Oklahoma State University Department of Plant & Soil Sciences

Join us for an alumni social at Enid Brewing Co. & Eatery on Thursday, May 16, hosted by the OSU Department of Plant and Soil Sciences and the Ferguson College Alumni Society. Connect with Oklahoma State Ferguson College of Agriculture alumni, enjoy food and beverages, and hear updates from Dr. Jayson Lusk, vice president and dean of OSU Agriculture, about exciting happenings on and off campus!

This is a casual, come-and-go event. We look forward to connecting with college alumni from across the state! Space is limited — please RSVP to Jerri Beth Rader at 405-744-6026.

Agronomy Club sign joins the celebration in front of Ag Hall for Ferguson Week!

At last week's meeting, Agronomy Club members worked on painting their sign for the lawn ahead of Ferguson Week.

In March, the Department and the OSU Wheat Improvement Team hosted several groups of stakeholders at the wheat breeding greenhouses at the Agronomy Farm. Participants got to learn about the breeding process firsthand and to see the need for new facilities up close.

Dr. Thomason and friends recently had the "opportunity" to participate in the Chilly Cowboy fundraising event for Special Olympics. Water was cold - thanks Pete - but thankfully the weather was nice.

-Abiola Samson Olaniyi - 4th Place Winner for Nutrient Management and Soil and Plant Analysis Master's Poster Competition

-Gabriel Camargo de Campos Jezus - 3rd Place Winner in C6 Division - Forage and Grazing Lands Robert F. Barnes Master's Poster Competition

-Harsanjam Singh - 1st Place Winner at C6 - Forage and Grazing Lands Robert F. Barnes Master's Poster Competition

-Jolee Derrick - 3rd Place Winner in the Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition Poster/5 Minute Rapid Competition for Master's Students

-Bárbara Maressa dos Santos - 2nd Place Winner the C6 Division - Forage and Grazing Lands, Robert F. Barnes Master's Poster Competition

More award announcements from the recent ASA, CSSA, and SSSA annual meetings in St. Louis. This time from our great graduate students.

-Josie Rice - Winner of ASA's "Best in Crops" Photography Contest

Reporting more great leadership and performance by PSS undergrads at the recent ASA-CSSA-SSSA annual meetings.
Elected SASES (Students of Agronomy, Soils and Environmental Sciences) President for 2024 – Analeese Brewster
Elected SASES Vice President for 2024 – Cade Halbrook
8th place (out of 120) Crops Judging Showcase – Cade Halbrook

The OkState Agronomy Club won the SASES Quiz Bowl at the 2023 ASA-CSSA-SSSA annual meeting in St. Louis!!!

Ferguson Students (L-R): Gabe Verkruyse (Maple Valley, WA), Cade Halbrook (Morrilton, AR), Tori Booker (Headrick, OK), and Morgan Wehr (Connersville, IN).

Don't miss the Bake Sale by Oklahoma State University Department of Plant & Soil Sciences TOMORROW from 10 - 2 p.m. at 374 Ag Hall!

Congratulations to Claire Sheppard, one of our department's great students, who was selected as a 2022 Senior of Distinction by the OSU Ferguson College of Agriculture!

Congratulations to Jay Prater, Senior Agriculturist, for his 40 years of dedicated service to the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences!

Join us in congratulating Dr. Gopal Kakani who is set to assume the interim department head position for the Oklahoma State University Department of Plant & Soil Sciences, effective January 1, 2022. Kakani has been with OSU since 2008 and previously spent two years evaluating water use efficiency of groundnuts as a research associate in the Groundnut Physiology Division at ICRISAT, Hyderabad, India.

“His leadership experience at the university, matched with ongoing training, positions him well to lead our faculty, staff and students, and I’m very pleased with his willingness to accept this role.” - Thomas G. C**n, vice president and dean for OSU Agriculture

Congratulations to Plant and Soil Sciences senior Claire Sheppard for being named an OSU Senior of Significance!
https://news.okstate.edu/articles/agriculture/2021/seven-ferguson-college-of-agriculture-students-selected-as-osu-seniors-of-significance.html

✨Congratulations to Brenda Sidwell for receiving the 2021 Oklahoma State University Agriculture Champion award! ✨

Brenda owns and operates Sidwell Insurance Agency in Goltry, Oklahoma, where she assists producers throughout Oklahoma and Kansas with crop insurance. Brenda and her late husband, Raymond, funded scholarships to support OSU’s Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, international students and study abroad opportunities in the Oklahoma State Ferguson College of Agriculture. Following Raymond’s passing, Brenda worked with the OSU Foundation to make his dream come true of updating the North Central Research Station in Lahoma, Oklahoma. The facility was named in Raymond’s memory.

Learn more about Brenda and how she is an advocate for agriculture. ⬇️

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-h-RL5OnvZ8

2021 Ag Champion: Brenda Sidwell Congratulations to Brenda Sidwell for receiving the 2021 OSU Agriculture Champion award!Sidwell owns and operates Sidwell Insurance Agency in Goltry, Oklahom...

Several of our facutly were recognized today for years of service to OSU
🎉 Dr. Hailin Zhang - 30 years of service
🎉Dr. Brian Arnall - 15 years of service
🎉Roger Osburn - 15 years of service
🎉Dr. Yanqi Wu - 15 years of service
🎉Dr. Liuling Yan - 15 years of service
🎉Dr. Misha Manuchehri - 5 years of service

Thanks to all of these dedicated faculty members for their service to OSU, our state, and society.

OSU alum chooses the road less traveled - Oklahoma State University Oklahoma State University alumnus Jonathan Armbruster has made the bold career choice to become a fifth-generation farmer on his family's farm in Burlington, Oklahoma.

Exciting new extension and research project led by Dr. Manuchehri

NIFA grant research targets noxious rescuegrass w**d - Oklahoma State University A grant from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture will fund efforts to study treatment methods for the infestation of rescuegrass in wheat.

“Imagine spending 10 years looking for one final piece to a puzzle, but in this case, the puzzle is made from genes in wheat.” - Brett Carver, Oklahoma State University regents professor and wheat genetics chair in agriculture.

Following more than 10 years of research, a gene discovery in an OSU developed wheat variety could mean higher yields for Oklahoma wheat producers.

🧬: https://okla.st/3vveGu9

Congratulations, Hardeep Singh!

Outstanding Ph.D. Student in Plant and Soil Sciences

Hometown: Mansa, Punjab, India
Ph.D. in Crop Science
Advisor: Dr. Gopal Kakani
Dissertation Title: Influence of Cover Crops and Their Management on Post-Incorporation N2O Emissions and Nitrogen Transfer to Recipient Crop

“I recently joined as Post-doctoral Research Associate with Sustainable Intensification Innovation Lab (SIIL) at Kansas State University. I will be conducting research projects focused on testing different crop rotations for cropping system diversification in Southern Great Plains and lowering down greenhouse gas emissions from cover crop incorporation.”

Hardeep has a photographic memory which allows him to be very good at remembering highway and road names. He seldom uses a GPS while travelling.

Congratulations, Lane Newlin!

Outstanding M.S. Student in Plant and Soil Sciences

Hometown: Burlington, Oklahoma
M.S. in Plant and Soil Sciences
Advisor: Dr. Misha Manuchehri
Thesis Title: Wheat Varietal Tolerance to Metribuzin

“I would like to work in the industry either selling crop protection products to producer or doing research to help producers with their agronomic needs.”

Lane got married in November of 2020 amidst the pandemic.

Congratulation, Luke Muller!

Outstanding Senior in Plant and Soil Sciences

Hometown: Altus, Oklahoma
B.S. in Plant and Soil Sciences and Agribusiness
Option in Agronomic Business

“I plan on going to graduate school in agriculture economics to work on international development.”

Luke is a novice banjo player and an avid traveler.