Welcome

Department News

The Department of Soil and Crop Sciences would like to formally introduce Dr. Leo Deiss.

With a strong background in soil science, agronomy, and ecology, Dr. Deiss is dedicated to developing innovative soil health and nutrient management solutions that improve agricultural performance while enhancing environmental quality, economic profitability, and social welfare. Dr. Deiss’s research focuses on understanding how soil health drives soil and ecosystem functioning, enabling effective management solutions that support local and global development goals. He has extensive experience working across various agricultural systems and management settings, and has successfully adopted novel methods of soil analysis to guide nutrient management practices. His research spans a wide variety of agricultural systems, including annual and perennial crops, agroforestry, pasture based-livestock, integrated crop-livestock systems, and certified organic, among others. Through his work, he has explored critical areas like nutrient cycling, soil health, and ecosystem services, using a range of management practices like no-till farming, diverse crop rotations, cover crops, and nutrient amendments. Most recently, Dr. Deiss served as a Visiting Assistant Professor at the Ohio State University, following previous roles as research scholar at North Carolina State University, and as a graduate student at the Federal University of Paraná in Brazil, where he is originally from.

Dr. Deiss’s move to CSU marks a new chapter in his career, and his vision is to create a program in soil health and nutrient management to foster agricultural resilience, mitigate climate change, and improve water use and quality. Looking forward at CSU, Dr. Deiss is excited to collaborate with faculty, students, and stakeholders across Colorado and beyond to build upon his agenda in soil health and nutrient management. One of his key goals is to design long-term experimental protocols and on-farm trials that evaluate how regenerative agricultural systems and nutrient management practices affect soil health and nutrient cycling. These experiments will help to strengthen the resilience of food systems and increase the provision of ecosystem services across different agricultural landscapes. “I’m eager to engage with the CSU community and Colorado stakeholders to bring innovative solutions to the challenges we face in sustainable agriculture,” Dr. Deiss says.

Fun Fact

When he’s not immersed in research in the lab or in the field, Dr. Deiss enjoys drawing inspiration from nature, music, and books. Whether hiking through pristine landscapes, playing the guitar and listening to vinyl records, or diving into a thought-provoking book, he finds balance between his work and personal interests.

Dr. Deiss is excited to be part of the CSU family and looks forward to contributing to the department’s ongoing commitment to advancing soil and crop science education, research, and extension.

Dr. Leo Deiss

As President of the Applewood Seed Company, Gene was a staunch supporter of educating tomorrows' seed industry professionals and analysts. Since 1998, Gene represented the Colorado seed industry in the Seed Technology Educational Program (STEP) at Colorado State University, which promotes careers in the Seed industry.

In honor of Gene Milstein, a Tatarian maple tree has been planted outside of the Plant Sciences building.

This is a reminder to decorate your lab or office door for our Halloween Door Decoration Contest! Winners will receive prizes, and costumes will be given bonus points. Candy will be provided for all participants! Judging will occur on October 31st, and winners will be announced on November 1st.

Prizes include:

• 1st Place: Pizza and drinks
• 2nd Place: Coffee gift cards
• 3rd Place: CSU coasters

Fall 2024 Soil and Crop Sciences Graduates

We are excited to announce our Fall 2024 Soil and Crop Sciences graduates. We wish you luck in your final semester!

Addison Hall

Mathew Aldus

Tigist Brunson

Sam Miller

Cynthia Padgett

David Tran

Douglas Monsanto

Department of Soil and Crop Sciences

Spotlight

Study reveals new understanding of how climate change may impact Arctic soil carbon

Toolik Lake Arctic research station in Alaska. (Photo courtesy of Jason Stuckey).

"Utilizing one of the longest-running ecosystem experiments in the Arctic, a Colorado State University-led team of researchers have developed a better understanding of the interplay among plants, microbes and soil nutrients — findings that offer new insight into how critical carbon deposits may be released from thawing Arctic permafrost.

Estimates suggest that Arctic soils contain nearly twice the amount of carbon that is currently in the atmosphere. As climate change has caused portions of Earth’s northernmost polar regions to thaw, scientists have long been concerned about significant amounts of carbon being released in the form of greenhouse gases, a process fueled by microbes.

...

The work was led by Megan Machmuller, a research scientist in CSU’s Soil and Crop Sciences Department."

Read more here, or visit https://col.st/z4v4O.

Researchers to study how plants recruit disease-fighting microbes

Rice Field in the Philippines

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has granted $850,000 to Colorado State University researchers, led by Professors Jan Leach and Pankaj Trivedi, to study how plants manage their microbiomes to combat diseases. The research aims to identify specific genes that help crops recruit beneficial microbes for pathogen resistance. Collaborating with the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines, the team will conduct outdoor experiments focusing on the leafy parts of plants, which face more environmental variability than roots.

The project, lasting three years, aims to bridge the knowledge gap in plant-microbe interactions by emphasizing causation rather than correlation. Leach and Trivedi plan to mutate genes to observe how these changes affect microbiome communities and disease resistance, providing insights to enhance crop resilience against environmental challenges.

To learn more, click here, or visit https://col.st/ZZkGP.

SOCR 330-Principles of Genetics Teaching Assistant (for Spring 2025)

Tori Anderson is searching for teaching assistants for SOCR330

The requirements:

• received a B or higher in SOCR 330 or a comparable course on the principles of genetics are currently attending CSU
• Previous TA or tutoring experience preferred, but not required!

Expectations:

• attend the class (MWF 10-11am)
• attend a weekly TA meeting with me
• hold some office hours
• help me with all sorts of fun activities (this includes but is not limited to grading, question design, participation activities, etc).

We will need to conduct interviews in Early-Mid December, which can be in-person or virtually if you are traveling.

If you have any questions, please reach out to tori.anderson@colostate.edu. If you are interested in applying, please click here.

Apply to MACA Young Leaders Scholarship Program

The Mid American CropLife Association (MACA) is an organization representing the crop protection industry across the Midwestern United States. They focus on promoting sustainable agricultural practices, advocating for regulatory policies, and providing educational resources to its members and stakeholders. Every year, MACA offers a Young Leaders Scholarship award to one student per state from the 13 land grant universities across the Midwest.

The Young Leaders Scholarship Program offers:

• $2,000 scholarship
• All expenses paid attendance to the MACA Annual Meeting in September 2025 in Kansas City, MO
• Networking and interaction with professionals in the agriculture field in person and virtually

To learn more, and to apply please visit https://col.st/opXIg.

All applications are due by noon on November 19th , 2024

Staying up-to-date with Scholarships and Job Opportunities

Are you interested in staying up to date with the latest news about scholarship, internship, and career opportunities? This time of year, many businesses and organizations are hiring new employees, and interns for summer. Check out https://col.st/H36Xj, or click here.

Club News

In this section we will feature upcoming club news and meeting times. If you are interested in having your Colorado State University College of Agricultural Sciences affiliated club featured, please contact the Soil and Crop Sciences Department at Cynthia.Padgett@colostate.edu.

Agronomy Club

The next Agronomy Club meeting is on Tuesday, October 22nd at 6pm in Nutrien 102. We plan to celebrate spooky season with a craft, and discuss club business. For more information about the Agronomy Club, check out our Instagram @CSUagronomyclub, or reach out to Cynthia.Padgett@colostate.edu to be added to the GroupMe.

Sustainable Food Production and Animal Welfare Club (SFPAWA Club)

The SFPAWA Club meets on Mondays at 5pm. Stay tuned for more information.

Horticulture Club

The Horticulture Club is holding their next meeting on Monday, October 28th at 5pm. Please visit their Instagram @CSUhorticultureclub to learn more.

Thanatology Club

Thanatology Club meetings are TBA. For more information, please follow the @CSUthanatologyclub, or email Cynthia Padgett (cynthia.padgett@colostate.edu).

Apiculture Club

The next Apiculture meeting is TBD. For any questions, please email Joseph Urynowicz (Urynowicz.joseph19@gmail.com).

Entomology Club

The Entomology Club will hold a bug taco night on Thursday, October 31st, at 5:30pm in NR345. To stay up to date with the Entomology Club, follow their Instagram @CSUentomologyclub, or email csuentomologyclub@gmail.com.

Mycology Club

Mycology Club will hold a workshop on Wednesday, October 23rd, at 6 pm in Lory Student Center room 372 to discuss the roles of fungi in fields and forests with Dr. Ken Kassenbrock. For more information, please email mycologyclub@gmail.com, or visit @CSU_mycology_club on Instagram.

Events

Wednesday, October 23rd at 3pm

Dr.Steven Fonte's Seminar

Nutrien Room 163

• Dr. Steven Fonte will share a presentation titled, "Farm Management Levers for Enhancing Soil Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Across Multiple Scales." This seminar will draw upon diverse research from Colorado to the Andes and explores how factors such as crop variety selection, organic matter input, tillage, and landscape organization influence soil health, farm productivity, and the role of soil biological communities in mediating outcomes.

October 24-26th

Homecoming weekend

• To learn more about the CSU homecoming weekend events, please visit https://col.st/eczu6

Thursday, October 31st

Door Decoration Competition Judging

• Please remember to decorate your lab, or office door for our Halloween Door Decoration Contest! Winners will receive prizes. Costumes will be given bonus points. Judging will take place on

Student Success Team

If you need anything to help support in your journey at CSU, please reach out.

Addy Elliott (she, her, hers)

Assistant Dean – Student Success and Advising (Adriane.Elliott@colostate.edu)



Dr. Quatez Scott (he, him,his)

College of Agricultural Sciences’ new Assistant Dean for Inclusion, Diversity and Equity in Agriculture (IDEA)

(Quatez.Scott@colostate.edu)

Elias G. Quiñonez (he, him, his)

Manager of Student Life and Diversity

(Elias.Quinonez@colostate.edu)

Matt Camper (he, him, his)

Assistant Dean – Teaching Practice and Academic Programs

(Matt.Camper@colostate.edu)

Sam Holtshouser (she, her, hers)

Career Education Manager (Sam.Holtshouser@colostate.edu)

Megan Mardesen (she, her, hers)

Student Success Administrative Assistant and Event Coordinator

(megan.mardesen@colostate.edu)

CSU Health Network

CSU Health Network provides a wide range of health and well-being services, both in-person and by phone and secure videoconference. Available services include primary care, pharmacy, counseling, psychiatry, physical therapy, women’s care, transgender care, spiritual care, tobacco cessation and others. Visit health.colostate.edu to learn more and call (970) 491-7121 to make an appointment.

Visit You@CSU for more coping resources!