Crop Management & Production
May 28, 2025
Alex Mangialardi
Educational background Ph.D., Agronomy-Weed Science, Mississippi State University…
March 31, 2025
Xiaoping Xin
Dr. Xin’s research focuses on soil biogeochemistry processes, climate-resilient soil management, soil remediation, soil-plant interactions, crop production, precision agriculture, nanotechnology-enabled agriculture, and environmental risk assessment. She is committed to bridging the gap between academic research and practical agricultural applications, aiming to lead innovative studies in soil fertility and plant nutrition that enhance agricultural productivity and environmental sustainability in Missouri and beyond. Educational background Ph.D., University of Florida, 2020 Ph.D., Southwest University, China, 2017 B.S., Northwest A&F University, China, 2012 Courses taught Soil and the Environment (SOIL 3290) Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition (SOIL 4313/7313) Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition Lab…
Aug. 15, 2024
Alejandro Plastina
Plastina is the Director of the Rural and Farm Finance Policy Analysis Center (RaFF) at the University of Columbia-Missouri. His area of specialization is agricultural production and technology, with an emphasis on farm business and financial management. He has received multiple awards, including the 2023 Iowa State University (ISU) ANR Extension Team Award, the 2023 Outstanding Choices Magazine Article Award from the Agricultural & Applied Economics Association, the 2022 Dean’s Citation for Extraordinary Contributions to the ISU College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, the 2021 Farm Foundation Agricultural Economics Fellowship, the 2021 ISU Office of the President Excellence in…
Aug. 31, 2023
Jasmine Neupane
Jasmine Neupane is an Assistant Professor of Agricultural Systems Technology in the Division of Plant Science and Technology. Her faculty appointment includes research and teaching responsibilities in Plant Science and Technology. Before starting her position at University of Missouri-Columbia, Neupane was serving as an Assistant Research Professor of Precision Agriculture at Montana State University. Neupane’s research is at the forefront of agricultural innovation, focusing on seamless integration of advanced agricultural technologies into cropping systems. Her work is driven by a deep commitment to addressing the complex challenges facing modern agriculture, such as increasing food production to feed a growing…
April 5, 2023
Andre Froes de Borja Reis
Andre FB Reis is the statewide specialist in soybean farming systems and joined the division of Plant Science and Technology in 2023. Educational background Ph.D., Crop Science, University of Sao Paulo (Brazil) M.S., Crop Science, Federal University of Tocantins (Brazil) B.S., Agronomy, University of Sao Paulo (Brazil)…
Feb. 15, 2023
Doug Spaunhorst
Educational background Ph.D., Botany and Plant Pathology, Purdue University M.S., Plant Insect and Microbial Sciences, University of Missouri-Columbia B.S., Plant Science – Crop Management, University of Missouri-Columbia…
Feb. 6, 2023
Kelly Wilson
Educational background Ph.D. Agricultural Communications, Education, and Leadership, 2019 Courses taught Advanced practices in sustainability and regenerative agriculture…
Jan. 12, 2023
Chase Floyd
Chase Floyd joined MU Extension in 2023 as an assistant research professor and state extension specialist for crop protection. In this position, he targets both entomological and pathological research and develop thresholds to maximize producer yield retention and incorporate new technology and methods to aid Missouri producers in controlling pests and retaining yield. His dissertation focused on creating a management regime for the rice billbug, which has recently earned major pest status. His time in Arkansas was spent obtaining as much biological and ecological information as possible on the previously unresearched pest. He developed techniques for controlling the rice billbug,…
Oct. 13, 2022
Peng Tian
Tian has an extension appointment in plant disease diagnosis. His responsibilities include management of Plant Diagnostic Clinic at University of Missouri and participation in Missouri Integrated Pest Management program and National Plant Diagnostic Network. His extension program provides identification services of plant disease, weed and insect as well as disease management recommendations to growers, agricultural professionals, agribusinesses, and the various commodity groups in the state. His research program focuses on identification of new plant diseases and development of innovative assays to characterize and differentiate viral and fungal pathogens in specialty crops to address current plant health problems and ensure the…
Sep. 22, 2022
Gurpreet Kaur
Kaur is based at the Northern Missouri Research, Extension, and Education Center, Novelty MO. Her responsibilities include conducting soil science research at the Northern Missouri Research, Extension, and Education Center farms including Lee Greenley Jr. Memorial farm, Cornett Research Farm, and Thompson Research Farm. Her research is focused on soil fertility and nutrient management to increase crop productivity, profitability, and nutrient use efficiency, while improving environmental quality. She is also interested in the impact of management practices such as tillage, crop rotations, cover crops, nutrient and water management on soil properties and agronomics. Specific research interests include evaluation of fertilizer…