My research program is focused on soil productivity and profitability in sustainable and organic cropping systems. Research initiatives include linking soil health indicators to productive agroecosystems, mitigation of soil greenhouse gas emissions, soil carbon sequestration and nutrient management of inorganic fertilizers, organic amendments and cover crops.

Current Studies

  1. Developing a continuous monitoring protocol for nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide emissions rate at the Center of Environmental Farming Systems Linking microbial communities in organic farming systems to nitrous oxide emissions.
  2. Defining soil carbon sequestration rates and soil health metrics in low fertility Southeast soils with cover crops and organic amendments.
  3. Improving soil water storage with high residue cover crops in sandy soils

5. Evaluating benefits of winter annual cover crop systems for organic sweetpotato in North Carolina

6. The use of Polyhalite as a potassium fertilizer for sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) production in North Carolina