

Seeds Only a Plant Breeder Could Love, Until Now A seed company co-founded by the chef Dan Barber aims to build a big audience for new vegetables (sweeter peppers, milder beets) using the marketing muscle of chefs.

The Wisconsin Cropping Systems W**d Science program is looking for a Research Specialist. Incumbent will help conduct research in the area of corn, soybean, and small grain cropping system w**d management. Research areas will include herbicide evaluation and other crop management by w**d management studies. For more information:

W**D SCIENCE RESEARCH SPECIALIST at UW–Madison Find jobs at University of Wisconsin–Madison

What does pizza have to do with phosphorus pollution? Check out this visual essay done by the Water Sustainability and Climate Project, including our own Chris Kucharik and Eric Booth.

Lakes, Cheese, and You How you can support healthy farms, soils and lakes in Wisconsin.

Members of the Sweet Corn Team continue the tradition of dressing like their boss for Halloween! Last year was Bill Tracy - this year is Pat Flannery! (l-r Kathleen Miller, Pat Flannery, Lily Hislop, Jamie Bugel, Ginny Moore)

We had a fun surprise on our stoop this morning - thanks, Badger Crops Club, for getting us in a seasonal mood!

We want to introduce you to another one of our wonderful undergraduates!

Name: Cadan Cummings

Year: Senior

Hometown: Viroqua, Wisconsin

Major: Agronomy with a Certificate in Environmental Studies

Q: Why did you choose Agronomy at UW-Madison?

A: Growing up in western Wisconsin, also known as the Driftless Region, I was exposed to both organic and conventional agriculture through spending time at my grandpa’s dairy farm and living near the headquarters of Organic Valley. I joined the agronomy department because I enjoy learning how cropping systems can provide ecosystem services, such as carbon sequestration and regulation of soil and water quality, while also producing food, fiber, and fuel for our planet. Having started out my UW-Madison experience studying engineering, I was easily able to translate what I had learned in math, chemistry, and physics classes into my study of agronomy as it requires a well-rounded understanding of the sciences. Like engineering, I find that studying agronomy requires an applied technique of combining both scientific and social disciplines to solve a central problem. I also appreciate the ways in which the agronomy track encourages students to gain a holistic understanding of our world through the lens of production, while simultaneously maintaining our role as environmental stewards.

Q: What has been your favorite experience outside of class?

A: I have really enjoyed the opportunity to participate in field and laboratory research. For the past three semesters, I worked in the Kucharik Agroecology Lab assisting graduate students with their research projects pertaining to sustainability of bioenergy cropping systems and water sustainability of irrigated agriculture in the Central Sands Region of Wisconsin. Working in the lab was valuable because it taught me about cutting edge scientific research and allowed me hands-on agricultural experience in the field.

Most recently, I added to my undergraduate research experience by participating in the Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship program operated by the U.S. Department of Energy. During my three-month internship, I worked at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee performing plant chlorophyll fluorescence research which investigated the effects of extreme heat wave events on plant photosynthetic efficiency. My experience at Oak Ridge National Laboratory was extremely valuable because it taught me new research techniques while giving me an opportunity to contribute to the scientific dialogue of how climate conditions are inducing changes to our landscapes.


Q: What has been your favorite class at UW, so far, Agronomy or other? (and why?)

A: One of my favorite courses at UW-Madison was Agronomy 300--Cropping Systems. Learning about cropping systems gave me a chance to apply the things I learned in other courses— primarily genetics, ag applied economics, and soils science—to examine novel agricultural practices. This class connected my course work with my research experience in bioenergy cropping systems and remote sensing of irrigated agriculture. It was also interesting because it taught me that incorporating ecological practices in farming can greatly improve cropping system resilience while also often having an economic advantage.

Q: What do you plan to do after you earn your degree?

A: I plan to participate in further plant science research pertaining to climate change science and plant ecophysiology. I will also be applying to graduate schools for next fall to research the influence of environment on agriculture and the opposing influence agriculture has on climate science.

Q: Do you have any words of advice for a high school senior considering Agronomy?

A: My advice for students considering agronomy is to find an area of the major that you are passionate about and find opportunities to immerse yourself in a real way in that field of study. Agronomy is a wide field of research and if you are interested in a specific aspect of how the discipline can be used to advance the field of molecular biology, food security, environmental science, or energy sustainability, use that curiosity to fuel your academic experience. The agronomy program at UW-Madison is leading the world in these fields of study and offers you the unique experience to acquire an education that has real world applications along with gaining hands-on experience with knowledgeable researchers. Utilize this wealth of resources to find your niche in your major.

"On 60 acres of land at the CALS-based Arlington Agricultural Research Station, university researchers from a number of departments within CALS are doing big science with tractors and combines and manure spreaders. Clad in blue jeans and work boots instead of lab coats, these scientists are engaged in ambitious longterm research that is relying upon the study of the ancient soils of the Empire Prairie to point the way toward a sustainable agricultural future.

From this effort, started in 1989 by an idealistic and insightful young agronomy professor named Josh Posner, has come research that shows farmers can both run a sustainable farm and grow enough food to play a significant role in feeding a burgeoning world population. It is important, forward-looking work at a time when many farmers face an uncertain economic future as well as changing climatic conditions that are only going to heighten the risks associated with bringing a crop to harvest or livestock to market."

The science farm On a still and warm summer morning, as scientists drive along the dirt roads that crisscross the Arlington Agricultural Research Station, the fields sweep in a green carpet to the horizon. This lan…

We're going to miss you, seniors! Congratulations - and check in once in a while.