Research
March 5, 2024
2024 CAFNR Joy of Discovery Seed Grant Program Winners Announced
The third batch of proposals funded by CAFNR’s Joy of Discovery Seed Grant Program has been announced. The Joy of Discovery Seed Grant Program supports nascent, collaborative, multi transdisciplinary research with the goal of developing a competitive proposal for federal funding. The following proposals were selected (listed by the PI, Co-PI/s and title of the project): Mandy Bish (Plant Science and Technology); Characterization of Soil Microbial Communities Across Ecoregions as a Step TowardsImproving Soil Health Indicators Gary Stacey (Plant Science and Technology), collaborator from Yeshiva University; Development of Novel Calcium Sensors Chung-Ho Lin (School of Natural Resources), Isa Kupke (School of Natural…
Feb. 27, 2024
Growing a legacy: Leading the way in soybean breeding
Over the past several decades, the soybean breeding program at Mizzou, which is part of the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources’ (CAFNR) Division of Plant Science and Technology, has emerged as a leader in the field. “The breeding programs at MU both here in Columbia and at the Fisher Delta Research Center are really known as the leaders in conventional and herbicide resistant cultivar development as well as understanding the genetic architecture of seed composition traits, soybean cyst nematode resistance, and abiotic stress tolerance among others” said Andrew Scaboo, assistant professor and soybean breeder in the Division of…
Feb. 26, 2024
Interdisciplinary research team uses AI to create revolutionary food safety technology
Imagine being at the grocery store, picking up a package of strawberries, then giving them a quick scan that will immediately tell you exactly the types and quantities of pesticide residues that are on the fruit before you buy them and bring them home to your family. This may sound like something out of a futuristic science fiction film, but a team of interdisciplinary researchers at the University of Missouri have used the power of artificial intelligence to make the technology that would enable this scene a reality. The team, which is led by Mengshi Lin, professor of food science,…
Feb. 22, 2024
Plant Sciences student Demi White selected as MizzouForward Undergraduate Research Training Grant Recipient
White, a junior majoring in plant sciences with a minor in microbiology, will be conducting an independent research project under the mentorship of Soyon Park.
Feb. 21, 2024
Postdoctoral fellow spotlight: Q&A with Ranjita Sinha
What is your research focus? My research is focused on understanding the physiological and molecular responses of plants to different combinations of abiotic stresses. While growing in field, crops are frequently challenged with various stresses, simultaneously or sequentially, negatively impacting overall yield and farmer’s earnings. I have been studying the impact of stresses that are predominantly present in fields, such as salt, heat, soil pollutants, high-light, drought, and their different combinations on crops such as rice, maize, soybean, and model plants like Arabidopsis thaliana. I am working to decipher the molecular responses of plants to stress combinations. Combinations of different…
Feb. 7, 2024
Smart agriculture: Farming in the digital age
Mizzou’s new Digital Agriculture Research and Extension Center will enhance research, education and outreach in emerging digital technologies for farming.
Feb. 2, 2024
Graduate Student Spotlight: Q&A with Angelica Crosby
What is your research focus? I will be studying nutrient management in cotton grown in a peanut-cotton rotation. Why does this field interest you? Peanuts are still relatively new to the state, but we are seeing a lot of our cotton producers take interest and including them in their field rotations already. We know that peanuts as a leguminous crop host nitrogen-fixing bacteria and it is important for our growers to know how that could be affecting their cotton production in terms of fertilizer application. Why did you decide to come to Mizzou? I have actually worked for the MU…
Jan. 30, 2024
Grant to expand water testing capabilities for northern Missourians
A USDA grant is funding a new water testing facility at MU’s Lee Greenley Jr. Memorial Farm
Jan. 29, 2024
MU to expand outreach and technical assistance to Missouri land-owners for conservation practices through NRCS grant
A pair of grants totaling $1.4 million will fund eight new positions located throughout the state and impact more than 20,000 acres of Missouri farmland.
Jan. 26, 2024
Three CAFNR faculty awarded MU Research Council Grants
The University of Missouri’s Division of Research, Innovation and Impact awarded the second round of Research Council Grants in December to 16 faculty members, three of which call CAFNR home. The CAFNR faculty awarded and their projects are: Lesa Beamer, Professor, Biochemistry, Obtaining Preliminary Data on Enzyme Structure for CryoEM StudiesGlyphosate Dreams Samniqueka Halsey, Assistant Professor, Natural Resources, Identifying Tick-Borne Pathogen Prevalence Among Prairies in Central Missouri Zipei Zhang, Assistant Professor, Food Science, Development of Novel Bioflim Inactivation Adjuvants to Enhance Food Safety This internal funding of up to $15,000 supports research, scholarship and creative endeavors that lead to book…