Research Project Archive

Summary Crop diseases are a constant problem in agricultural production fields across Texas.  Several soilborne pathogens of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) and corn (Zea mays) are endemic problems across Texas but especially in South Texas.  Two of the primary soilborne pathogens of sorghum are sorghum downy mildew (Peronosclerospora sorghi) and head smut (Sporosorium reilianum).  Long term...

Recent advances in remote sensing and Artificial Intelligence (AI), allows to quantify field scale phenotypic information accurately and integrate the big data into predictive and prescriptive management tools. This program focuses on the use of recent technological advances in remote sensing and AI to improve the resilience of agricultural systems, which present a unique opportunity...

Our crop physiology program focuses on understanding ways in which plant physiological processes are integrated to cause whole plant responses under field conditions and how these processes can be manipulated to improve the management of crops. It focus in understanding the dynamics of the mass and energy balance of crops. More specifically, optimizing the balance between canopy light capture and biomass...

Aquaculture is one of the fastest-growing agricultural sectors globally and already accounts for more than half of the seafood produced globally each year. However, unlike most other agricultural sectors, many important species in aquaculture have not been domesticated and improved relative to wild populations. Our research involves selective breeding – the process by which important...

Forage Agronomy research at the Corpus Christi center is focused on systems with the goal of enhancing resource use efficiency. Resource use efficiency can be improved through management, including integrating legumes or agricultural co-products into animal, food, and fiber systems. This research has resulted in greater adoption of conservation agriculture in the south Texas region.

The Field Crops Entomology Program works with industry, Research, Extension, and education partners. Given the large-scale and low-input nature of field crop agroecosystems and ongoing pest invasions affecting U.S. agriculture, goals have been two-fold: developing sustainable and area-wide approaches to managing pests in agroecosystems, and increasing understanding of plant-insect-natural enemy interactions and pest regulation that...

The beef industry is the largest revenue generating commodity in Texas and contains all segments of the beef industry in the United States (i.e., seedstock, cow/calf, stocker/feedlot, packer, and consumers). The annual volume of cattle in the Texas beef industry is strongly supported by the number of cows in the cow/calf segment, which was 4.69...