Starting July 1st I will be taking a new position as Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education, and Director of the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center in the College of Agriculture, Food, and Environmental Sciences at The Ohio State University. As such, this is my farewell message to all of you.
Manhattan and K-State have been very good for us for 29 years and it was a difficult decision to leave, but one that offers many opportunities for both my wife and myself. When I reflect back on my time in Kansas three things come to mind: 1) my family, as without their love and support I would not have been able to accomplish much, 2) the people, as I have always been amazed and impressed by what can be accomplished when you work with great people, and 3) my friends, all of you that have made working and living in Kansas so much more than just our accomplishments.
The Department has a very bright future. The Agronomy Education Center project continues to progress (although not as quickly as I would like); our students are in demand; our research and extension programs continue to meet critical needs; and faculty, students, and alumni continue to be recognized for their outstanding efforts. It has been a privilege and honor to serve as the department head. Thank you to the alumni for their past and continued support.
Sincerely,
Gary Pierzynski
University Distinguished Professor and Head
On June 18, 1984, I started work for the Department of Agronomy. Exactly thirty-four years later, on June 18, 2018, I assumed new responsibilities as the Interim Head of the Department of Agronomy. First, I would like to thank Gary Pierzynski for his 29 years of service to K-State with most recent service as Head. I had the pleasure of serving on the Search Committee that recruited Gary to come to our department as an assistant professor of soil and environmental chemistry. I enjoyed working with Gary over the years and really appreciated his outstanding leadership as our Department Head. Gary and his wife, Joy, will be greatly missed.
I have gotten to know many of you over the years in my previous teaching and research appointment. I taught classes in soil genesis and classification, advanced soil genesis and classification, and soil mineralogy. Perhaps, the most rewarding aspect of my previous work was coaching the Soil Judging Team. It will probably take about one to two years to get a new permanent head. My plans are to retire once the permanent head is on the job.
Gary ended his farewell letter to the department by saying that the Department has a very bright future. I certainly agree. However, we have some challenges ahead due to the loss of faculty positions as a result of budget reductions at the university. We have lost two positions following retirement: Curtis Thompson’s weed science position in extension and Gary Cramer’s position as agronomist-in-charge at the South Central Experiment Field in Hutchinson. In addition, Ray Asebedo has left his faculty position in precision agriculture to work in private industry. Ray’s position was not lost, although we do not expect to be able to open a search for the position for a period of time.
I would also like to announce the appointments of Dallas Peterson as the new Extension State Leader for Agronomy and Anita Dille as the new Assistant Head for Teaching.
The department will be working on plans to meet the needs of our students, clientele, and citizens of Kansas despite the reductions in faculty positions. On a more positive note, faculty and students continue to receive many awards at the university and national level as illustrated in another section of this newsletter. Undergraduate and graduate enrollment is steady with a strong job market. The Agronomy Education Center will go out for bids soon with construction starting in early fall.
I look forward to the challenges of serving as Interim Head and to working with each of you in my new position. Please feel free to call, send an e-mail, message, or just drop by for visit.
Sincerely,
Michel D. “Mickey” Ransom, PhD
Interim Head and Professor
Department of Agronomy
Kansas State University
Manhattan, KS 66506-0110
785-532-6101 (office) mdransom@ksu.edu
Agronomy’s Crops, Weeds, and Soils Judging Teams have enjoyed many years of competitive successes. Since last summer, there have been another round of notable achievements by our students!
Weed Science Team Succeeds in 2017 Regional Contest
Kansas State University’s Weed Science teams had a successful showing against eight other universities at the regional North Central Weed Science Society Collegiate Weed Contest held on July 27, 2017.
A total of 80 undergraduate and graduate students competed in the competition hosted by Iowa State University at its Field Extension Education Laboratory near Ames, Iowa.
Two undergraduate teams and one graduate team represented K-State. One of the undergraduate teams took first place among all undergraduate teams. Members of that team (all from Kansas) included: Keren Duerksen, junior from Newton; Nicole Sudbeck, senior from Seneca; and Sarah Zerger, senior from Cheney.
Sudbeck took 1st Overall Undergraduate Score in the individual awards. Sudbeck was also the individual event winner for written calibration problems and Duerksen was the individual event winner for identification of herbicide symptomology. The team also placed 1st in the Undergraduate Team Sprayer Calibration Event.
Members of the second undergraduate team (all from Kansas) were Jace Bowen, junior from Topeka; Trent Frye, senior from Belleville; and Peter Bergkamp, sophomore from Cheney.
K-State also had the 3rd place Graduate Team among all graduate student teams, with the following members: Jeffrey Albers, Oakley; Garrison Gundy, Halstead; Larry Joe Rains, Harrisonville, Missouri; and Nathaniel Thompson, Manhattan. Albers won the Farmer Problem solving event. All were from Kansas except Rains.
Coaches were Anita Dille, Kevin Donnelly, and Dallas Peterson, professors of agronomy.
Crops Team wins 2017 National Championship
The Kansas State University Crops Team achieved the title of national champions by winning both the Kansas City American Royal Collegiate Crops Contest on Nov. 14 and the Chicago Collegiate Crops Contest on Nov. 18. K-State teams have now won the collegiate crops contest championship in fifteen of the past nineteen years. This was the ninth straight win for K-State in the Chicago contest, surpassing the previous record of eight set by the University of Minnesota from 1969-1976.
K-State 2017 Collegiate Crops Team (l to r): Dr. Kevin Donnelly (coach), Kaylin Fink, Tyler Marr, Keren Duerksen, Trent Frye, Nathan Ryan, Noah Winans, Rebecca Zach, Wes Jennings, Sarah Zerger (asst. coach)
Official members of the K-State team were Keren Duerksen, Newton, junior in agronomy, Kaylin Fink, Chapman, junior in agronomy, and Nathan Ryan, Louisburg, MO, sophomore in agronomy. Alternate contestants were agronomy majors Rebecca Zach, Morrowville, sophomore, Westley Jennings, Salina, sophomore, Tyler Marr, Formosa, senior, Trent Frye, Belleville, senior, and Noah Winans, Tekonsha, MI, sophomore.
In both contests, the K-State team took first place in the plant and seed identification phase of the contest and placed second in seed analysis. In grain grading, they were first at Chicago and second at Kansas City. At Chicago, Keren Duerksen was the first place individual overall. Kaylin Fink finished in third place overall, and Nathan Ryan was fifth overall. At Kansas City, Nathan Ryan was the top individual overall, where he won the grain grading component with a perfect score. Keren Duerksen was the second place individual overall, and Kaylin Fink placed fifth overall.
The team was coached by Kevin Donnelly, K-State professor of agronomy. Sarah Zerger, agronomy senior from Cheney, was the assistant coach.
In the contests, participants are required to identify 200 different plant or seed samples of crops and weeds; grade eight different samples of grain according to Federal Grain Inspection Service standards; and analyze ten seed samples to determine what contaminants they contain.
In the last newsletter we reported that the Agronomy Education Center, to be built on the Agronomy Farm just north of the main K-State campus, was within reach. Much has happened since then and we are excited to announce that the project is moving ahead. We have an architect, the final design is set, drawings are complete and in review by the state, and we should be able to bid the project this summer. Fund raising has been somewhat successful but we are still in need of some resources, as explained at the end of this article.
What will the Agronomy Education Center look like?
The Center will have two classrooms, a large exhibit hall, restrooms, and a foyer. The classrooms would be equipped with the latest audio/visual technology. An instructor would have access to as good, or better technology there as they do on campus.
Figure 1. Final floor plan of the Agronomy Education Center.
Figure 2. Elevation view of the Agronomy Education Center.
Why is the Agronomy Education Center needed?
The Agronomy Farm has always had an educational mission, but the farm lacks a dedicated facility for such activities.
The distinguished professors are appointed following a university-wide nomination and evaluation process conducted by the provost. “Our newest university distinguished professors are exceptional in their fields and have demonstrated the highest levels of scholarship,” said April Mason, university provost and senior vice president. “With such scholars leading the way, we continue toward our goal of becoming a Top 50 public research university by 2025.”
Kirkham is an international authority on the plant-water relations of winter wheat and the uptake of heavy metals by crops grown on polluted soil. She was the first researcher to document the effects of elevated levels of carbon dioxide on crops grown under semiarid conditions. She also conducts research on the effects of gravity on plants.
Kirkham came to Kansas State University in 1980. Her research has been supported by organizations such as the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy, the Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Office Water Research and Technology.
She has contributed to more than 300 articles in scientific publications, has written three textbooks and has edited four books. She has served on the editorial board for 21 journals, including Soil Science and the Journal of Crop Improvement.
Kirkham is a fellow of the American Society of Agronomy, the Soil Science Society of America, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Crop Science Society of America, and the Royal Meteorological Society.
She was recognized with the Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences in 2017. She also has received the Carl Sprengel Agronomic Research Award from the American Society of Agronomy and the 2010 Crop Science Research Award. In 2013, she received the Irvin E. Youngberg Award in Applied Science, one of the Higuchi-University of Kansas Endowment Research Achievement Awards. At Kansas State University, she received the 2010 Dr. Ron and Rae Iman Outstanding Faculty Award for Research.
Before coming to Kansas State University, Kirkham held appointments at Oklahoma State University and the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She earned a doctorate and a master’s degree in botany from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from Wellesley College.
In the last year, Agronomy faculty members have accumulated numerous awards at all levels: college-wide, regionally, nationally, and internationally. A small selection of these outstanding accomplishments are outlined below:
J. Anita Dille, professor of weed science, was awarded the 2018 Outstanding Teacher Award from the Weed Science Society of America. To be eligible for this award, the nominee must be currently active in teaching weed science. Dille’s teaching responsibilities include three undergraduate courses as well as a graduate course in weed ecology. She also plays an active role in undergraduate advising and has advised 16 M.S. and 7 Ph.D. graduate students. Her research program focuses on the biology and ecology of key weed species and evaluating integrated and site-specific weed managements programs for Kansas cropping systems.
Kevin Donnelly, professor of agronomy, received the 2017 Murray Brown Leadership Award from the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture (NACTA). This award recognizes one member each year for a distinguished and sustained record of NACTA leadership. Donnelly has been the Central Regional director and president of NACTA, and is currently the NACTA historian. He was the NACTA Judging Conference liason for many years, and recently chaired the planning committee for the 2017 Judging Conference hosted by K-State.
Colby Moorberg, assistant professor of soil science, received the 2017 Outstanding Service Award from the Soil and Water Conservation Society. The Outstanding Service Award is given to society members in recognition of distinguished service in helping the society to develop and carry out its program over a long and sustained period of time. In honoring Moorberg with this award, the society stated that he has advanced soil and water conservation efforts through recruitment to and development of student chapters of the society, community outreach and educating the next generation of conservationists.
Clenton Owensby, professor of range management, received the 2018 Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award from the Society of Range Management. Owensby instructs both undergraduate and graduate students in courses dealing with range management.
Michel “Mickey” Ransom, professor of soil classification and interim department head, received a 2018 Educator Award (formerly Fellow) from the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture (NACTA). One of the central purposes of NACTA is to recognize those individuals whose efforts represent the very best in agricultural higher education.
Charles “Chuck” Rice, university distinguished professor, has been recognized for his lifelong commitment to international advancement in soil improvement and cultural exchanges. During the fall of 2017, he was awarded the International Agronomy Award from the American Society of Agronomy and the International Soil Science Award from the Soil Science Society of America. The International Agronomy Award recognizes outstanding contributions in research, teaching, extension, or administration made outside the U.S. by a current agronomist. The International Soil Science Award is bestowed on an individual for their outstanding contributions to soil science on the international scene.
Dr. Rice also received the 2017 Hugh Hammond Bennett Award from the Soil and Water Conservation Society. This is the highest honor that can be received by an individual from the Society. It recognizes national and international accomplishments in the conservation of soil, water, and related natural resources.
Since our last Agronomy alumni newsletter in July 2017, the department had bade farewell to three valuable members as they reached their retirements.
Curtis R. Thompson, Professor and Weed Science Specialist
Curtis Thompson, Professor and Agronomy Extension State Leader, will conclude his tenure in the Department of Agronomy on July 18, 2018. He has 25 years of professional service to Kansas State University, The College of Agriculture, and Kansas State Research and Extension, with 40 years total in the work force.
Curtis R. Thompson
Curtis grew up on a diversified farm in north central North Dakota. After earning a bachelor’s degree from North Dakota State University in 1978, he was employed as a research technician in weed science at NDSU while working on and attaining a master’s degree in 1983. He served as a research agronomist from 1982 to 1989 at the NDSU North Central Research and Extension Center in Minot, ND. Thompson moved on to graduate school in August 1989 and worked as a technician in weed science at the University of Idaho while working on and attaining a PhD in Plant Science in 1993.
Thompson began his tenure with K-State on July 18, 1993 at the Southwest Research Extension Center, Garden City as Assistant Professor and the Crops and Soils Extension Specialist responsible for Agronomic programing in Southwest Kansas. Curtis thoroughly enjoyed working directly with Ag Agents and Farmers conducting applied research and doing extension work. He moved through the ranks attaining Associate and Full Professor and served in this position for almost 15 years.
In 2008, Curtis moved to the Manhattan campus to assume the duties of Professor and Extension and Research Specialist in Weed Science in the Department of Agronomy. He focused on weed management in grain sorghum and corn as well as focusing on herbicide-resistant weed management, especially kochia and Palmer amaranth. Over the years, Thompson’s efforts have led to the registration of several herbicides in corn, sorghum, and sunflower. Thompson and colleagues developed strategies for controlling glyphosate resistant kochia in western Kansas. Thompson discovered the first HPPD-resistant Palmer amaranth in the U.S. and has worked with Dr. Mithila Jugulam, weed physiologist in Agronomy, to unravel the resistance mysteries.
Thompson has served as the State Extension Leader for Agronomy since July 2012. Thompson has been recognized by his peers, receiving the Fellow award from the American Society of Agronomy and the North Central Weed Science Society.
During the early part of Thompson’s career, Curtis married his wife, Meri and they have three children: Keilah (spouse Anna), Krista (spouse Joshua), and Ryan (spouse Dawn) and nine grandchildren.
Gary L. Cramer, Agronomist-in-Charge, South Central Experiment Field
The Department of Agronomy and the College of Agriculture recognize Gary Cramer for 15 years of professional service to Kansas State University.
Cramer received his bachelor’s degree in agricultural ecology in 1973 from Northwestern State College, Alva, Oklahoma. In 1975, he received his master’s degree in agronomy from Oklahoma State University, Stillwater. He went on to complete a doctorate in weed science in 1980 from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln.
Dr. Anita Dille will serve as the Assistant Head for Teaching, effective on June 27, 2018. She will continue in her current position as professor of weed ecology but will assume the additional responsibilities of coordinating the teaching, undergraduate academic advising, and academic service activities for the department.
Dr. Anita Dille
Kathy Gehl rejoined the department in late summer 2017 as the new Extension eUpdate editor, replacing long-time editor Steve Watson upon his retirement. She also serves as the Extension Program Coordinator for the Great Plains Grazing project, a multi-university collaboration to adapt grazing strategies to changing conditions in the Southern Great Plains. Kathy received her M.S. in Agronomy at K-State in 2003 under the direction of University Distinguished Professor, Chuck Rice.
Faculty Departures
Dr. Doug Shoup, associate professor and the Southeast Area Crops and Soils Specialist, served his last day at K-State on June 29, 2018. Doug completed all three of his degrees in the Department of Agronomy at K-State and served in his position as the Southeast Area Crops and Soils Specialist for ten years. The department and K-State will greatly miss Dr. Shoup and wish him well as he continues to farm and consult in east central Kansas.
Dr. Antonio “Ray” Asebedo, assistant professor specializing in precision agriculture, resigned his faculty position effective July 1, 2018, to pursue other opportunities. The department thanks Dr. Asebedo for his service to the department and wishes him well in his future endeavors.
Dr. Anserd “A.J.” Foster, assistant professor and the Southwest Area Crops and Soils Specialist, resigned his position at the end of June 2018. He served in his role of area agronomist for three years. The department wishes A.J. and his family well as they relocate to Washington.
