FACULTY

Fred P. Baxendale - Department of Entomology

Research Emphasis:

* Investigate the biology, ecology and injury potential of turfgrass arthropods with the goal of developing effective sustainable and environmentally responsible Integrated Pest Management approaches for the insects and mites affecting Nebraska's turfgrasses.

Jennifer Chaky - Plant Pathology

Extension Emphasis:

    *    Coordinator of the Plant and Pest Diagnostic Clinic.
    *    Diagnose plant disease samples submitted to the Plant and Pest Diagnostic Clinic.
    *    Develop and deliver plant disease programs.

Rhae A. Drijber - Agronomy and Horticulture

Research Emphasis:

    *    Enhance understanding of microbial ecology in managed grassland ecosystems,
         namely golf course putting greens.
    *    Identify relationships among microbial communities developed in putting greens,
         in response to management history.
    *    Improve understanding of microbial community development in putting greens,
         leading to reduced inputs and disease pressure.

Roch E. Gaussoin - Department of Agronomy and Horticulture

Research Emphasis:

    *    Improve turfgrass weed control practices through integrated turfgrass
         management practices.
    *    Enhance understanding of herbicide efficacy.
    *    Integrate approaches to buffalograss management.
    *    Study long-term effects of root zone mixes and grow-in on golf green characteristics.

Loren J. Giesler - Plant Pathology

Research Emphasis:

* Diagnose and manage ornamental plant diseases.
* Screen experimental fungicides for disease control in ornamentals.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________ Tiffany Heng-Moss - Department of Entomology

Research Emphasis:

    *    Study plant resistance to insects with emphasis on identification of
         resistant germplasm.
    *    Characterization of the morphological, biochemical and physiological
         mechanisms conferring resistance.

Garald L. Horst - Department of Agronomy and Horticulture

Research Emphasis:

    *    Xenobiotic remediation by plants and plant-microorganism systems.
    *    Pesticide and nutrient fate in relationship to environmental and water quality.
    *    Turfgrass canopy environmental influence on microorganism ecology.
    *    Enhanced understanding of environmental quality and sustainability of resource systems.

Scott E. Hygnstrom - School of Natural Resource Sciences

Research Emphasis:

* Integrated pest management for vertebrate species, including moles, voles,
ground squirrels, pocket gophers, deer and Canada geese.

Michael F. Kocher - Department Biological Systems Engineering

Research Emphasis:

* Engineer systems to quantitatively assess turfgrass responses of interest, such as
golf ball roll distance and uniformity, shear strength and traffic tolerance.

Dale T. Lindgren - Department of Agronomy and Horticulture

Research Emphasis:

    *    Understand the interactions of wildflowers and warm-season turfgrass when
         planted in mixtures.
    *    Evaluate turfgrass cultivars and other turfgrass products for use in west central Nebraska.

Martin A. Massengale - Center for Grassland Studies

Research Emphasis:

* Adminstrate and facilitate research activities related to the Center for Grassland Studies,
including turfgrass development, evaluation and management and seed production practices.

Terrance P. Riordan - Department of Agronomy and Horticulture

Research Emphasis:

    *    Develop and evaluate improved buffalograss cultivars requiring less water, fertilizer,
         pesticides and mowing.
    *    Improve understanding of buffalograss breeding and genetics through traditional
         and molecular approaches.

Robert C. Shearman - Department of Agronomy and Horticulture

Research Emphasis:

    *    Study integrated turfgrass management systems for sustainable function and performance,
         reducing chemical and energy inputs and water conservation.
    *    Improve understanding of turfgrass wear tolerance, water conservation, drought resistance,
         potassium nutrition and root growth and development.
    *    Study turfgrass species and cultivar evaluation for Nebraska and intensively used sites.
    *    Study turfgrass and forage seed production for western Nebraska.

Anne Streich - Department of Agronomy and Horticulture

Extension Emphasis:

* Develop and deliver extension programs emphasizing integrated landscape
management practices

Research Interests:

* Plant selection for landscapes across Nebraska
* Pesticide use on turfgrasses in Nebraska

Major Project Activities:

    *    Evaluating and developing a master plan for the Nebraska Master Gardener Program
    *    Developing and revising the extension horticulture curriculum.
    *    Provide leadership for Landscape Connections, educator in-service, and 4-H and FFA
          contest activities

John E. Watkins - Department of Plant Pathology

Research Emphasis:

    *    Develop and deliver turfgrass disease outreach programs.
    *    Improve disease diagnosis and management.
    *    Establish disease management systems for dollar spot and brown patch.
    *    Screen experimental fungicides for turfgrass disease control.

Gary Y. Yuen - Department of Plant Pathology

Research Emphasis:

    *    Identify microorganisms with potential for biological control of turfgrass diseases.
    *    Determine mechanisms of microbial effects on disease development.
    *    Understand environmental impacts on pathogenic fungi and applied antagonists,
         with emphasis on bacteria on leaf spot, brown patch and dollar spot.