Iowa State University - College of Agriculture and Life Sciences’ Post

[Comparing Crop Science with Agronomy in Nigerian Varsities] Importance of Agriculture in Nigerian Universities Agriculture is a cornerstone in Nigerian universities, shaping . . . https://lnkd.in/d_5vkvnY

"The Internet is not a place to put up your personal information as they are not meant for public consumption." This is a popular cliché. Yet how will the world know me & what I am about if don't share? This was evident in my last conversation on LinkedIn with Uchechukwu Chidiebere, who was my level mate during our undergraduate studies. Surprisingly, Uche did not know I had a master degree..... 🙄 Well story for another day. My name is Paul Mbonu, I studied Agronomy with specialisation in Soil Fertility & Testing (MSc., University of Ibadan). Aside from being born into a farming family, I possess a field experience in Agronomy. Currently, I'm a Farmers' Livelihood Trainer, an AgriTech Project Manager, and Climate Action Expert. My long-term goal is to become a researcher and an educator in my field. Joining LinkedIn was crucial for me as I aimed at connecting with organizations & individuals who share information about educational opportunities & career advice like Amaka. Now you know me, don't hesitate bring helpful opportunities my way 😊 Let's connect if you have similar background & interest like mine 🤝 Day 2: #elevateyourprofessionalpresencewith_Amaka #introduction #professionaljourney

🌿 Cultivating Excellence in Horticulture and Agronomy 🌿 I’m proud to have been mentored by some of the brightest minds at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, including Prof. Albert Modi, Prof. Asanda Mditshwa, Prof. Lembe Samkelo Magwaza, Prof. Samson Tesfay, and Prof. Issa Bertling. They didn’t just teach theory—they shaped me into a problem solver and a proactive scientist. My academic journey, with a BSc in Crop and Horticultural Sciences and an Honours in Horticultural Sciences, gave me a strong foundation in modules like Advanced Seed Technology, Soil Science, and Crop Protection. My honours project on strawberry propagation taught me valuable lessons in growing medium formulation and propagation techniques that apply to a wide range of species. At Blackwood's Nursery, one of KwaZulu-Natal’s leading nurseries, I worked with over 1,000 plant species, gaining hands-on experience in plant propagation, nursery management, and plant health care products. I was mentored by industry veterans with over 15 years of experience, honing my skills in everything from seed technology to disease diagnosis. I also worked with DARLLD as an Agricultural Assistant Practitioner, where I applied my knowledge to help farmers improve their practices. My diverse experiences—from academic research to real-world problem solving—have made me a well-rounded horticulturist and agronomist. I’m eager to bring my expertise to new challenges. Let’s connect and explore how we can work together to advance agricultural innovation and success. #Horticulture #Agronomy #SustainableAgriculture #PlantPropagation #NurseryManagement

Attention Kansas sorghum growers . . . "similar to 2023, there appears to be a potential for high chinch bug infestation into seedling sorghum in areas of south central Kansas," according to Brent Bean, Ph.D., Sorghum Checkoff Director of Agronomy. "Growers are reporting high numbers of chinch bugs in harvest wheat fields. These chinch bugs have the potential to move into newly planted sorghum fields." Learn more from Bean and how to protect your crop here: https://ow.ly/1Byx50Sr1NP

Do we need GM #traits? I think the answer to this is, no. There will be no shortage of arguments to the contrary, but when you whittle it down, the short answer is, no and we never did. What we have is a lack of education on the subject and powerhouse marketing backed by billions of dollars. Average corn yield since the introduction of GM traits in #corn has nothing to do with traits but genetics and better management techniques. Hybrid corn has only been around since the 1930's (agry.purdue.edu) and if you know about breeding, it takes a long time to develop new inbreds. For a rough timeline, if you began a breeding pool in 1930 you would have roughly 10 generations of development. It stands to reason that the increase in yield is due to genetic improvement. Couple that with the study of agronomics and you have your explanation for #yield improvement. Traits have nothing to do with yield improvement even though, initially, we were told they would. Single mode traits can protect yield, but don't add. Stacked traits, generally, do the opposite and come with a known yield drag. The trait providers will argue to the contrary, however, independent studies will prove this to be a fact (https://lnkd.in/gK7jqFis). When traits were introduced in the 1990's, there was no known yield drag and they were used to protect yield against weed pressure and insect pressure. Now, those single traits are very hard to find. Finding a glyphosate tolerant only hybrid or a hybrid with a single insect trait are notoriously shy in today's market. This severely limits the options to today's Independent seed companies and today's farmers. Now, the options are double or triple stacked traits running anywhere from $230-415/unit. Assuming a unit plants 2.3 acres, that's $100-180/acre just in seed cost. So why are single mode traits so hard to come by? Simple; the patents expired. The major trait companies have lost the ability to monetize these traits now that they will be available on the open market. You can expect to see lower cost glyphosate tolerant only hybrids pop up and some already have. Stine corn openly markets off-patent glyphosate tolerant hybrids as StineGT and StineGT+(https://lnkd.in/gJw-HnaW). Another reason for a major push of traited hybrids is that the trait providers are also the providers of the chemicals used in conjunction with the traited varieties. Insect trait efficacy is dwindling, weeds are becoming glyphosate tolerant and more inputs needed for control pests on top of the expense of the trait that's supposed to be designed to negate the need for said inputs. If you pay for an insect trait and still in-furrow/spray insecticide for control, then you aren't saving the input costs the trait was designed to eliminate. Furthermore, the per acre cost of the trait vs the per acre cost of insecticide are fathoms apart. If the trait was supposed to mitigate cost and increase ROI then I believe farmers are due an explanation.

Agronomy, why it’s an essential field in modern agriculture https://lnkd.in/dzFUf4Ei

Business & Agronomy Skills for Your Team Is your team strong in farm business knowledge, but need some help with agronomy - or vice versa? Planfarm Academy provides professional development to your business to help your team improve their skills in the area that they need the most. Developed in Western Australia by our Business Consultants, Agronomists, and Grain Marketers, with some outside help from Lawyers, Accountants, Bankers, and People Development experts. We present exactly what you need and can tailor a course to your needs. Course Delivery Our Planfarm Academy courses run as a flipped classroom model where you watch videos on the content, and then we get together in digital meetings with a panel from the Planfarm team to discuss the concepts. It’s a great opportunity to interact with the specialists in the field and ask them questions you really need answered. We offer lifetime access to our content, and you’re invited to attend the panel sessions again in the future. Business of Farming Course The Business of Farming course is designed and developed by Planfarm and it is a proven pathway to success. Created from the ground up, this course covers the absolute fundamentals of farming and farm business as well as covering the important areas of human resource development, tax, and legal. Agronomy of Farming Course Developed by Planfarm’s Agronomy team, the course ensures that participants take a deep dive on the most critical aspects of this discipline and leave with a high level of both confidence and capability. This course not only covers the in-depth principles of crop and pasture agronomy but also proven, best practice farming methods that will create the difference between Agronomy of Farming course graduates (you), and the rest. Get started now: https://lnkd.in/g6SKMGhh

👏 Agronomy | Feature Papers in Section “Precision and Digital Agriculture” https://lnkd.in/dwerNQb9 #precisionagriculture #digitalagriculture #remotesensing #deeplearning

Syngenta unifies agronomy tools: Introducing myField app for streamlined potato crop management

GRAINCO FS Launches myFS Agronomy for Enhanced Data-Driven Decision Making Read more here -> https://lnkd.in/eF2-MNjz #igrownews #igrownagribusinessnews