Extension Plant Sciences Contributing Faculty
♦ Robert Flynn | Associate Professor Agronomy and Soils / Superintendent
Expertise:
Soil testing and interpretations, soil health, water management, crop production, management of salinity, and sodicity, crop response to the environment.
Interdisciplinary Collaboration Areas:
- Adapting to Climate Variability
- Produced & Brackish Water Utilization
- Science & Agriculture Literacy and Consumer Education
- Soil Health
- Sustainable Water Systems
♦ Gill Giese| Extension Viticulture Specialist
Expertise:
Viticulture, enology, grape and wine compositional quality, cover crops and soil health, nematodes and other biotic factors that impact grape and wine compositional quality, water use and irrigation efficiency
Interdisciplinary Collaboration Areas:
- Adapting to Climate Variability
- Agriculture and Culinary Tourism
- Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy
- Nutraceutical and Functional Foods
- Science & Agriculture Literacy and Consumer Education
- Soil Health
- Sustainable Water Systems
- Value-added Agribusiness & Ag Supply Chain Entrepreneurship
♦ Richard Heerema | Extension Pecan Specialist
Expertise:
Horticulture, tree fruit and nut production systems, environmental stress physiology of orchard trees, irrigation and water relations of pecan, pecan orchard light management, flowering and alternate bearing of pecan and pistachio.
Interdisciplinary Collaboration Areas:
- Adapting to Climate Variability
- Sustainable Water Systems
♦ John Idowu | Extension Agronomist/Associate Professor
Expertise:
Soil Health; Soil Tillage; Crop Production
Interdisciplinary Collaboration Areas:
- Soil Health
♦ Bernd Leinauer | Professor
Expertise:
Turfgrass, Irrigation, Water Quality, Soil, Salinity, Water use efficiency
Interdisciplinary Collaboration Areas:
- Tourism
- Produced & Brackish Water Utilization
- Soil Health
- Sustainable Water Systems
♦ Marisa Y. Thompson, PhD | NMSU Extension Horticulture Specialist
Expertise:
Urban horticulture, landscape ornamentals, xeriscaping, backyard fruits and vegetables, urban trees/forests, mitigating effects of climate change through sustainable planting, water-wise gardening, and supporting wildlife habitats
Interdisciplinary Collaboration Areas:
- Adapting to Climate Variability
- Agriculture and Culinary Tourism
- Food Security
- Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy
- Nutraceutical and Functional Foods
- Science & Agriculture Literacy and Consumer Education
- Soil Health
- Sustainable Water Systems
- Value-added Agribusiness & Ag Supply Chain Entrepreneurship
♦ Stephanie J. Walker | Extension Vegetable Specialist
Expertise:
Chile pepper processing, variety selection and mechanization. Sustainable vegetable production techniques including season extension, irrigation efficiency, crop rotation, companion planting, and cover crops. Vegetable breeding and seed saving.
Interdisciplinary Collaboration Areas:
- Adapting to Climate Variability
- Agriculture and Culinary Tourism
- Food Safety
- Food Security
- Nutraceutical and Functional Foods
- Soil Health
- Specialty Meat and Produce Markets