Dear TSU College of Agriculture Stakeholder,
Greetings and salutations, friends. As we enter the month of May here on campus, we celebrate the 2026 spring TSUAg graduating class. A total of 81 undergraduates and dozens of graduate students will be flipping those tassels this Friday, May 1. I'll begin by offering my congratulations to all of them.
We're celebrating another milestone here on campus as well, our chapter of MANRRS beat out 78 other chapters nationally in being named the 2026 MANRRS Chapter of the Year for 2026, becoming the first HBCU ever to win the award. Our campus is so proud of these students, not for winning, but for the amazing contributions they make to campus life each and every day. All the same, congratulations to TSU MANRRS.
We also celebrated the 2026 incarnation of AgWeek in April. Our annual celebration of our five departments was a whirlwind week of activities, speakers and awards, but this year it also featured a ribbon-cutting event we held in commemoration of the newly renovated Agribusiness wing we've recently opened. We thank TSU President Dwayne Tucker and the other dignitaries we hosted for the opening of the wing, and the AgWeek awards ceremony that followed.
On a personal note, I'm excited to see where our new joint seed funding collaboration with the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture goes. We've partnered up some talented research scientists, and it should be an interesting joint-project.
Enjoy this issue of the Land-Grant Ledger! We'll see you in June after graduation!
Sincerely,
| | |
Dr. Chandra Reddy
Dean - Tennessee State University College of Agriculture
| | TSUAg MANRRS Chapter Earns National Chapter of the Year Honor; Becomes First HBCU Chapter to Win | | |
The Tennessee State University College of Agriculture is celebrating a landmark achievement after the TSUAg chapter of MANRRS was named 2026 National Chapter of the Year at MANRRS 40, the organization’s 40th annual conference, held April 9-12 in Dallas. After two consecutive third-place finishes in recent years, the chapter rose to the top this spring, finishing first among 78 participating chapters and bringing home one of the organization’s highest honors.
The accomplishment reflects the strength, dedication and leadership of TSUAg students, including MANRRS President Omari Mason and Vice President Jhanya Chenault, whose work helped guide the chapter through an exceptional year of growth and achievement. In addition to earning Chapter of the Year honors, the TSUAg chapter also received a prestigious Chapter Enrichment Grant, underscoring the chapter’s national momentum. The chapter’s success at MANRRS 40 stands as a proud moment for the college and a powerful example of student excellence, leadership and representation on the national stage.
| | | Photo by Cumberland River Compact | Pearl-Cohn Students Explore Stormwater’s Path at Tiger Bay Wetland | |
A recent visit to Tennessee State University’s Tiger Bay Wetland gave Pearl-Cohn High School students a closer look at how stormwater moves through their community and why that matters for local ecosystems. Joined by the Cumberland River Compact, the group toured the wetland with Dr. Tom Byl and TSU students, who helped explain how the site slows runoff, captures pollutants and supports wildlife habitat. TSU describes Tiger Bay as a major restoration and education site within the College of Agriculture, supported through a broader wetland improvement effort with community partners.
The visit helped students connect classroom lessons and neighborhood infrastructure to real environmental outcomes. As Dr. Byl noted in the email thread, helping students understand that stormwater from Pearl-Cohn can reach the wetland, even from about a mile away, is an important part of the experience. With support from TSU’s environmental science community and the Cumberland River Compact, the outing showed how hands-on learning can make water quality, restoration and stewardship feel immediate and personal. The Cumberland River Compact has highlighted North Nashville stormwater work in the Pearl-Cohn area as part of its broader watershed improvement efforts.
| |  | E2ELA Expands Student Perspectives Through Service and Leadership | |
The 2026 Exposure 2 Expansion Leadership Academy gave TSUAg students an immersive opportunity to learn through travel, service, and leadership development across Southern Utah and Nevada. Supported through USDA NextGen, the faculty-led program introduced students to environmental, agricultural, health, wellness, and nutrition-focused settings that broadened their perspectives.
During the trip, students visited community-centered farms including Switchpoint and a local winery, where they explored agricultural practices and the connections between community support and wellbeing. They also took part in service learning projects at Snow Canyon State Park and Zion National Park, working alongside park rangers on litter cleanup efforts that deepened their understanding of biodegradation and responsible public land use.
The experience also included team-building and leadership activities at a 4-H camp in the Alamo desert in partnership with University of Nevada, Reno Extension agent Reshard Wilson. Students participated in personality assessments, ropes courses, and rock climbing before concluding the academy with a tour of Allegiant Stadium focused on sustainability, including water recycling and solar power. Building on a program led in previous years by Dr. Brione Lockett, E2ELA continues to give TSUAg students meaningful opportunities to grow through hands-on learning, service, and new perspectives.
| | TSUAg Workshop Links Precision Ag Research and Student Training | |
TSUAg recently gave students hands-on experience with precision agriculture technology through a Smart Agriculture Sensor Training Micro-Credential Workshop focused on Syngenta Spiio soil sensors.
Led by graduate researcher Katrina Seaman, the workshop grew out of the Rapid Response Tomato Production Project in Dr. Suping Zhou’s lab, where the sensors were first used in research with partner farms. That gave students a direct connection to technology already being tested in field conditions.
The workshop included Travis Roberson of Syngenta and was supported by the NextGEN program as part of student training and development. Participants included undergraduate, master’s and Ph.D. students, who each spent time learning the practices and procedures of installing Spiio sensors, read data tied to moisture, temperature, salinity and light, and connect that information to decisions in irrigation, crop health and farm management.
| | | TSU Welcomes Young Learners for Celebration of Young Children | |
The College of Agriculture’s Department of Human Sciences recently helped welcome some of the university’s youngest visitors for the annual Celebration of Young Children event, held at TSU’s indoor practice field.
The event brought 145 children ages 3 to 5 to campus for a morning of hands-on learning through play, movement and discovery, with activities led by TSU and community partners from areas including Child Development and Family Studies, physical therapy, speech, agriculture and nutrition.
Dr. Margaret Machara and Dr. Beatrice Harris were among the TSU leaders involved in the event, along with Nikkole Turner of EFNEP, the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program.
Together with participating partners, they helped create child-level activities that introduced early learners to new ideas in a fun, engaging environment while reflecting TSU’s continued commitment to education, outreach and community impact.
| | Ag Week 2026 Celebrates TSUAg’s
Departments and Community | | |
Ag Week 2026 brought the Tennessee State University College of Agriculture together for a week of celebration centered on its five academic departments and the people who bring the College’s land-grant mission to life. Throughout the week, Agricultural Business and Education, Human Sciences, Food and Animal Sciences, Agricultural Science and Engineering and Environmental Sciences each hosted programming that highlighted their disciplines through presentations, demonstrations, discussions, student engagement and awards. Guest speakers from across the industry, like Tennessee State Forester Heather Slayton permeated the week.
The week concluded with the College’s annual awards ceremony and luncheon, where TSU President Dwayne Tucker joined in recognizing excellence across TSUAg. Among the top student honorees were Jhanya Chenault, named Undergraduate Student of the Year, Shubh Pravat Singh Yadav, recipient of the Master’s Student Award, and Matthew Manu, recognized as Doctoral Student of the Year.
| | New Agribusiness Wing Dedicated During Ag Week | A special addition to this year’s Ag Week celebration was the ribbon-cutting for the new Department of Agricultural Business and Education wing on the third floor of Humphries Hall. Agribusiness students and faculty now have a facility that brings them together, fosters collaboration and offers a fun and productive place to work, chat and learn. | | | TSUAg Students Shine at University-wide Research Symposium | |
Tennessee State University’s College of Agriculture had a strong presence at the 48th Annual University-Wide Research Symposium last week. For TSUAg, the biggest days were Monday, when students delivered a full slate of oral presentations, and Thursday, when College of Agriculture research was featured again in oral and poster sessions for judging and discussion.
The week reflected both the depth of TSUAg research and the growth of our student presenters. Across disciplines, students represented the college well by sharing their work with confidence and professionalism, then several were recognized during Friday’s awards ceremony.
TSUAg award winners:
- Gianna Stephens — 1st Place, Undergraduate Oral Presentation
- Todd Stansberry — 2nd Place, Undergraduate Oral Presentation
- Satoria North — 3rd Place, Undergraduate Oral Presentation
- Jiuyi Li — 1st Place, Graduate Oral Presentation
- Santosh Kafle — 2nd Place, Graduate Oral Presentation
- Leah Reeves — 3rd Place, Graduate Oral Presentation
- Sierra Richmond — 1st Place, Undergraduate Poster Presentation
- Shubh Yadav — 1st Place, Graduate Poster Presentation
- Manju Yogi — 2nd Place, Graduate Poster Presentation
- Hyndavi Yammanuru — 3rd Place, Graduate Poster Presentation
| | TSUAg Nursery Research Center Scientists Published Twice in Entomology Today for their Work | | NRC Research Featured for Crapemyrtle Pest Management | |
Research from Tennessee State University’s Otis L. Floyd Nursery Research Center is helping growers, landscapers and green industry professionals respond to rising pest and disease pressure on crapemyrtle, one of the South’s most widely planted ornamental trees.
A new article in the Journal of Integrated Pest Management, authored by TSU postdoctoral researcher Dr. Kripa Dhakal with Dr. Madhav Parajuli and TSU’s Dr. Karla Addesso, synthesizes current knowledge on major crapemyrtle threats including crapemyrtle aphid, crapemyrtle bark scale, Japanese beetle, powdery mildew and cercospora leaf spot.
The work, recently featured by Entomology Today, emphasizes integrated pest management strategies that combine resistant cultivars, monitoring, cultural practices, biological control and targeted chemical management to protect plant health and market value.
| | | NRC Research Published in Journal of Econ. Entomology | |
Research involving Tennessee State University’s Otis L. Floyd Nursery Research Center has been published in the Journal of Economic Entomology, highlighting new work on controlling red imported fire ants in field-harvested nursery plants. The article, co-authored by TSU’s Dr. Jason Oliver with USDA collaborators, examines non-repellent insecticide treatments for root balls, a key challenge for nursery stock regulated under the Federal Imported Fire Ant Quarantine.
The study found that surface spray applications using non-repellent insecticides significantly reduced fire ant populations and showed promise as a potential treatment for balled-and-burlapped nursery plants.
The work reflects the NRC’s ongoing role in practical, industry-focused research that supports growers, strengthens nursery production and informs regulatory decisions. That impact has also been recognized beyond Tennessee, including recent appreciation from the State of Utah.
| | TSUAg, UTIA Launch Joint Seed Grants for Research Collab. | |
The Tennessee State University College of Agriculture and the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture have launched a joint seed funding program to support collaborative research on some of agriculture’s most pressing challenges. Backed by a combined $300,000 investment, the inaugural initiative awarded six seed grants to faculty teams from both institutions, with projects focused on areas including precision agriculture, food security, forest management, soil health, biotechnology and One Health.
TSUAg leaders say the program reflects the power of Tennessee’s land-grant institutions working together to advance research with real-world value for producers, communities and industry. Coordinated in part by TSUAg Associate Dean of Research Dr. Fulya Baysal-Gurel and UT AgResearch leadership, the effort is designed to strengthen cross-institutional partnerships while helping position research teams for future external funding and broader impact across Tennessee agriculture and forestry.
| | NextGen Training Preps TN 4-H for Future VR Learning | | |
TSUAg is helping prepare Tennessee 4-H camps for a new kind of learning experience through virtual reality.
With support from the USDA NextGen program, VR goggles are being purchased for use at Tennessee 4-H camps. To help camp leaders get ready, TSU’s Dr. Gabriel Spandau recently partnered with UT’s Dr. Jamie Greig to lead a joint training for camp directors and staff. The session focused on device setup, classroom management and the educational potential of VR in camp settings.
The training was designed to give staff a practical foundation before the equipment arrives, with the goal of eventually bringing engaging, agriculture-focused VR content to 4-H campers. While the goggles are still being ordered and their availability for campers this summer has not yet been finalized, the training marked an important step toward making that opportunity possible.
| | Cannon County 4-H Youth Shine at Interactive Exhibit Contest Night | |
Cannon County Extension celebrated youth learning, creativity and confidence on Tuesday, April 14, during its County 4-H Demonstration and Interactive Exhibit Contests. The event gave 4-H members a chance to teach others about topics they know well, with 4th and 5th graders presenting step-by-step demonstrations and 6th through 12th graders creating interactive tabletop exhibits with visuals and short explanations.
The evening featured 29 junior participants, 16 junior high participants and one senior high participant, with students representing 21 of 30 possible project areas. Each student presented to judges, answered questions and shared what they have learned through 4-H project work. Two students from each project group were selected to advance to the Area 3 4-H Project Achievement Day.
Cannon County Extension also thanked the judges, guardians and teachers who supported students in the classroom and on contest night. Congratulations to all participating 4-H members on a night full of hard work, courage and creativity.
| | | Jefferson County 4-H Member Recognized by Dolly Parton for “Quilt of Many Colors” Project | |
Jefferson County 4-H member Bella Kate Finchum received a special recognition for her work on the “Quilt of Many Colors,” a community sewing project created in partnership with the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce to celebrate 20 years of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in Jefferson County.
The quilt was sewn entirely by children using donated fabric from the Extension Office. Bella Kate helped plan the project, cut the blocks, set up a booth and taught children how to use a sewing machine to make their quilt squares. She also taught the Jefferson County Beginning Sewing class how to make blocks as their first project of the year.
The finished quilt was auctioned at the Chamber of Commerce Annual Banquet on February 19, raising $1,000 for the Imagination Library of Jefferson County. The project earned Bella Kate a personal letter of gratitude from Dolly Parton, making an already meaningful 4-H service project even more memorable.
| | Coffee County 4-H Brings Record Group to Central Region Judging Contests | |
Coffee County 4-H had a record-setting showing at the Central Region 4-H Meats Judging & ID and Livestock Judging Contest, held at the MTSU Livestock Arena. The county brought 31 youth to compete in Meats Judging and 34 youth to compete in Livestock Judging, marking the largest group Coffee County has ever taken to the event.
The teams earned several strong placings, including 4th and 3rd place junior teams in Meats Judging and the Champion Junior High Team in Livestock Judging. Individual highlights included Kinsy Gunter as Champion Junior High individual in Livestock Judging, Gavin Kuhn placing 3rd in Junior High Livestock Judging, Walker McKnight placing 6th in Junior Meats Judging and Sarah Weaver earning Top 10 honors in both Meats and Livestock Judging.
Coffee County 4-H also thanked coaches Jamie and Ashley Weaver, Matthew McBride and the many parents who supported practices, travel, meals and contest preparation throughout the season. The strong results reflected a year of hard work, growth and dedication from Coffee County’s 4-H members.
| | | Claiborne County 4-H Beef Show Highlights Youth Livestock Skills | |
UT-TSU Extension Claiborne County celebrated its 4-H Beef Show on Friday, April 24, at the Claiborne County Fairgrounds Livestock Barn, where local youth exhibited heifers, prospect steers and market steers while building confidence, responsibility and livestock handling skills.
Top honors included Ellie Beck as Supreme Champion Heifer and Reserve Supreme Champion Heifer, Brantley Johnston as Grand Champion Market Steer and Grand Champion Prospect Steer, Gabe Evans as Reserve Champion Prospect Steer and Brendlee Johnston as Reserve Champion Market Steer. Specialty awards recognized Levi Jessie, Brantley Johnston and Brendlee Johnston, including the Dan Campbell Memorial Plaque presented to Johnston.
Claiborne County Extension appreciates the families, volunteers, sponsors and community members who supported the show, including Mayor Joe Brooks, Susan Campbell Harvey, Franklin Harvey, judge Chris Mackey, Claiborne Farm Bureau and the Claiborne Livestock Association.
| | Academic Departments at the College of Agriculture: | |
About Tennessee State University
For 110 years, the Tennessee State University College of Agriculture has advanced the land-grant mission through excellence in teaching, research, Extension and service. The college offers two undergraduate degrees with multiple concentrations, four master’s programs and one Ph.D. program, supported by 37 state-of-the-art research laboratories and three working research farms, including one on TSU’s Nashville campus. Through hands-on learning, innovation and outreach, the college prepares future leaders and delivers solutions that strengthen agriculture, communities and the environment. Visit tnstate.edu/agriculture for more details.
| | TSU-26-153(A)-12a-17095 – Tennessee State University is an EEO employer. | | | | |
