Theses and Dissertations, 2022–2023
February 8, 2024
For more than 30 years, ASA, CSSA, and SSSA have published thesis and dissertation titles of graduates in the agronomic, crop, soil, and related environmental science disciplines. This
year, we received 90 submissions from 52 universities. Congratulations to all of our master’s and Ph.D. graduates. We encourage you to take full advantage of membership in the Societies as you pursue your professional careers. Your hard work, dedication, and perseverance has paid off, and an exciting career in our sciences now begins. ASA, CSSA, and SSSA are here for you every step of the way!
| Name | Institution | Graduation | Advisers | Thesis/Dissertation Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Doctorate Degrees in Agronomic Science Fields | ||||
ASA Agronomic Production Systems Section | ||||
| Bhattarai, Dwarika | South Dakota State Univ. | 05/05/2023 | D. Clay | Building No-Tillage Maize Nitrogen Recommendation Algorithm that Considers Improvements in Soil Health. |
| Delaquis, Amy | Univ. of Manitoba | 01/02/2023 | Y. Lawley, D. Flaten, J. Wiersma | Agronomic Practices to Minimize Lodging Risk while Maximizing Yield and Protein Potential of Spring Wheat in the Canadian Prairie. |
| Flusche Ogden, Grace | Oklahoma State Univ. | 12/05/2023 | J. Warren, B. Haggard | Tillage System Impact on Soil Health and Weed Management. |
| Jernigan, Ashley B. | Cornell Univ. | 26/05/2023 | K. Wickings | Elucidating the Role of Soil Microarthropods in Cropping System Management. |
| McConnell, Curt Andrew | Pennsylvania State Univ. | 07/05/2023 | A. Kemanian, J. Kaye, K. Freeman | Phosphorus Dynamics Across a Changing Agroecosystem Landscape. |
| Menalled, Uriel Danilo | Cornell Univ. | 27/05/2023 | M. Ryan, A. DiTommaso, R. Smith | Ecological Weed Management for Field Crop Production. |
| Nguyen, Huong | Iowa State Univ. | 17/12/2022 | M. Liebman | Weed Community and Waterhemp Population Dynamics in Simple Versus Diverse Cropping Systems Suitable for the Midwestern United States. |
| Nguyen, Huong | Iowa State Univ. | 17/12/2022 | M. Liebman, M. Gleason | Population Dynamics of Common Waterhemp (Amaranthus tuberculatus): A Periodic Matrix Model Example. |
ASA Climatology and Modeling Section | ||||
| Gupta, Rishabh | Univ. of Illinois | 19/12/2022 | R. Bhattarai | Modeling the Impact of Cereal Rye as a Winter Cover Crop on Water and Nitrogen Cycling in the Corn-Soybean System. |
ASA Global Agronomy Section | ||||
| Law, Eugene | Cornell Univ. | 31/08/2022 | A. DiTomma so, M. Ryan | Assessing the Sustainability of Intermediate Wheatgrass as a Perennial Grain and Forage Crop. |
Doctorate Degrees in Crop Science Fields | ||||
CSSA Crop Breeding Genetics & Cytology (C-1) | ||||
| Choquette, Nicole | North Carolina State Univ. | 20/02/2023 | J. Holland, R. Rellán Álvarez | New Approaches for Rapid Adaptation of Tropical Maize to Temperate Environments. |
| Glenn, Priscilla Denise | Univ. of California-Davis | 19/09/2022 | J. Dubcovsky | Identification, Characterization, and Deployment of an FT-A2 Allele for Increased Grain Number and of its Interactor bZIPC1 in Wheat (Triticum L.). |
| Khound, Rituraj | Univ. of Nebraska-Lincoln | 15/12/2022 | D. Santra | Developing Breeding Tools for Genetic Improvement of Proso Millet (Panicum miliaceum L.). |
| Tilhou, Neal | Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison | 22/07/2022 | M. Casler | The Improvement of Yield Limiting Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) Traits Through Genomic Prediction and Selection. |
CSSA Crop Ecology, Management & Quality (C-3) | ||||
| Winans, Eric Thomas | Univ. of Illinois | 08/08/2022 | F. Below | Innovations in Agronomic Management to Improve Maize Productivity. |
CSSA Turfgrass Science (C-5) | ||||
| Carr, Tyler | Univ. of Tennessee-Knoxville | 20/05/2023 | J. Sorochan | Methods to Hasten Zoysiagrass Establishment from Sprigs. |
| Dant, Lukas A | Clemson Univ. | 22/12/2022 | L. McCarty, B. Martin | Etiology and Epidemiology of Mini-Ring in Ultradwarf Bermudagrass Putting Greens. |
| Powlen, Jada | Purdue Univ. | 06/05/2023 | C. Bigelow | An Integrated Cultural Management Approach for Brown Patch Disease Suppression in Tall Fescue Lawns. |
| Rossi, Stephanie | Rutgers Univ. | 19/12/2022 | B. Huang | Biochemical Mechanisms Regulating Heat-induced Leaf Senescence and Heat Tolerance in Agrostis Species. |
CSSA Forage & Grazing Lands (C-6) | ||||
| Garzon, Jaime Eduardo | Univ. of Florida | 12/12/2022 | J. Vendramini | Ecosystem Services Provided by Two Warm‐Season Legumes in South Florida. |
CSSA Genomics, Molecular Genetics & Biotechnology (C-7) | ||||
| Hyden, Brennan Logan | Cornell Univ. | 07/02/2023 | L. Smart | Elucidating the Mechanisms of Sex Determination and Sex Dimorphism in Bioenergy Shrub Willow (Salix). |
| Morales, Karina | Texas A&M Univ. | 17/12/2022 | M. Thomson | Blooming Diversity: Leveraging Genome Editing for Novel Diversity in Days to Flowering in Rice (Oryza sativa). |
| Tibbs‐Cortes, Laura E. | Iowa State Univ. | 27/09/2022 | J. Yu | Discovering Genetic and Environmental Determinants of Nutritional and Agronomic Traits in Maize. |
Doctorate Degrees in Soil Science Fields | ||||
SSSA Forest, Range & Wildland Soils | ||||
| Gross, Cole | Univ. of Alberta | 22/08/2022 | S. Chang, E. Bork | Agroforestry and Biochar for Climate Change Mitigation: Carbon Storage, Soil Carbon Cycling, and Greenhouse Gas Emissions. |
| Nelson, Shannon Valerie | Brigham Young Univ. | 23/06/2023 | B. Hopkins | Superabsorbent Polymer Use in Rangeland Restoration. |
SSSA Nutrient Management & Soil & Plant Analysis | ||||
| Jalpa, Laura | Univ. of Florida | 05/08/2022 | R. Mylavarapu | Recovery Efficiency and Response to Control Release N Sources in Drip‐irrigated Tomatoes. |
| Thapa, Resham | Univ. of Wyoming | 19/05/2023 | P. Stahl | Use of Pyrolyzed Coal as a Soil Amendment: Effects on Plant Growth, Crop Yield, and Soil Health. |
SSSA Pedology | ||||
| Oyebiyi, Oluwatoyosi Oyetola | Obafemi Awolowo Univ. | 26/05/2023 | A. A. Amusan | Assessing the Contributions of Organic Matter, Clay and Sesquioxides to Cation Exchange Capacity of Soils in Southwestern Nigeria. |
SSSA Soil & Water Management & Conservation | ||||
| Ellafi, Murad | Cranfield Univ. | 09/03/2023 | R. Simmons, L. Deeks | The Application of Artificial Neural Networks in the Design of Drainage Systems in Data-Poor Areas. |
| Fiola, Jaclyn | Virginia Tech | 16/12/2022 | R. Stewart, G. Evanylo | Vineyard Soil Matters: Exploring the Influence of Soil Chemical and Physical Properties on Eastern U.S. Grape Production. |
SSSA Soil Biology & Biochemistry | ||||
| Naasko, Katherine | Washington State Univ. | 16/12/2022 | H. Tao, J. Reganold | Deep Soil Microbial Ecology: Relationships Between Biotic and Abiotic Properties in Arid and Semi‐Arid Soil Profiles. |
| Zeba, Nayela | Univ. of Wisconsin‐Madison | 14/05/2023 | T. Whitman | The Other Dark Matter: Pyrogenic Organic Matter Cycling by Post‐Fire Soil Microbes. |
| Zhang, Kaile | Univ. of Florida | 09/08/2022 | H. Liao, G. Maltais‐Landry | Long‐Term Impacts of Sod‐Based Rotation on Belowground Communities, Biologically‐Mediated Nutrient Cycling, and Crop Productivity. |
SSSA Soil Fertility & Plant Nutrition | ||||
| Brooks, Keren Ruth | Virginia Tech | 16/12/2022 | M. Reiter | Nitrogen and Sulfur Management in Soybean and Edamame Production in the Mid‐Atlantic Coastal Plains. |
| Bumguardner, Amee | Texas Tech Univ. | 17/12/2022 | K. Lewis | Optimizing Fertilizer Management and Irrigation in Cotton Cropping Systems. |
| Dutter, Cole | Iowa State Univ. | 30/07/2022 | M. McDaniel | The Spatial and Temporal Effects of Prairie Strip Restoration on Soil Health. |
| Islam, Md Mahmudul | Hokkaido Univ. | 26/09/2022 | K. Iwabuchi | Synthesis of Biochar‐Based Slow‐Release Fertilizer From Nutrient‐Rich Organic Waste. |
| Ma, Persephone | Univ. of Minnesota‐Twin Cities | 01/11/2022 | C. Rosen | Sewage Sludge Incinerator Ash as a Phosphorus Source for Corn and Soybeans. |
| Ogunleye, Anuoluwapo Motunrayo | Univ. of Nevada | 10/12/2022 | J. Solomon | The Evaluation of Annual Cover Cropping Systems Influence on Forage Productivity and Short‐Term Soil Health Impact. |
| Richmond, Tyler Lawrence | Mississippi State Univ. | 09/09/2022 | B. Golden, M. Cox, J. Bond | Soybean Potassium Utilization During Reproductive Growth Stages in Response to Potassium Timing, Potassium Rate, Herbicide Injury, and Desiccation. |
SSSA Soil Physics and Hydrology | ||||
| Moonilall, Nall Inshan | Ohio State Univ. | 18/12/2022 | R. Lal | Impact of Topsoil Depth and Amendment Application on Soil Health and Agronomic Productivity in Central Ohio. |
| Pesch, Charles | Aalborg Univ. | 13/09/2022 | P. Moldrup, L. Wollesen de Jonge | Physical Behavior of Greenlandic Rock Flour, Soils and Rock Flour Amended Soils. |
| Thao, Touyee | Univ. of California-Merced | 12/05/2023 | T. Ghezzehei | Impact of Locally-Sourced Biochar Amendments on Soil Hydrology and Ecosystem Services. |
| Zhang, Xiaowei | Univ. of Guelph | 21/02/2023 | P. Voroney | Soil Particle Size Analysis: Validation of Stokes’ Law. |
SSSA Soils & Environmental Quality | ||||
| Acharya, Pramod | New Mexico State Univ. | 12/05/2023 | R. Ghimire | Linking Soil Health With Crop Production, Soil Carbon Sequestration, and Other Ecosystem Services. |
| Al-Awwal, Nasruddeen | Univ. of Missouri | 17/12/2022 | S. Anderson | Adsorption of Fluorescent Labeled E. Coli in Selected Vegetative Buffer System. |
| Nichols, Patrick Keith | Univ. of California-Davis | 15/06/2023 | K. Steenwerth, P. H. Brown, D. Smart | Orchard Floor Management: Improved Practices for Nitrogen Retention. |
| Souza Krupek, Fernanda | Univ. of Nebraska-Lincoln | 20/05/2023 | A. Basche | Experimentation on Nebraska Farms for Sustaining Soil Health Management. |
No Section or Division Specified | ||||
| Jacobs, Alayna A. | Univ. of Kentucky | 15/12/2022 | R. McCulley | Manipulating Species Diversity: Environmental Impacts in Row Crop, Livestock, and Grassland Agroecosystems. |
| Moore, Elizabeth Ann | Univ. of Wyoming | 16/12/2022 | U. Norton | Cover Crops for Semi-Arid Crop Production. |
| Nieto, Luciana | Kansas State Univ. | 12/05/2023 | I. Ciampitti | Use of Remote Sensing Approaches for Agricultural Applications. |
| Raman, Rahul | Texas A&M Univ. College Station | 11/05/2023 | N. Rajan | Investigation of Winter Wheat Leaf Rust Disease and Soil Background Effects on Vegetation Indices Estimated Using Proximal and Unmanned Aerial System Based Remote Sensing Data. |
| Thiessen Martens, Joanne | Univ. of Manitoba | 30/07/2022 | F. Zvomuya, K. Schneider | Optimizing the Use of Struvite Fertilizer as a Phosphorus Source in Canadian Prairie Organic Cropping Systems. |
Master’s Degrees in Agronomic Science Fields | ||||
ASA Agronomic Production Systems Section | ||||
| Cannon, Brenna | Oklahoma State Univ. | 12/05/2023 | J. Warren | Optimizing Management of Irrigated Cotton in a Degree Day Limited Environment. |
| Waldrep, Katelin | Mississippi State Univ. | 12/05/2023 | M. L. Tagert | Managing Iron Deficiency Chlorosis (IDC) in Soybean Through a Cropping System Approach. |
ASA Environmental Quality Section | ||||
| Davis, Payton | Clemson Univ. | 12/05/2023 | D. Park | Winter Cover Crop Performance in the Southern Piedmont Region of South Carolina. |
| Sinha, Namita | Mississippi State Univ. | 09/08/2022 | S. G. Shanmugam, W. Kingery, J. Rushing | Effect of Cover Crops, Grazing, and Tillage Practices on Soil Microbial Community Composition, Function, and Soil Health in East. |
ASA Global Agronomy Section | ||||
| Poudel, Sadikshya | Washington State Univ. | 15/05/2023 | R. B. Rangappa, K. R. Reddy | Physiological and Yield Responses of Soybean Cultivars to Heat and Drought Stresses. |
ASA Land Management and Conservation Section | ||||
| Espinoza, Natalia Belen | Univ. of Georgia | 05/05/2023 | D. Franklin | Interaction of Filth Flies and Epigeal Arthropods with Soil Nitrogen and Gas Emissions in Grazing Systems under Three Fertilization Legacies: Low Fertilization, Broiler Litter, and Mineral Fertilization. |
Master’s Degrees in Crop Science Fields | ||||
CSSA Crop Ecology, Management & Quality (C-3) | ||||
| Keadle, Stefanie Brooke | Univ. of Tennessee | 20/05/2023 | V. Sykes | Agronomic and Economic Comparison of Potential Winter Oilseed Species and Varieties for Tennessee. |
CSSA Turfgrass Science (C-5) | ||||
| Vukovic, Vera | Purdue Univ. | 14/05/2023 | A. Patton | Annual Bluegrass (Poa annua L.) Ecology and Herbicide Resistance. |
CSSA Forage & Grazing Lands (C-6) | ||||
| Munkaila, Mohammed | Univ. of Wyoming | 13/05/2023 | A. Islam | Yield, Quality, and Economic Returns of Alfalfa-Grass Mixtures Planted at Different Configurations Under Full and Deficit Irrigations. |
CSSA Genomics, Molecular Genetics & Biotechnology (C-7) | ||||
| Skillin, Paul Holden | Oregon State Univ. | 15/06/2023 | K. Vining | A Transcriptome Analysis of Gene Expression Related to CBGA:THCA Ratios in Cannabis sativa L. |
Master’s Degrees in Soil Science Fields | ||||
SSSA Soil Biology & Biochemistry | ||||
| Fehr, Paige | Univ. of Saskatchewan | 23/06/2023 | M. Arcand | Impacts of Short-Term Cover Cropping on Soil Microbial Communities and Biogeochemical Functions in Prairie Canada. |
SSSA Nutrient Management & Soil & Plant Analysis | ||||
| Ogilvie, Cheyne Alexandra | Univ. of Saskatchewan | 25/12/2022 | R. Farrell | Evaluating the Nitrous Oxide Mitigation Potential of Enhanced Efficiency Nitrogen Fertilizer Products in a Saskatchewan Irrigated Cereal Production System. |
| Sherif, Faisal Fetih | Michigan State Univ. | 06/01/2023 | J. Miesel, R. Smith, B. Teppen | Developing Spectral Libraries Using Mid Infrared Spectroscopy to Determine Key Soil Properties and Soil Health. |
SSSA Pedology | ||||
| Klepitsch, Garrett Drew | Univ. of Wisconsin-Stevens Point | 21/06/2023 | B. Scharenbroch, R. Michitsch, K. Herrman | Efficacy of Texture Stratification with Mid-Infrared Spectroscopy to Predict Soil Organic Matter and Organic Carbon Across Wisconsin Soils. |
SSSA Soil & Water Management & Conservation | ||||
| Addo-Chidie, Jude | Lincoln Univ. | 01/07/2022 | T. Hurisso | Assessing Winter Cover Crops Suitability for Soil Health Improvement and Weed Suppression in Central Missouri. |
| Crane, Walker | Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison | 14/05/2023 | F. Arriaga, A. Thompson | Optimizing Cover Crop and Manure Management Practices for Corn Silage Systems to Reduce Water Quality Impacts. |
| Mendoza-Martinez, Violeta | Colorado State Univ. | 26/06/2023 | M. Schipanski, J. Prenni, K. Wrighton | The Effects of Irrigation Retirement on Soil Carbon Dynamics of a Continuous Maize Agroecosystem. |
| McIlquham, Molly | Washington State Univ. | 28/07/2022 | D. Griffin LaHue | Calibrating Soil Health Metrics for Washington State’s Primary Wine Grape Growing Region. |
SSSA Soil Chemistry | ||||
| Montgomery, Ashleigh | Univ. of Tennessee-Knoxville | 25/07/2022 | S. Jagadamma, E. Herndon | Manganese Geochemistry and Plant Availability in Response to Agricultural Practices. |
SSSA Soil Fertility & Plant Nutrition | ||||
| Fawibe, Kehinde Oluwaseyi | Chiba Univ. | 30/09/2022 | M. M. Yashima, K. Sakamoto, T. Terumasa | Effect of Elevated CO₂ on Decomposition Rate of Rice Straw and Soil Fertility. |
| Saibou, Aminou | Univ. of Connecticut | 11/11/2022 | H. Tao, J. Inguagiato, J. D. Lubell-Brand | Winter and Spring Canola Response to Phosphorus and Zinc Starter Fertilization in Eastern Washington and Eastern Connecticut. |
| Valcin, Berson J. | Tuskegee Univ. | 13/12/2022 | K. Kpomblekou-A | Effect of Fagopyrum esculentum on Solubilization of Phosphorus in a Low Reactive Phosphate Rock. |
SSSA Soils & Environmental Quality | ||||
| Galland, Patrick David | Iowa State Univ. | 25/12/2022 | S. Fei | The Effects of Perennial Groundcover on Soil-Water and Nutrient Dynamics. |
| Schauer, Monica | Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison | 31/12/2022 | M. Ruark | Managing the Nitrogen Trade-offs of Winter Rye as a Cover Crop. |
| Tietz, Paul I. | Univ. of Idaho | 16/12/2022 | D. Strawn | Use of Hyperspectral Remote Sensing to Predict Forest Soil Phosphorus and Wildfire Ash Metal Content. |
SSSA Wetland Soils | ||||
| Kim, Jordan | Univ. of Maryland | 20/12/2022 | M. C. Rabenhorst | Distribution and Variability of Carbon Stocks in Mid-Atlantic Tidal Marsh Soils. |
No Section or Division Specified | ||||
| Potter, Lee | Louisiana State Univ. | 01/12/2022 | Y. Xu | Environmental Controls on Carbon Biogeochemistry in Aquatic Systems. |
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