Funded Projects
2026
| Emily Holm | Identifying Reliable Predictors of Cold Tolerance and Winter Survival in Barley | $74,987 |
| David Mota-Sanchez | Assessing insecticide resistance of obliquebanded leafroller populations in Michigan apples | $120,000 |
| Hatem Rouached | Uncovering Molecular Mechanisms of Iron Transport and Accumulation in Soybeans | $60,000 |
| Keith Mason | Development of Enviroweather Bloom Models for Michigan Beekeepers and Fruit Growers | $42,712 |
| James Moran | Nitrogen dynamics of various N sources and 15N stable isotope fate in potato | $120,000 |
| Joshua Miranda Teo | Demonstrating Best Management Practices for Herbicide Resistance in Asparagus | $65,873 |
| Ehsan Ghane | Validating and Optimizing the All‑New DrainTool to Maximize Profitability of Subsurface Drainage for Michigan Crop Production | $60,000 |
| Joshua Miranda Teo | Reducing Chemical Footprints: Smart Sprayers and Electrical Weed Control for Regenerative Blueberry and Apple Production | $120,000 |
| Younsuk Dong | Improving Irrigation Efficiency Using the MSU SURE System Evaluation Mobile App | $80,000 |
| Martin Chilvers | Tracking Fungicide Resistance in Wheat Foliar Pathogens to Inform Michigan’s Disease Management Programs | $120,000 |
| Jiming Jiang | Development of transgene-free cold chipping potato cultivars by targeted mutation of the cold-responsive enhancer of vacuolar invertase gene | $120,000 |
| Younsuk Dong | Improving Climate Adaptation in Nursery and Christmas Tree Production Using Selection and Irrigation Strategies | $119,998 |
| Jeffrey Barrick | Tracking bacterial pathogens spread by honey bee hive pests | $120,000 |
| Michelle Hulin | Elucidating the role of phage movement in the microbiome during cherry canker disease | $120,000 |
| Maninderpal Singh | Adaptive management strategies for maximizing corn and soybean yield and profits for Michigan growers | $60,000 |
| Lisa Tiemann | Identifying Michigan soil microalgae to build mesic biocrusts and promote soil health in row crop agriculture | $21,177 |
| Mason McNair | Building Michigan’s Ag‑Tech Workforce: Applied Training for the Next Generation | $80,000 |
| Abigail Cohen | Forecasting aphid-vectored pathogen risk in Northern Michigan potato production | $120,000 |
| Anders Huseth | Validating seedcorn maggot flight models in Michigan soybean | $120,000 |
| Mary Hausbeck | Discovery of Fusarium Race 4 in Michigan Threatens the Celery Industry | $117,688 |
| Anders Huseth | Predicting within-field soybean pest and pathogen incidence using NISAR remote sensing data | $120,000 |
| Sarah Lebeis | Impact of long-term use of soybean biological products on efficacy and soil health | $60,000 |
| Meghan Milbrath | Evaluation of miticide treatments to prevent summer brood disease and colony loss in honey bees | $119,995 |
| Addie Thompson | Expanding SNP Marker Resources for Predicting Nitrogen Responsiveness in Maize Hybrids | $60,000 |
| Josh Vanderweide | Identifying top-performers in shelf-life, consumer liking, and purchase intent from Michigan blueberry variety trial | $120,000 |
| Jaime Willbur | Characterization of Alternaria species to inform foliar disease management in Michigan | $120,000 |
| George Sundin | Advanced strategies to induce plant defense for management of the shoot blight phase of fire blight in apple trees of varying ages | $120,000 |
| Daniel Morris | Enhancing autonomy and precision for improved mechanical weed management in vegetable crops | $120,000 |
| Daniel Uyeh | Farm-Specific Forecasts: Low-cost site-based sensing that expands access to weather models and increases precision management | $120,000 |
| Daniel Uyeh | Automated Apple Culling and Cataloguing to Mitigate Labor Challenges and Contamination in Packing Operations | $100,000 |
| Carlos Garcia-Salazar | A Comprehensive (English/Spanish) Blueberry “Second Stage” IPM Scout Training Program: Tools to Manage Climate Variability, Environmental Regulations, and Reduce Pesticide Exposure | $80,000 |
2025
| Amin Joodaky | Advancing Sustainable Apple Packaging Design: Multi-Axis Vibration and Drop Testing with Machine Learning to Mitigate Post-Harvest Damage |
| Martin Chilvers | Novel Strategies for Monitoring Fungicide Resistance in the Biotrophic Corn Pathogen Phyllachora maydis |
| Christopher Long | Improving the economic sustainability of Michigan potato producers by determining the optimal in-row seed spacing and seed piece depth for three commercial chip processing varieties Bliss, Lamoka and Mackinaw. |
| Mary Hausbeck | Practical solutions to manage powdery mildew of squash and pumpkins |
| Julianna Wilson | Improved Management of Woolly Apple Aphids in Michigan |
| Maninderpal Singh | Short- vs tall-stature corn: optimizing row spacing and seeding rate for Michigan growers |
| Jaime Willbur | Characterization of postharvest potato pathogens to improve and inform management efforts |
| Pratima Devkota | Investigating the Physiological and Molecular Responses of Prunus Rootstocks to Wounding and Armillaria solidipes |
| David Douches | INTROGRESSION AND PYRAMIDING OF NOVEL GENES FOR DIPLOID POTATO BREEDING |
| Randolph Beaudry | Understanding and Controlling Lenticel Breakdown in Apples |
| Angela Chen | Enhancing microbial disease protection and value-added byproducts in cherries through plant-derived nanoparticles |
| Younsuk Dong | Advancing Agricultural Innovation and Sustainability through the Testing Agricultural Performance Solutions (TAPS) Program |
| Younsuk Dong | Optimizing Irrigation Techniques to Increase Climate Resilience of Blueberry Production |
| Younsuk Dong | Strengthening MSU’s Irrigation Extension Program to Provide Improved Resources to Growers |
| J Sirrine | Specialty Cropportunities: An online tool supporting Michigan producers' crop selection and diversification efforts |
| Meghan Milbrath | Indoor overwintering as a practical and effective way to manage varroa mites and other honey bee diseases. |
| Christine Sprunger | Redefining Sustainable Soil Management: Diversifying Soil Food Webs for Resilient Agroecosystems |
| Yuzhen Lu | In-field, Non-destructive Detection of Spotted Wing Drosophila in Blueberry Fruit using Hyperspectral Imaging |
| Mary Hausbeck | Protecting Michigan's Pickling Cucumber Industry Through Enhanced Pathogen Detection |
| Jiyoon Yi | Integrating field sensor data with machine learning to model Phytophthora dynamics and optimize anaerobic soil disinfestation |
| Rodney Fernandez | Commercial-scale woodchip bioreactors for agrochemical removal from recycled water for irrigation at a wholesale Michigan greenhouse |
| Eric Patterson | CATS: A one-stop-shop for TSR mutation detection in all major herbicide resistance genes and weed species |
| Olivia Smith | NESTS: Network for Evaluating System Tradeoffs of Songbirds |
| Rufus Isaacs | Translating blueberry pollination research into changes in grower and beekeeper actions |
| Esmaeil Nasrollahiazar | Michigan Grapevine Freezing Tolerance Prediction Model: Enhancing Sustainability in the Grape and Wine Industry |
| Esmaeil Nasrollahiazar | Enhancing Michigan's Grape and Wine Industry: MSU Extension Education Programs for 2025–2026 |
| Martin Chilvers | Enhanced Strategies for Managing White Mold: Integrating Remote Sensing, Optimal Fungicide Timing, and Resistance Monitoring |
| Martin Chilvers | Advancing Oak Wilt Management: Outreach and Demonstration of Diagnostic Techniques |
| Ryan Warner | Evaluating a potential novel regulator of vegetative development rate in petunia |
| Maninderpal Singh | Sustainable intensification: Optimizing management decisions for profitable and resilient double cropping systems in Michigan |
| Erik Runkle | Developing water vapor-pressure deficit guidelines for ornamental and vegetable transplant production |
| Safa Alzohairy | Empowering Michigan Growers for Pesticide Changes and Application Compliance |
| Christy Sprague | Integrating cultural practices for weed management in dry edible beans |
| George Sundin | Fungicide sensitivity/resistance? Analysis of SDHI fungicide phenotype, genotype and alternate controls for the apple scab (Venturia inaequalis) and brown rot (Monilinia fructicola) pathogens |
| Emily Lavely | Evaluation of potential new and economically viable apple varieties for use in Michigan commercial orchards |
| Emily Merewitz Holm | Winter recovery management strategies for cool-season turfgrasses |
| Deborah McCullough | Evaluating the Life Cycle and Control Options for Balsam Woolly Adelgid, a New Invasive Forest Pest in Michigan |
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