News
Welcome, Charchit
January 12, 2026
Welcome to new PhD student Charchit Bansal. Charchit recently earned his M.S. in Soil Science from University of Missouri, where he explored how terracing affects soil properties and how innovative tile inlet technologies influence water quality in the Midwest. He’ll now be investigating the long-term impacts of biosolids land application on soil health functions in Washington’s dryland systems. We’re happy to have you on the team, Charchit!
Welcome to new PhD student Charchit Bansal. Charchit recently earned his M.S. in Soil Science from University of Missouri, where he explored how terracing affects soil properties and how innovative tile inlet technologies influence water quality in the Midwest. He’ll now be investigating the long-term impacts of biosolids land application on soil health functions in Washington’s dryland systems. We’re happy to have you on the team, Charchit!
Congratulations, Evan!
January 5, 2026
Today PhD Student Evan Domsic successfully defended his PhD dissertation, titled “Unlocking quinoa’s (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) budding potential: Overcoming barriers to its adoption as a rotational crop in Western Washington and Beyond.” Evan was co-advised by Kevin Murphy, and his other committee member was Dr. Tarah Sullivan. Well done, Dr. Domsic!
Today PhD Student Evan Domsic successfully defended his PhD dissertation, titled “Unlocking quinoa’s (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) budding potential: Overcoming barriers to its adoption as a rotational crop in Western Washington and Beyond.” Evan was co-advised by Kevin Murphy, and his other committee member was Dr. Tarah Sullivan. Well done, Dr. Domsic!
Interview on soil structure for The Evergreen Thumb podcast
November 15, 2025
Deirdre recently did an interview for The Evergreen Thumb podcast discussing the importance of soil structure, how it forms, and how we protect it. Check it out here!
Deirdre recently did an interview for The Evergreen Thumb podcast discussing the importance of soil structure, how it forms, and how we protect it. Check it out here!
TriSocieties (CANVAS) 2025
November 12, 2025
We just got back from another successful meeting of the American Society of Agronomy-Crop Science Society of America-Soil Science Society of America, now known as CANVAS (learn more here). Several members of the lab presented, and did a great job! Here’s a list of our presentations:
We just got back from another successful meeting of the American Society of Agronomy-Crop Science Society of America-Soil Science Society of America, now known as CANVAS (learn more here). Several members of the lab presented, and did a great job! Here’s a list of our presentations:
- Soil and Water Sustainability in the Pacific Northwest: Farmer Perspectives and Research Insights from Diverse Landscapes. Deirdre Griffin LaHue (invited speaker), co-authors: Dani Gelardi, Luis Reyes Rojas, Gabriel LaHue. Symposium presentation
- The Impact of Soil Disturbance and Organic Matter Inputs on Soil Physical Health, Nutrient Availability, and Crop Yields. Paul Martinez, Deirdre Griffin LaHue, Gabriel LaHue. Oral presentation
- Transitioning from Polyethylene (PE) to Soil-Biodegradable Plastic Mulch Films (BDMs): Soil Health Outcomes in Diverse Day-Neutral Strawberry Systems. Nayab Gull, Lisa Wasko DeVetter, Markus Flury, Sam Wortman, Collin Eaton, Shinsuke Agehara, Hadi Farhad Ghasemi, Alena Anousinh, Jazmine Mejia-Muñoz, Sean M. Schaeffer, Jacob Clements, Deirdre Griffin LaHue. Oral presentation
- Determining the Impact of Swathing Timing on Quinoa Yield and Seed Quality. Evan Domsic, Deirdre Griffin LaHue, Kevin Murphy. Oral presentation
- Bridging Science and Sustainability: Implications of the Soil to Society Pipeline for Soil Health and Crop Nutrition. Gagandeep Kaur, Clark Neely, Deirdre Griffin LaHue, Haly L. Neely, Kevin Murphy, Jessica Braden, Brandon Gerrish, Gabriel LaHue. Oral presentation
- Feeding the Future: Strengthening Nutrition through Agronomic Biofortification. Gagandeep Kaur, Clark Neely, Gabriel LaHue, Deirdre Griffin LaHue, Haly L. Neely, Kevin Murphy, Jessica Braden, Brandon Gerrish. Poster presentation
- Linking Soil Management to Nutrient Stratification in the Rolling Hills of the Palouse. Gagandeep Kaur, Clark Neely, Deirdre Griffin LaHue, Haly L. Neely, Kevin Murphy, Navdeep Singh Sidhu, Safdar Bashir, and Gabriel LaHue. Oral presentation
- The Ground Truth: Letting Soil Health Indicators Reveal the Story. Gagandeep Kaur, Clark Neely, Deirdre Griffin LaHue, Haly L. Neely, Kevin Murphy, Navdeep Singh Sidhu, Brandon Gerrish, and Gabriel LaHue. Poster presentation
- Public Development of Self-Pollinating Common Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) Breeding Lines for North America. Erik Spitzer, Deirdre Griffin LaHue, Kevin Murphy. Poster presentation
- Public Development of Perennial Buckwheat (Fagopyrum cymosum) Breeding Lines for North America. Erik Spitzer, Deirdre Griffin LaHue, Kevin Murphy. 5-minute oral and poster presentation
- Degradation of Biodegradable and Polyethylene Plastic Mulches in Soil. Xueyu Zhou, Markus Flury, Lisa Wasko DeVetter, Deirdre Griffin LaHue, Nayab Gull. Poster presentation
Happy trails, Luis!
September 30, 2025
Today is postdoc Luis Reyes Rojas’ last day with us before he heads back to Chile. Luis has been working on our State of the Soils project, conducting digital soil mapping analyses to define soil health zones within our states. He’s done a great job and contributed a lot, both professionally and personally, to our group. We’ll miss him! Look out for some forthcoming publications from his work!
Today is postdoc Luis Reyes Rojas’ last day with us before he heads back to Chile. Luis has been working on our State of the Soils project, conducting digital soil mapping analyses to define soil health zones within our states. He’s done a great job and contributed a lot, both professionally and personally, to our group. We’ll miss him! Look out for some forthcoming publications from his work!
Lab get-together
September 15, 2025
The NWREC Soil Health and Soils & Water labs recently had a get-together to celebrate recent accomplishments and wish fond farewells. Also, kudos to all of our students and technicians for getting through another busy field season!
The NWREC Soil Health and Soils & Water labs recently had a get-together to celebrate recent accomplishments and wish fond farewells. Also, kudos to all of our students and technicians for getting through another busy field season!
Congrats, Nayab!
September 12, 2025
Congratulations to Nayab Gull who passed her PhD preliminary exam today and advanced to candidacy! Nayab’s deep knowledge of biodegradable plastic mulches and microplastics was evident in her prelim. Well done, Nayab!
Congratulations to Nayab Gull who passed her PhD preliminary exam today and advanced to candidacy! Nayab’s deep knowledge of biodegradable plastic mulches and microplastics was evident in her prelim. Well done, Nayab!
Congrats, Maddy!
August 22, 2025
Congratulations to Madeline Desjardins, who did an outstanding job defending her dissertation last week. We celebrated her achievements this morning, and now she has her own new soil knife.
Maddy’s work examined the impacts of long-term biosolids land applications on soil health functions (check out her recent pub, Long-term Biosolids Applications Improve Key Soil Health Functions for Semi-Arid Dryland Systems) and soil carbon pools. She was also a Fellow with the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research. Maddy is the first PhD student to graduate from my program, and it has been a pleasure to watch her grow as a scientist and science communicator over the last 4 years. Well done, Maddy!
Congratulations to Madeline Desjardins, who did an outstanding job defending her dissertation last week. We celebrated her achievements this morning, and now she has her own new soil knife.
Maddy’s work examined the impacts of long-term biosolids land applications on soil health functions (check out her recent pub, Long-term Biosolids Applications Improve Key Soil Health Functions for Semi-Arid Dryland Systems) and soil carbon pools. She was also a Fellow with the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research. Maddy is the first PhD student to graduate from my program, and it has been a pleasure to watch her grow as a scientist and science communicator over the last 4 years. Well done, Maddy!
Buckwheat Fest
August 8, 2025
This week, we hosted a project meeting for the OREI More Bang for Your Buckwheat project and participated in the 3rd Annual Buckwheat Fest. It was great showing off our field trials in full bloom, hearing from farmers and bakers about their experiences growing and working with buckwheat, and getting to do lots of taste testing! Learn more about our buckwheat work at this link. (Photo by Janine Sanguine)
This week, we hosted a project meeting for the OREI More Bang for Your Buckwheat project and participated in the 3rd Annual Buckwheat Fest. It was great showing off our field trials in full bloom, hearing from farmers and bakers about their experiences growing and working with buckwheat, and getting to do lots of taste testing! Learn more about our buckwheat work at this link. (Photo by Janine Sanguine)
New publication on the long-term impacts of biosolids on soil health
July 28, 2025
Check out our new publication led by PhD student Madeline Desjardins: Long-term biosolids applications improve key soil health functions for semi-arid dryland systems. This paper examines a comprehensive dataset of soil health indicators from long-term biosolids sites in Washington and Colorado.
Citation: Desjardins, M. , J. Ippolito, A.I. Bary, S.B. Cappellazzi, D. Liptzin, D. Griffin-LaHue. 2025. Long-term biosolids applications improve key soil health functions for semi-arid dryland systems. Science of the Total Environment 997, 180130. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.180130
Check out our new publication led by PhD student Madeline Desjardins: Long-term biosolids applications improve key soil health functions for semi-arid dryland systems. This paper examines a comprehensive dataset of soil health indicators from long-term biosolids sites in Washington and Colorado.
Citation: Desjardins, M. , J. Ippolito, A.I. Bary, S.B. Cappellazzi, D. Liptzin, D. Griffin-LaHue. 2025. Long-term biosolids applications improve key soil health functions for semi-arid dryland systems. Science of the Total Environment 997, 180130. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.180130
NWREC Field Day
July 10, 2025
Today we had a field day for local growers and agronomists, highlighting all of the projects going on at WSU Mount Vernon NWREC. Deirdre highlighted our trial on options for perennial rotations between potato crops, where we’re growing alfalfa, grass, and perennial wheat lines and evaluating the impacts of these crops and residue management on crop regrowth and soil carbon dynamics.
Today we had a field day for local growers and agronomists, highlighting all of the projects going on at WSU Mount Vernon NWREC. Deirdre highlighted our trial on options for perennial rotations between potato crops, where we’re growing alfalfa, grass, and perennial wheat lines and evaluating the impacts of these crops and residue management on crop regrowth and soil carbon dynamics.
Congrats, Annah!
May 8, 2025
Congratulations to PhD student Annah on passing her proposal defense and preliminary exam and advancing to candidacy. Annah’s work spans several cropping systems and soil management strategies, including the impacts of perennial crop (perennial wheat, alfalfa) rotations in potato systems on soil C and N pools, and the agronomic and soil impacts of buckwheat and wheat in rotation with diversified vegetable systems. Annah’s other committee members are Dr. Kevin Murphy and Dr. Gabe LaHue. Great job, Annah!
Congratulations to PhD student Annah on passing her proposal defense and preliminary exam and advancing to candidacy. Annah’s work spans several cropping systems and soil management strategies, including the impacts of perennial crop (perennial wheat, alfalfa) rotations in potato systems on soil C and N pools, and the agronomic and soil impacts of buckwheat and wheat in rotation with diversified vegetable systems. Annah’s other committee members are Dr. Kevin Murphy and Dr. Gabe LaHue. Great job, Annah!
Congrats, Evan!
March 25, 2025
Congratulations to PhD student Evan on passing his preliminary exam and advancing to candidacy. He did a great job discussing crop nutritional quality and potential connections to soil management, participatory crop breeding programs, soil microbiology, and biocontrol. Evan’s other committee members are Dr. Kevin Murphy (co-advisor) and Dr. Tarah Sullivan. Well done, Evan!
Congratulations to PhD student Evan on passing his preliminary exam and advancing to candidacy. He did a great job discussing crop nutritional quality and potential connections to soil management, participatory crop breeding programs, soil microbiology, and biocontrol. Evan’s other committee members are Dr. Kevin Murphy (co-advisor) and Dr. Tarah Sullivan. Well done, Evan!
PI Deirdre Griffin LaHue granted tenure!
March 3, 2025
PI of the NWREC Soil Health Lab, Deirdre Griffin LaHue, has been granted tenure and promoted to Associate Professor at WSU! This could not have happened without the incredible team we have in the NWREC Soil Health Lab, all of the supportive collaborators at WSU and beyond, and the farmers all over WA who have shared their insights, questions, and soil!
PI of the NWREC Soil Health Lab, Deirdre Griffin LaHue, has been granted tenure and promoted to Associate Professor at WSU! This could not have happened without the incredible team we have in the NWREC Soil Health Lab, all of the supportive collaborators at WSU and beyond, and the farmers all over WA who have shared their insights, questions, and soil!
Featured on Washington Grown TV Show
January 15, 2025
Our research on soil health management in the LTARE has been featured on the Washington Grown TV show this month! The whole episode provides a great overview of the environmental context in Skagit County and on potato production. Check it out here: Perfect Potatoes | Season 12 Episode 1
Our research on soil health management in the LTARE has been featured on the Washington Grown TV show this month! The whole episode provides a great overview of the environmental context in Skagit County and on potato production. Check it out here: Perfect Potatoes | Season 12 Episode 1
Selected for Pacific Northwest National Lab’s MONet program
December 12, 2024
We’re pleased to share that we’ve been selected to participate in Pacific Northwest National Lab’s MONet (Molecular Observation Network) project! We’ll be sampling on our Long-Term Agroecological Research and Extension (LTARE) site and will be able to evaluate the effects of management-induced changes to soil functioning by integrating data on soil physical, chemical, and biological properties across multiple spatial scales. Through MONet, we’ll be able to look at impacts on 3D microstructure, microbiome functional genes, and molecular composition of soil organic matter. Get more information on our project from this Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL) article!
We’re pleased to share that we’ve been selected to participate in Pacific Northwest National Lab’s MONet (Molecular Observation Network) project! We’ll be sampling on our Long-Term Agroecological Research and Extension (LTARE) site and will be able to evaluate the effects of management-induced changes to soil functioning by integrating data on soil physical, chemical, and biological properties across multiple spatial scales. Through MONet, we’ll be able to look at impacts on 3D microstructure, microbiome functional genes, and molecular composition of soil organic matter. Get more information on our project from this Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL) article!
SoilCon: Northwestern WA
December 4, 2024
This year’s SoilCon: NW Washington event explored soil management across two very different cropping systems: raspberries and potatoes. We had a great turnout and really interesting sessions, including a panel of red raspberry researchers and farmers discussing how soil health management overlaps with suppression of soilborne disease and parasitic nematodes, and what additional research is needed to help guide farmers.
This year’s SoilCon: NW Washington event explored soil management across two very different cropping systems: raspberries and potatoes. We had a great turnout and really interesting sessions, including a panel of red raspberry researchers and farmers discussing how soil health management overlaps with suppression of soilborne disease and parasitic nematodes, and what additional research is needed to help guide farmers.
Welcome, Erik!
December 1, 2024
Welcome to the new PhD student, Erik Spitzer! Erik joins us from California State University-Chico, where he got his M.S. in Crop Physiology, working on 13C isotope discrimination and its correlation with water-use efficiency in faba bean (Vicia faba). For his PhD, Erik will be working on our new USDA OREI grant to develop improved varieties of common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) suitable for the environment of the Pacific Northwest, and to assess the role of buckwheat in liberating and/or mobilizing plant-available phosphorus in soil. He’s co-advised by Dr. Kevin Murphy at the WSU Breadlab/Sustainable Seed Systems Lab.
Welcome to the new PhD student, Erik Spitzer! Erik joins us from California State University-Chico, where he got his M.S. in Crop Physiology, working on 13C isotope discrimination and its correlation with water-use efficiency in faba bean (Vicia faba). For his PhD, Erik will be working on our new USDA OREI grant to develop improved varieties of common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) suitable for the environment of the Pacific Northwest, and to assess the role of buckwheat in liberating and/or mobilizing plant-available phosphorus in soil. He’s co-advised by Dr. Kevin Murphy at the WSU Breadlab/Sustainable Seed Systems Lab.
New publication on legacy effects of biosolids land application
November 25, 2024
A new publication is out now in Soil Use and Management showing that biosolids land application has benefits for soil fertility and wheat yield 7 years after the last application. Congrats to all the co-authors! Check it out here: Biosolids’ Legacy Benefits Persist Even 7 Years After the Application in a Dryland Wheat-Fallow Cropping System.
Citation: Singh, S., S. Singh, W.F. Schillinger, D. Griffin-LaHue, H. Neely. 2024. Biosolids’ legacy benefits persist even 7 years after the application in a dryland wheat-fallow cropping system. Soils Use and Management 40(4). https://doi.org/10.1111/sum.13163
A new publication is out now in Soil Use and Management showing that biosolids land application has benefits for soil fertility and wheat yield 7 years after the last application. Congrats to all the co-authors! Check it out here: Biosolids’ Legacy Benefits Persist Even 7 Years After the Application in a Dryland Wheat-Fallow Cropping System.
Citation: Singh, S., S. Singh, W.F. Schillinger, D. Griffin-LaHue, H. Neely. 2024. Biosolids’ legacy benefits persist even 7 years after the application in a dryland wheat-fallow cropping system. Soils Use and Management 40(4). https://doi.org/10.1111/sum.13163
Presentation for WSU Farmers Network
November 20, 2024
Today, Deirdre presented on the State of the Soils project for the WSU Farmers Network. Check out the recording here: Soil Health Coffee Hour ft. Deirdre Griffin LaHue!
Today, Deirdre presented on the State of the Soils project for the WSU Farmers Network. Check out the recording here: Soil Health Coffee Hour ft. Deirdre Griffin LaHue!
ASA-CSSA-SSSA 2024!
November 14, 2024
Another great ASA, CSSA, SSSA meeting in the books! I always come away from this conference with new ideas and connections; it gives me more time to think about and process scientific aspects of our discipline. We had great representation from the NWREC Soil Health Lab, and everyone did a great job presenting their research!
Here’s a list of all of the presentations we were involved in:
Another great ASA, CSSA, SSSA meeting in the books! I always come away from this conference with new ideas and connections; it gives me more time to think about and process scientific aspects of our discipline. We had great representation from the NWREC Soil Health Lab, and everyone did a great job presenting their research!
Here’s a list of all of the presentations we were involved in:
- Long-Term Biosolids Applications Increase Soil Carbon Stocks in a Semi-Arid Dryland System. Madeline Desjardins, Deirdre Griffin LaHue. Poster presentation.
- Assessing the Agronomic and Soil Health Impacts of Integrating Grains and Pseudo Grains into Vegetable Crop Rotations in Western Washington. Annah Young, Deirdre Griffin LaHue. Poster presentation.
- Impacts of Carbon Inputs and Soil Disturbance on Crop Yield and Soil Health in the Initial Years of a Long-Term Agroecological Research and Extension Site in Washington State. Gabriel LaHue, Deirdre Griffin LaHue, Chris Benedict, Chakradhar Mattupalli, Louis Nottingham. Oral presentation.
- Soil-Biodegradable Plastic Mulches: Implications for Soil Health in Day-Neutral Strawberry Systems across Diverse Climates. Nayab Gull, Lisa Wasko DeVetter, Markus Flury, Sam Wortman, Shinsuke Agehara, Hadi Farhad Ghasemi, Deirdre Griffin LaHue. Poster presentation.
- Understanding and Optimizing the Role of Soil and Crop Management Practices on the Nutritional Content of Quinoa. Evan Domsic, Deirdre Griffin LaHue, Kevin Murphy. Poster presentation.
- A Bitter-Sweet Story: Exploring the Impact of Saponins on Lesser Grain Borer and Red Flour Beetle Populations During Quinoa Storage. Evan Domsic, Deirdre Griffin LaHue, Kevin Murphy. Oral presentation.
- Effects of Zinc, Manganese, and Soil pH Management on Quinoa Grain Quality and Yields. Paul Martinez, Deirdre Griffin LaHue, Clark Neely, Kevin Murphy, Gabriel LaHue. Poster and 5 min rapid presentation.
- Agricultural Management and Soil Mesofauna in Wheat Cropping Systems. Rebecca Klein, Deirdre Griffin LaHue, Paul Martinez, Gagandeep Kaur, Gabriel LaHue, Kevin Murphy, Clark Neely, Ron Ochoa, Katalin Szlavecz. Poster presentation.
- Soil to Society: An Approach to Enhance Soil Health and Crop Nutritional Quality. Gagandeep Kaur, Deirdre Griffin LaHue, Gabriel LaHue, Haly Neely, Kevin Murphy, Brandon Gerrish, Clark Neely. Oral presentation.
- Agronomic Biofortification: Does Changing the Timing and Method of Micronutrient Fertilizer Application Enhance Grain Mineral Composition? Gagandeep Kaur, Deirdre Griffin LaHue, Gabriel LaHue, Haly Neely, Kevin Murphy, Jessica Braden, Brandon Gerrish, Clark Neely. Poster presentation.
Maddy attends Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research Fellows Meeting
November 7, 2024
This week, PhD candidate and FFAR Fellow Madeline Desjardins attended her final in-person meeting for the FFAR program. They were in St. Louis, visiting and presenting their research to various agricultural industry players and taking workshops on crucial influence and meeting planning/ facilitation. Maddy says, “My experience as a FFAR fellow has been one of the highlights of my PhD. I have been exposed to many professional development opportunities and workshops that graduate students aren’t typically exposed to, and I have so enjoyed doing it alongside an amazing group of fellow graduate students.” Thanks to the FFAR Fellows program and the King County Department of Parks and Natural Resources for being Maddy’s industry partner for her fellowship.
This week, PhD candidate and FFAR Fellow Madeline Desjardins attended her final in-person meeting for the FFAR program. They were in St. Louis, visiting and presenting their research to various agricultural industry players and taking workshops on crucial influence and meeting planning/ facilitation. Maddy says, “My experience as a FFAR fellow has been one of the highlights of my PhD. I have been exposed to many professional development opportunities and workshops that graduate students aren’t typically exposed to, and I have so enjoyed doing it alongside an amazing group of fellow graduate students.” Thanks to the FFAR Fellows program and the King County Department of Parks and Natural Resources for being Maddy’s industry partner for her fellowship.
Soil to Society annual project meeting
October 18, 2024
This week, Deirdre and PhD Student Annah Young were in Spokane at the WSU Medical School for our USDA NIFA Soil to Society annual project team meeting. This project focuses on increasing the availability and nutritional density of whole grain foods, and has researchers spanning soil management, crop breeding, population health, food science and engineering, and nutritionists. We got to tour some of the labs, including Franck Carbonero’s lab, which studies the effects of these foods on the gut microbiome, and Patrick Solverson’s lab (shown here), where they test the effects of digestate from Franck’s lab on human cell metabolism. Very cool! Learn more about Franck and Patrick!
This week, Deirdre and PhD Student Annah Young were in Spokane at the WSU Medical School for our USDA NIFA Soil to Society annual project team meeting. This project focuses on increasing the availability and nutritional density of whole grain foods, and has researchers spanning soil management, crop breeding, population health, food science and engineering, and nutritionists. We got to tour some of the labs, including Franck Carbonero’s lab, which studies the effects of these foods on the gut microbiome, and Patrick Solverson’s lab (shown here), where they test the effects of digestate from Franck’s lab on human cell metabolism. Very cool! Learn more about Franck and Patrick!
Visit to Cairnspring Mills
October 14, 2024
Today our group got to visit Cairnspring Mills, a nearby mill focused on acquiring grains from farmers locally (in Skagit Valley) and regionally (within WA) and supplying regional bakers and chefs with flour. We got to discuss their vision and goals for supporting local agriculture and sustainable soil management, see their mill operation, and even do some table-top milling of ancient durum wheat varieties with founder and CEO Kevin Morse.
Today our group got to visit Cairnspring Mills, a nearby mill focused on acquiring grains from farmers locally (in Skagit Valley) and regionally (within WA) and supplying regional bakers and chefs with flour. We got to discuss their vision and goals for supporting local agriculture and sustainable soil management, see their mill operation, and even do some table-top milling of ancient durum wheat varieties with founder and CEO Kevin Morse.
BioFest 2024
October 1, 2024
We had a great time at the 2024 BioFest conference put on by NW Biosolids, where former MS student Molly McIlquham and PhD student Madeline Desjardins gave excellent talks on Soil Carbon 101 and our work on the impacts of biosolids on soil particulate and mineral-associated organic fractions. We also got to meet up with Surendra Singh and Shikha Singh, fellow faculty in the Dept. of Crop and Soil Sciences.
We had a great time at the 2024 BioFest conference put on by NW Biosolids, where former MS student Molly McIlquham and PhD student Madeline Desjardins gave excellent talks on Soil Carbon 101 and our work on the impacts of biosolids on soil particulate and mineral-associated organic fractions. We also got to meet up with Surendra Singh and Shikha Singh, fellow faculty in the Dept. of Crop and Soil Sciences.
CAHNRS Regenerative Ag Showcase and Panel
September 26, 2024
Deirdre participated in the CAHNRS Regenerative Agriculture Showcase and was also a panelist after a showing of the movie Common Ground, discussing the need for regenerative agricultural practices to be context-specific. At the showcase, Deirdre shared data from our LTARE soil health management project and from the Soil Health and Regenerative Ag class she teaches. Take a look at all the posters presented!
Deirdre participated in the CAHNRS Regenerative Agriculture Showcase and was also a panelist after a showing of the movie Common Ground, discussing the need for regenerative agricultural practices to be context-specific. At the showcase, Deirdre shared data from our LTARE soil health management project and from the Soil Health and Regenerative Ag class she teaches. Take a look at all the posters presented!
News flash: Soil is super cool!
September 18, 2024
In case you needed a reminder….
Today, we are taking bulk density cores down to ~40 inches in our Long-Term Agroecological Research and Extension (LTARE) site, and we saw some very cool iron oxide concentrations and perhaps some charred carbon down there!
In case you needed a reminder….
Today, we are taking bulk density cores down to ~40 inches in our Long-Term Agroecological Research and Extension (LTARE) site, and we saw some very cool iron oxide concentrations and perhaps some charred carbon down there!
Wheat Beats Podcast episode about our biosolids research
September 3, 2024
Deirdre was a guest on Dr. Drew Lyon’s Wheat Beats podcast this week! In the episode, Digging Into the Effects of Biosolids on Eastern Washington Soils, they discuss biosolids land applications to agricultural fields in Washington and findings from our long-term research.
Deirdre was a guest on Dr. Drew Lyon’s Wheat Beats podcast this week! In the episode, Digging Into the Effects of Biosolids on Eastern Washington Soils, they discuss biosolids land applications to agricultural fields in Washington and findings from our long-term research.
2nd Annual Buckwheat Fest!
August 26, 2024
PhD Student Annah Young and Deirdre presented today at the 2nd Annual Buckwheat Fest in Chimacum, WA, about their ongoing work evaluating the soil and agronomic effects of including buckwheat in vegetable crop rotations. This work is funded by the USDA NIFA Soil to Society grant. The Buckwheat Fest was organized in collaboration with the Organic Seed Alliance and hosted by Chimacum Valley Grainery and Finn River Farm and Cidery. In addition to discussions of buckwheat grain varieties and ecosystem services, we go to taste test fresh soba and other buckwheat products, including tea, shortbread, focaccia, and noodles.
PhD Student Annah Young and Deirdre presented today at the 2nd Annual Buckwheat Fest in Chimacum, WA, about their ongoing work evaluating the soil and agronomic effects of including buckwheat in vegetable crop rotations. This work is funded by the USDA NIFA Soil to Society grant. The Buckwheat Fest was organized in collaboration with the Organic Seed Alliance and hosted by Chimacum Valley Grainery and Finn River Farm and Cidery. In addition to discussions of buckwheat grain varieties and ecosystem services, we go to taste test fresh soba and other buckwheat products, including tea, shortbread, focaccia, and noodles.
Visits from state and federal legislative representatives and staff
August 22, 2024
In the last couple of weeks, we’ve had several visits from our LTARE from state and federal legislative representatives and staff. Today, we hosted WA state Senator Marko Liias and Representative Carolyn Eslick and had great discussions about the importance of long-term research and soil health management for our farmers and our environment. Thanks to WSU’s Chris Mulick for being a great assistant!
In the last couple of weeks, we’ve had several visits from our LTARE from state and federal legislative representatives and staff. Today, we hosted WA state Senator Marko Liias and Representative Carolyn Eslick and had great discussions about the importance of long-term research and soil health management for our farmers and our environment. Thanks to WSU’s Chris Mulick for being a great assistant!
Field day on diversifying farms with alternative rotational crops
August 7, 2024
We had a great field day today in collaboration with Viva Farms on Diversifying Your Farm with Small Grains, planned by PhD students Annah Young and Evan Domsic. Evan discussed planting, harvest, and processing considerations for quinoa and buckwheat, as well as trials we are doing on fertility management and soil impacts of integrating these grains/pseudo-grains into vegetable systems. Learn more about alternative rotational crops!
We had a great field day today in collaboration with Viva Farms on Diversifying Your Farm with Small Grains, planned by PhD students Annah Young and Evan Domsic. Evan discussed planting, harvest, and processing considerations for quinoa and buckwheat, as well as trials we are doing on fertility management and soil impacts of integrating these grains/pseudo-grains into vegetable systems. Learn more about alternative rotational crops!
Maddy Desjardins wins 3rd place in FFAR Fellows Lightning Talk Competition!
July 30, 2024
Congrats to PhD Candidate and FFAR Fellow Maddy Desjardins, who won 3rd place (bronze medal podium finish for those following the Olympics right now) in the FFAR Fellow Lightning Talk Competition! In her 3-minute talk titled “Super Poop: Closing the Loop for Soil Health“, Maddy discusses her research on how biosolids land applications increase soil water holding capacity and offset synthetic fertilizer use in semi-arid dryland systems.
Congrats to PhD Candidate and FFAR Fellow Maddy Desjardins, who won 3rd place (bronze medal podium finish for those following the Olympics right now) in the FFAR Fellow Lightning Talk Competition! In her 3-minute talk titled “Super Poop: Closing the Loop for Soil Health“, Maddy discusses her research on how biosolids land applications increase soil water holding capacity and offset synthetic fertilizer use in semi-arid dryland systems.
Field day at NWREC
July 16, 2024
Today we had a great field day for local farmers and the Northwest Agriculture Research Foundation, a non-profit that provides funding for some of our research, really targeted to addressing local agricultural questions. The field day highlighted several NWREC programs, including Vegetable Seed Pathology, Blueberry and Potato Pathology, Entomology, Soils & Water, and our Soil Health program. Deirdre discussed recent findings from our Long-term Agroecological Research and Extension (LTARE) site.
Today we had a great field day for local farmers and the Northwest Agriculture Research Foundation, a non-profit that provides funding for some of our research, really targeted to addressing local agricultural questions. The field day highlighted several NWREC programs, including Vegetable Seed Pathology, Blueberry and Potato Pathology, Entomology, Soils & Water, and our Soil Health program. Deirdre discussed recent findings from our Long-term Agroecological Research and Extension (LTARE) site.
Filming interview for WA Grown TV show
July 9, 2024
Deirdre and two colleagues were interviewed today for an upcoming episode of the Washington Grown TV show. We discussed the WA Soil Health Initiative and questions we are investigating at our Long-term Agroecological Research and Extension (LTARE) site at WSU Mount Vernon.
Deirdre and two colleagues were interviewed today for an upcoming episode of the Washington Grown TV show. We discussed the WA Soil Health Initiative and questions we are investigating at our Long-term Agroecological Research and Extension (LTARE) site at WSU Mount Vernon.
Keynote presentation at ISHS Plant Nutrition Symposium
June 24, 2024
Deirdre was in Wenatchee, WA, today, giving a keynote presentation at the International Society for Horticultural Science’s (ISHS) Symposium on Plant Nutrition of Fruit Crops. It was great to kick off the conference focusing on what we do and don’t know about soil-plant interactions!
Deirdre was in Wenatchee, WA, today, giving a keynote presentation at the International Society for Horticultural Science’s (ISHS) Symposium on Plant Nutrition of Fruit Crops. It was great to kick off the conference focusing on what we do and don’t know about soil-plant interactions!
We are recruiting for a PhD graduate research assistant!
June 17, 2024
We are recruiting for a PhD student to conduct buckwheat breeding research and agronomic trials in western WA, working to advance our understanding of how best to leverage the crop potential for benefits to soil health, weed suppression, and pollinator habitat. This position will be Dr. Griffin LaHue and Dr. Kevin Murphy (Sustainable Seed Systems Lab) and will be part of an interdisciplinary, multi-institutional team. The student will be co-located at WSU’s Northwestern Washington Research and Extension Center and the WSU Breadlab in Mount Vernon, WA. Preferred start date is Fall 2024 or Spring 2025. For more info on how to apply, check out the application flyer.
We are recruiting for a PhD student to conduct buckwheat breeding research and agronomic trials in western WA, working to advance our understanding of how best to leverage the crop potential for benefits to soil health, weed suppression, and pollinator habitat. This position will be Dr. Griffin LaHue and Dr. Kevin Murphy (Sustainable Seed Systems Lab) and will be part of an interdisciplinary, multi-institutional team. The student will be co-located at WSU’s Northwestern Washington Research and Extension Center and the WSU Breadlab in Mount Vernon, WA. Preferred start date is Fall 2024 or Spring 2025. For more info on how to apply, check out the application flyer.
Lab members presenting at Canadian Society of Soil Science conference
June 10, 2024
PhD student Annah Young and postdoc Luis Reyes Rojas are up in Vancouver, BC, this week at the Canadian Society of Soil Science conference! Annah is presenting her work evaluating the integration of grains and pseudo-grains (buckwheat) into diversified vegetable systems (part of our Soil to Society project), and Luis is presenting preliminary analysis of climatic and management drivers of soil health indicators across WA (part of our State of the Soils Assessment). And congrats to Annah for winning 3rd place for the President’s Award for her excellent poster!
PhD student Annah Young and postdoc Luis Reyes Rojas are up in Vancouver, BC, this week at the Canadian Society of Soil Science conference! Annah is presenting her work evaluating the integration of grains and pseudo-grains (buckwheat) into diversified vegetable systems (part of our Soil to Society project), and Luis is presenting preliminary analysis of climatic and management drivers of soil health indicators across WA (part of our State of the Soils Assessment). And congrats to Annah for winning 3rd place for the President’s Award for her excellent poster!
New publication testing a qPCR method to detect quinoa downy mildew
May 19, 2024
Congratulations to PhD student Evan Domsic and our other co-authors on the acceptance of a new paper, A Quantitative Real-Time PCR Method to Detect the Quinoa Downy Mildew Pathogen, Peronospora variabilis, for publication in Plant Disease. Downy mildew can be a devastating disease in quinoa (as well as other crops), and rapid diagnostic methods are needed to detect the pathogen on seeds and tissue. We worked with plant pathologists to test a DNA-based qPCR method against in-field disease severity ratings from our quinoa trials.
Citation: Testen, A., P. Puri, R.S. Shaw, E. Domsic, D. Griffin-LaHue, K. Murphy, C. Mattupalli. 2024. A quantitative real-time PCR method to detect the quinoa downy mildew pathogen, Peronspora variabilis. Plant Disease 8(9). https://apsjournals.apsnet.org/doi/10.1094/PDIS-11-23-2308-RE
Congratulations to PhD student Evan Domsic and our other co-authors on the acceptance of a new paper, A Quantitative Real-Time PCR Method to Detect the Quinoa Downy Mildew Pathogen, Peronospora variabilis, for publication in Plant Disease. Downy mildew can be a devastating disease in quinoa (as well as other crops), and rapid diagnostic methods are needed to detect the pathogen on seeds and tissue. We worked with plant pathologists to test a DNA-based qPCR method against in-field disease severity ratings from our quinoa trials.
Citation: Testen, A., P. Puri, R.S. Shaw, E. Domsic, D. Griffin-LaHue, K. Murphy, C. Mattupalli. 2024. A quantitative real-time PCR method to detect the quinoa downy mildew pathogen, Peronspora variabilis. Plant Disease 8(9). https://apsjournals.apsnet.org/doi/10.1094/PDIS-11-23-2308-RE
New publication on nitrogen mineralization in high OM soils
April 24, 2024
We were part of a collaborative paper, Nitrogen Supply from Soil Organic Matter: Predictors and Implications for Recommended Nitrogen Application Rates in Northern Highbush Blueberry, just published in HortScience, that discusses predicting N mineralization rates and fertilization requirements for northern highbush blueberries grown in high organic matter soils. Many blueberries in western WA are grown on peat soils, so how much N might the plants be getting from that organic matter, and does it impact recommended fertilizer rates? The collaborative team addressed this question with multi-year on-farm trials and lab incubations. You can find out more at the NW Berry Foundation page!
Citation: Sloan, C., L.W. DeVetter, D. Griffin-LaHue, C. Benedict, D.R. Bryla, G.T. LaHue. 2024. Nitrogen supply from soil organic matter: Predictors and implications for nutrient management in northern highbush blueberry. HortScience 59(6), 725-735. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI17632-23
We were part of a collaborative paper, Nitrogen Supply from Soil Organic Matter: Predictors and Implications for Recommended Nitrogen Application Rates in Northern Highbush Blueberry, just published in HortScience, that discusses predicting N mineralization rates and fertilization requirements for northern highbush blueberries grown in high organic matter soils. Many blueberries in western WA are grown on peat soils, so how much N might the plants be getting from that organic matter, and does it impact recommended fertilizer rates? The collaborative team addressed this question with multi-year on-farm trials and lab incubations. You can find out more at the NW Berry Foundation page!
Citation: Sloan, C., L.W. DeVetter, D. Griffin-LaHue, C. Benedict, D.R. Bryla, G.T. LaHue. 2024. Nitrogen supply from soil organic matter: Predictors and implications for nutrient management in northern highbush blueberry. HortScience 59(6), 725-735. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI17632-23
New {soils} R package launched for generating soil health reports
March 8, 2024
The State of the Soils project team (a collaboration between our lab and scientists at WSDA NRAS) has developed a new R package to automate the generation of soil health reports for farmers. The {soils} package code is publicly available, so anyone comfortable with using R can import data and automatically generate custom soil health reports with colorful and informative figures. Learn more about how to use this package through the comprehensive tutorial documentation developed by collaborator Jadey Ryan!
The State of the Soils project team (a collaboration between our lab and scientists at WSDA NRAS) has developed a new R package to automate the generation of soil health reports for farmers. The {soils} package code is publicly available, so anyone comfortable with using R can import data and automatically generate custom soil health reports with colorful and informative figures. Learn more about how to use this package through the comprehensive tutorial documentation developed by collaborator Jadey Ryan!
Congrats, Maddy!
March 1, 2024
Congratulations to PhD student Maddy on passing her preliminary exam and advancing to candidacy. She did a great job discussing soil carbon and nitrogen, calculating biosolids land application rates, and discussing potential policies/considerations related to biosolids land application. Maddy’s committee members are Dr. Clark Neely, Dr. Tarah Sullivan, and Dr. Jim Ippolito (The Ohio State University). Well done, Maddy!
Congratulations to PhD student Maddy on passing her preliminary exam and advancing to candidacy. She did a great job discussing soil carbon and nitrogen, calculating biosolids land application rates, and discussing potential policies/considerations related to biosolids land application. Maddy’s committee members are Dr. Clark Neely, Dr. Tarah Sullivan, and Dr. Jim Ippolito (The Ohio State University). Well done, Maddy!
Welcome, Dr. Luis Reyes Rojas!
March 1, 2024
We are very happy to welcome Dr. Luis Reyes Rojas to our program as a postdoctoral scholar! Luis specializes in pedometrics and will be working on the State of the Soils Assessment project in collaboration with Dr. Dani Gelardi at the Washington State Department of Agriculture. Luis earned a Soil Science PhD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and conducted recent research at the University of Chile’s Center of Mathematical Modeling, specializing in remote sensing, machine learning for rock glaciers, and land use/land cover. His PhD focused on digital soil mapping and legacy data rescue in Chile. At the University of Chile, his undergraduate and master’s studies concentrated on the impact of water and saline stress on tree crop evapotranspiration, physiology, growth, and production.
We are very happy to welcome Dr. Luis Reyes Rojas to our program as a postdoctoral scholar! Luis specializes in pedometrics and will be working on the State of the Soils Assessment project in collaboration with Dr. Dani Gelardi at the Washington State Department of Agriculture. Luis earned a Soil Science PhD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and conducted recent research at the University of Chile’s Center of Mathematical Modeling, specializing in remote sensing, machine learning for rock glaciers, and land use/land cover. His PhD focused on digital soil mapping and legacy data rescue in Chile. At the University of Chile, his undergraduate and master’s studies concentrated on the impact of water and saline stress on tree crop evapotranspiration, physiology, growth, and production.
Featured FFAR newsletter article by Maddy Desjardins
February 29, 2024
PhD student and FFAR Fellow Maddy Desjardins has written a featured article for the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research Newsletter. Maddy’s article discusses her research on the soil health and agronomic effects of biosolids land application in central Washington grain systems. Well done, Maddy!
PhD student and FFAR Fellow Maddy Desjardins has written a featured article for the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research Newsletter. Maddy’s article discusses her research on the soil health and agronomic effects of biosolids land application in central Washington grain systems. Well done, Maddy!
Mulch Matters podcast interview
February 1, 2024
Deirdre was interviewed on the Mulch Matters Podcast about the impacts of soil biodegradable plastic mulches and microplastics and soil functioning. This work is part of our USDA Specialty Crop Research Initiative projects on Improving End-of-Life Management of Plastic Mulches in Diverse Strawberry Systems.
Deirdre was interviewed on the Mulch Matters Podcast about the impacts of soil biodegradable plastic mulches and microplastics and soil functioning. This work is part of our USDA Specialty Crop Research Initiative projects on Improving End-of-Life Management of Plastic Mulches in Diverse Strawberry Systems.
No-Till Growers Network podcast interview
January 8, 2024
Deirdre sat down with her old friend and colleague, Natalie Lounsbury, to record a podcast episode of Grower’s Daily discussing long-term soil health projects, research on some newer potential rotational crops for western Washington, and our work on soil-biodegradable mulches.
Deirdre sat down with her old friend and colleague, Natalie Lounsbury, to record a podcast episode of Grower’s Daily discussing long-term soil health projects, research on some newer potential rotational crops for western Washington, and our work on soil-biodegradable mulches.
Soil Science Society of America 2023
November 2, 2023
Another great year attending the TriSocieties meeting, this year in St. Louis, MO. Deirdre presented on Methodological Challenges of Scaling Soil Health Indicator Analyses: Observations from the ‘State of the Soils’ Assessment in Washington, and attended lots of great talks on challenges and considerations of scaling soil health assessments, among other things. And check out this nice example from Endy Lopes Kailer (Kansas State University) of the impact mycorrhizal fungi can have on soil structure.
Another great year attending the TriSocieties meeting, this year in St. Louis, MO. Deirdre presented on Methodological Challenges of Scaling Soil Health Indicator Analyses: Observations from the ‘State of the Soils’ Assessment in Washington, and attended lots of great talks on challenges and considerations of scaling soil health assessments, among other things. And check out this nice example from Endy Lopes Kailer (Kansas State University) of the impact mycorrhizal fungi can have on soil structure.
BioFest 2023
September 28, 2023
PhD student Madeline Desjardins and Deirdre attended BioFest, an annual meeting put on by Northwest Biosolids on the beneficial use of biosolids. Madeline presented on her research of the potential impacts of biosolids application to agricultural land on the use of cover crops and livestock integration in central WA, and Deirdre presented on soil carbon storage potential in biosolids-applied fields. Learn more about our work at our Biosolids Research page!
PhD student Madeline Desjardins and Deirdre attended BioFest, an annual meeting put on by Northwest Biosolids on the beneficial use of biosolids. Madeline presented on her research of the potential impacts of biosolids application to agricultural land on the use of cover crops and livestock integration in central WA, and Deirdre presented on soil carbon storage potential in biosolids-applied fields. Learn more about our work at our Biosolids Research page!
Rocky Mountain Soil Health Roundtable
September 21, 2023
Deirdre attended the Rocky Mountain Soil Health Roundtable in Denver, CO, to discuss regional efforts to improve and quantify soil health and incentivize soil health management practices in the western US. She got to learn more about the STAR (Saving Tomorrow’s Agricultural Resources) program in Colorado, which is being launched in Washington. Outcomes from roundtable discussions were expertly captured by illustrator Karina Branson at ConverSketch.com. Learn more about the roundtable by reading the Rocky Mountain Soil Health Roadmap and conference report PDF!
Deirdre attended the Rocky Mountain Soil Health Roundtable in Denver, CO, to discuss regional efforts to improve and quantify soil health and incentivize soil health management practices in the western US. She got to learn more about the STAR (Saving Tomorrow’s Agricultural Resources) program in Colorado, which is being launched in Washington. Outcomes from roundtable discussions were expertly captured by illustrator Karina Branson at ConverSketch.com. Learn more about the roundtable by reading the Rocky Mountain Soil Health Roadmap and conference report PDF!
Aggregation 2023 (a.k.a. Soil Camp)
September 10, 2023
We spent the last few days at Midnight’s Farm on Lopez Island with a group of 30 farmers, technical support providers (NRCS, National Assoc. of Conservation Districts), state government (WSDA, WA Conservation Commission), and researchers talking all things soil. We focused on state and national policies on soil health and conservation, incentive programs, setting up on-farm trials, and in-field and lab measurements to track changes in soil properties. It was an inspiring way to share ideas, build community, and discuss what more is needed to see progress on these topics. Learn more about this experience in the article Aggregation 2023: Soil Science, Farmers, Friendship & Ferries by Faith Van De Putte and David Bill.
We spent the last few days at Midnight’s Farm on Lopez Island with a group of 30 farmers, technical support providers (NRCS, National Assoc. of Conservation Districts), state government (WSDA, WA Conservation Commission), and researchers talking all things soil. We focused on state and national policies on soil health and conservation, incentive programs, setting up on-farm trials, and in-field and lab measurements to track changes in soil properties. It was an inspiring way to share ideas, build community, and discuss what more is needed to see progress on these topics. Learn more about this experience in the article Aggregation 2023: Soil Science, Farmers, Friendship & Ferries by Faith Van De Putte and David Bill.
Welcome Annah!
August 16, 2023
We are happy that Annah Young has joined our lab. Previously in the M.S. in Agriculture program, Annah has now switched into the Ph.D. in Soil Science program and will be doing her dissertation research on the soil impacts of integrating cereal and pseudocereal crops (including annual and perennial wheats and buckwheat) in vegetable systems. Before starting at WSU, Annah co-founded City Sprouts Farm in Bellingham, a neighborhood farm that grows mixed vegetables for a CSA and local hunger relief organizations. Welcome to the team, Annah!
We are happy that Annah Young has joined our lab. Previously in the M.S. in Agriculture program, Annah has now switched into the Ph.D. in Soil Science program and will be doing her dissertation research on the soil impacts of integrating cereal and pseudocereal crops (including annual and perennial wheats and buckwheat) in vegetable systems. Before starting at WSU, Annah co-founded City Sprouts Farm in Bellingham, a neighborhood farm that grows mixed vegetables for a CSA and local hunger relief organizations. Welcome to the team, Annah!
SoilCon Field Day
July 27, 2023
We had a great turnout of 90 people at our SoilCon Field Day, funded by the WA Soil Health Initiative. We discussed in-field and lab soil health assessments, options for high-residue seeding and reduced tillage, and the Sustainable Farms and Fields program. Find more information at the SoilCon Field Day Resources page.
We had a great turnout of 90 people at our SoilCon Field Day, funded by the WA Soil Health Initiative. We discussed in-field and lab soil health assessments, options for high-residue seeding and reduced tillage, and the Sustainable Farms and Fields program. Find more information at the SoilCon Field Day Resources page.
Congratulations, Teal!
June 16, 2023
Congratulations to postdoc Teal Potter, who is now joining the Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources (CSANR) as Project Manager for the Climate Analogs Academy Project.
Congratulations to postdoc Teal Potter, who is now joining the Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources (CSANR) as Project Manager for the Climate Analogs Academy Project.
Welcome Nayab!
May 16, 2023
We are happy to welcome Nayab Gull to the NWREC Soil Health lab! Nayab will be a PhD student working with Deirdre and Dr. Lisa DeVetter (small fruit horticulture) on a USDA SCRI-funded project examining the impacts of soil-biodegradable plastic mulches in strawberry systems. Nayab completed her M.S. in Crop Cultivation and Farming Systems from China Agricultural University, Beijing, where she studied the effects of microplastic pollution in agroecosystems. We are happy to have her join us at WSU Mount Vernon. Welcome, Nayab!
We are happy to welcome Nayab Gull to the NWREC Soil Health lab! Nayab will be a PhD student working with Deirdre and Dr. Lisa DeVetter (small fruit horticulture) on a USDA SCRI-funded project examining the impacts of soil-biodegradable plastic mulches in strawberry systems. Nayab completed her M.S. in Crop Cultivation and Farming Systems from China Agricultural University, Beijing, where she studied the effects of microplastic pollution in agroecosystems. We are happy to have her join us at WSU Mount Vernon. Welcome, Nayab!