Area of Expertise: Agroecology, soil nutrient and heavy metal cycling, pathogen biocontrol, food quality and safety

Education:

• PhD, Soil Microbiology and Biochemistry, Washington State University
• MS, Agroecology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
• BS, Environmental Science, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Research program: 

Diversifying agricultural systems with high-value specialty crops such as fruits, vegetables and herbs, and integrating production of these crops into urban cores can provide new sources of income, improve human health and well-being, and bring broad environmental benefits. Realizing these benefits can be challenging, however, due to factors that include soils which are highly degraded and/or contaminated with heavy metals and other pollutants, plant and food-borne pathogens that are constantly evolving and becoming more persistent and virulent, and a rapidly changing climate. My lab aims to address these challenges by identifying practical approaches to manipulate and manage soil and plant microbiomes. Soil microbial communities regulate many key agroecosystem services including carbon sequestration, nutrient and heavy metal cycling, pollutant detoxification and pathogen suppression. Some soil microbes can also interact closely with plants to help them acquire resources, withstand biotic and abiotic stress, and alter the nutritional quality and safety of produce. Consequently, by identifying mechanisms mediating the evolution, composition and activity of beneficial plant-soil-microbial relationships, we can identify new more sustainable approaches to deal with crop production challenges and help ensure the long-term success of local food systems. 

Additional insights about my research, teaching and engagement program and introductions to all the great people contributing to these efforts can be found on the Hoagland Lab Website: www.purdue.edu/hla/sites/hoaglandlab.