Agroforestry

March 20, 2023
Stephen Mukembo
Mukembo’s interdisciplinary research aims to advance entrepreneurship and innovation as a tool for addressing societal challenges, promoting economic growth, and improving community livelihoods. His work focuses on cultivating the next generation of entrepreneurial and innovative thought leaders, equipped to tackle existing and emerging issues in agriculture, food, and natural resources, as well as rural economic development challenges in Missouri and beyond. Mukembo’s interdisciplinary interests include entrepreneurship and innovation in agriculture (agripreneurship), entrepreneurship and workforce development, sustainable entrepreneurship, sustainable food systems, rural entrepreneurship and ecosystem building, and international agricultural development. Educational background Ph.D., Agricultural Education (Minor Entrepreneurship), Oklahoma State University MBA.,…

May 4, 2020
Ronald Revord
Black walnut Our lab builds on the foundational work of Mark Coggeshall, who initiated an improvement program of black walnut for nut and kernel production in our Center. Main breeding goals are to select individuals with characteristics important for commercialization and expansion: stable year-to-year yield, spur-bearing habit, high percent kernel, mild-flavor, and health-promoting metabolites. Active studies include a 10-year-old diallel planting and two bi-paternal mapping populations. In the former, we are studying trait correlations and parental combining ability. In the latter, we are collaborating with internal and external colleagues on QTL-mapping of a variety of segregating traits – phenological, economic,…

Jan. 10, 2018
Andrew Thomas
Andrew Thomas enjoys conducting research on a wide variety of horticultural and agroforestry crops and crop production techniques. His main research interests include the development of overlooked native fruit and nut crops with commercial potential, but he also studies aspects of mainstream horticultural crop production. His research projects at the Southwest Research, Extension and Education Center have included black walnuts, pecans, hickories, persimmons, pawpaws, elderberries, blackberries, grapes, apples, tomatoes, melons, asparagus, culinary and medicinal herbs, wildflowers, prairie restoration, wood biomass quantification and high tunnel and solar-heated greenhouse production. Before coming to the Southwest Research, Extension and Education Center in 1996,…

Dec. 15, 2017
Ranjith Udawatta
The primary objective of Udawatta’s research is to quantify environmental benefits of agroforestry. Currently, he is conducting research on influences of agroforestry, grass buffer, and other conservation practices on water and soil quality. In addressing this issue he is examining how trees and grasses change surface and subsurface water quality by reducing runoff, nutrients and sediment when integrated in rowcrop agriculture and grazing management. Changes in soil physical properties, soil water dynamics, and competition for resources, root length density, nutrient accumulation, and microclimate are evaluated to examine soil and water benefits of these practices. Soil carbon sequestration and prairie restoration…

Nov. 3, 2017
Chung-Ho Lin
Lin is the lead scientist for the bioremediation, natural products and bioanalytical programs at the Center for Agroforestry at University of Missouri. His primary research involves the use of plants, microbes and engineered enzymes for bioremediation, ecological restoration, and development of bioeconomy. His bioremediation research focuses on bioremediation of organic pollutants and human pathogens. Since the COVID19 pandemic in 2020, Dr. Lin has successfully redirected the analytical resources and led his research team joining the task force ‘Coronavirus Sewershed Surveillance Project’ sponsored by the state and federal agencies to provide an early warning and capture the emergence of the…

Nov. 3, 2017
Benjamin Knapp
Educational background Ph.D. Forest Resources, Clemson University, 2012 Courses taught Forest Fire Control and Use Practice of Silviculture Silviculture Field Practicum…

Oct. 27, 2017
Michael A. Gold
Educational background Ph.D. 1984, Michigan State University Courses taught FOR 4385/7385 – Agroforestry I: Theory, Practice and Adoption taught fall and spring semesters as asynchronous online course as part of UMCA online masters and graduate certificate in agroforestry…

Jan. 11, 2017
Corinne Valdivia
Specialties Development Economics Sustainable Livelihoods Immigration, Integration and Rural Development Adaptation to Climate Change Translational Research Educational background B.S., Economics and Planning, Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina, Peru, 1978 M.S., Agricultural Economics, University of Missouri, 1983 Ph.D., Agricultural Economics, University of Missouri, 1990 Courses taught ABM 3271, International Agriculture Development AAE 8430, International Agriculture Development Policies…