Theses and dissertations, 2024–2025
May 26, 2026
For more than 30 years, ASA, CSSA, and SSSA have published thesis and dissertation titles of graduates in the agronomic, crop, soil, and related environmental science disciplines. This year, we received 80 submissions from 52 universities. See the list.
For more than 30 years, ASA, CSSA, and SSSA have published thesis and dissertation titles of graduates in the agronomic, crop, soil, and related environmental science disciplines. This year, we received 80 submissions from 52 universities. Congratulations to all of our master’s and Ph.D. graduates. We encourage you to take full advantage of membership in the Societies as you pursue your professional careers. Your hard work, dedication, and perseverance has paid off, and an exciting career in our sciences now begins. ASA, CSSA, and SSSA are here for you every step of the way!
Name | Institution | Degree date | Advisers | Thesis/dissertation title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Doctorate Degrees in Agronomic Science Fields | ||||
ASA Agronomic Production Systems Section | ||||
| Arinaitwe, Unius | Virginia Tech | 12/10/2024 | H. W. Frame, W. E. Thomason, M. S. Reiter | Optimizing Corn and Cotton Performance with Adaptive Management Systems and Subsurface Drip Irrigation in the Mid-Atlantic USA. |
| Bedwell, Dr. Emily | Univ. of Georgia | 5/9/2025 | G. Vellidis | Developing a Data-Driven Decision Support Tool to Enhance Irrigation Water Use Efficiency and Fresh Market Quality of Sweet Corn in the Southeastern United States. |
| Chakrabarty, Swapan | Auburn Univ. | 12/14/2024 | R. Prasad | Cover Crop Management and Nutrient Type Effects on Collard and Cotton Growth. |
| Huang, Jiamin | North Dakota State Univ. | 8/8/2025 | A. Green, C. Keene | Spring Wheat Yield, Quality and Economics Under Varying Levels of Management Intensity. |
| Karn, Rupak | Auburn Univ. | 12/14/2024 | R. Prasad | Evaluation of Broiler Litter as a Nitrogen Source for Corn and Cotton Production in Alabama. |
| Serr, Katy | Texas Tech Univ. | 12/14/2024 | W. Guo | Application of Precision Agriculture Technologies for Sustainable Crop Management in the Southern High Plains. |
| Shay, Nicholas | Univ. of Georgia | 12/7/2024 | E. P. Prostko | Evaluation of Herbicide Tolerance and Efficacy Across Georgia Agronomic Production Systems. |
| Taaime, Nawal | Univ. of California-Davis | 7/25/2024 | M. El Gharous | Sustainable Agronomic Practices for the Cultivation of Quinoa in Morocco: Planting Date, Organic and Mineral Fertilization. |
| Dias de Oliveira, Gabriel | Federal Univ. of Parana | 5/11/2025 | F. L. Cuquel | Nutrient Dynamics and Zinc Addition in Shiitake and Gray Oyster Mushroom Cultivation. |
ASA Climatology and Modeling Section | ||||
| Acharya, Bibek | Univ. of Florida | 8/14/2024 | V. Sharma | Assessing Nitrogen and Water Transport in a Rotational Production System: Monitoring and Modeling for Water Quality Management. |
| Jensen, Joseph | Colorado State Univ. | 8/2/2024 | J. Chávez | Optimizing Remote Sensing Data for Actual Crop Evapotranspiration Mapping at Different Resolutions. |
ASA Environmental Quality Section | ||||
| Olivo, Agustin | Cornell Univ. | 8/31/2024 | Q. Ketterings | Evaluation and Dissemination of Systems Analysis Tools and Performance Indicators to Improve Environmental Outcomes of New York Dairies. |
ASA Global Agronomy Section | ||||
| Johnson, Jean-Martial | Univ. of Bonn | 10/10/2024 | M. Becker | Effects of Alternate Wetting and Drying Irrigation on Rice Productivity in Burkina Faso. |
| Junaid, Muhammad Bilawal | King Saud Univ. | 10/17/2024 | S. El-Sayed El-Hendawy, I. M. I. Al-Ashkar, N. A. Al-Suhaibani | Assessment of the Salt Tolerance of Wheat Genotypes Based in Agro-Physiological Traits, Spectral Reflectance Indices, and Molecular Markers. |
ASA Land Management and Conservation Section | ||||
| Gruener, Chandler | Univ. of Georgia | 8/5/2024 | M. Levi | Impacts of a White Clover 'Living Mulch' on Soil Health and Fertility in Some Georgia Cropping Systems. |
Doctorate Degrees in Crop Science Fields | ||||
C01-Crop Breeding Genetics & Cytology | ||||
| Agarwal, Prashasti | Virginia Tech | 5/14/2025 | B. Zhang | Assessing and Implementing Value-Added Soybean Innovations in the Soybean Meal and Food Industry. |
| Costa Filho, Edson | Montana State Univ. | 8/2/2024 | J. Sherman | Genetic Dissection of Malt Quality in Barley: An Examination of Hydration Index and Metabolite QTL. |
| Singh, Vishal | Utah State Univ. | 4/30/2025 | A. Kaundal | Advancing Maize Salinity Tolerance: Insights From Association Mapping, Transcriptomics, and Genomic Prediction. |
| Stoll, Hannah | Univ. of Minnesota-Twin Cities | 10/31/2024 | J. A. Anderson | From Research Findings to Educational Frameworks: Breeding Progress and Genomic Insights into Intermediate Wheatgrass at the University of Minnesota. |
| Yusuf, Muyideen | Univ. of Minnesota-Twin Cities | 12/31/2024 | L. Shannon | Deploying High-Throughput Phenotyping for Genomic Assisted Breeding: Pathway to Accelerated Genetic Gain and Efficiency in Potato. |
C02-Crop Physiology & Metabolism | ||||
| Langenfeld, Noah | Utah State Univ. | 5/1/2025 | B. Bugbee | Optimizing Nutrient Recycling to Achieve Zero–Discharge Management for Controlled Environment Agriculture. |
| Singh, Prachi | Banaras Hindu Univ. | 9/24/2024 | P. K. Srivastava | Crop Biophysical and Biochemical Parameters Retrieval Using Hyperspectral Datsat. |
C03-Crop Ecology, Management & Quality | ||||
| Clouse, Kayla | Univ. of Kansas | 12/31/2024 | M. Wagner | Microbial Communities and Soil Physiochemical Properties as Mediators of Heterosis Expression in Maize. |
| Radermacher, Samantha | Kansas State Univ. | 12/12/2024 | I. Ciampitti, T. Hefley, P. V. Vara Prasad | Seed Yield and Quality of Soybeans Across the US: An Overview of Management and Environmental Characterization. |
C04-Seed Physiology, Production & Technology | ||||
| Shrestha, Amrit | Memphis State Univ. | 12/13/2024 | K. Cichy | Insight into the Genetic Control of Cooking Time at the Transcriptomic and Genomic Levels. |
C05-Turfgrass Science | ||||
| Guevara, Jackie Lyn | Michigan State Univ. | 5/2/2025 | J. N. Rogers III | Seeding Practices for Cool-Season Sod Grown on Plastic Production and Domed Stadiums. |
| Montoro Bais, Jose Diego | Univ. of Florida | 8/8/2025 | M. Schiavon, B. Unruh, K. Kenworthy | Optimizing Management Practices for Florida St. Augustinegrass Lawns. |
| Pritchard, Benjamin | Univ. of Tennessee-Knoxville | 5/15/2025 | J. T. Brosnan | Understanding the Applications of Tetflupyrolimet in Turfgrass Systems. |
| Tucker, Matthew | Virginia Tech | 5/14/2025 | D. S. McCall, J. D. Eisenback | Investigating Population Dynamics of Hoplolaimus galeatus and Select Associated Relationships in Creeping Bentgrass Putting Greens. |
| Xin, Xin | Washington State Univ. | 6/3/2025 | M. M. Neff | From Field Trials to Molecular Studies: Gibberellin-Mediated Seed Yield Enhancement, Vernalization Responsive Genes and Rapid Spring Green up in Poa pratensis. |
C06-Forage & Grazing Lands | ||||
| Dantas Queiroz, Luana | Univ. of Florida | 8/8/2025 | J. Dubeux | Multifunctional Benefits of Integrated Crop-Livestock Systems in the Southeastern U.S. |
C07-Genomics, Molecular Genetics & Biotechnology | ||||
| Hein, Kirsten | Colorado State Univ. | 12/13/2024 | J. McKay | Investigating the Adaptive Genetic Landscape of Global Crop Species. |
| Marston, Elliott | Michigan Technological Univ. | 12/14/2024 | C. Külheim | Novel Methods of Tree Improvement in the Genomic Era. |
| Karnatam, Krishna | Punjab Agricultural Univ. | 9/12/2024 | Y. Vikal | Genome Wide Association Studies for Banded Leaf and Sheath Blight & Shoot Fly Resistance in Maize. |
Doctorate Degrees in Soil Science Fields | ||||
SSSA Nutrient Management & Soil & Plant Analysis | ||||
| Judd, Tanner | Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison | 8/24/2025 | Z. Freedman | Investigating Carbon and Nitrogen Cycling Across Agricultural Landscapes Through Probing of Microbial Mechanisms |
| Mridha, Deepanjan | Washington State Univ. | 7/31/2024 | T. Roychowdhury | Alleviation of Arsenic Stress from Rice Plant (Oryza sativa L.) and Subsequent Reduction of Rice Grain Arsenic Using Different Amendments. |
SSSA Pedology | ||||
| Rodrigues, Hugo | Federal Rural Univ. of Rio de Janeiro | 3/1/2025 | M. B. Ceddia, G. Mattos Vasques | Efficacy of autoRA: Algorithm for Automatic Delineation of Reference Areas to Support Optimized Soil Sampling. |
| Saurette, Daniel | Univ. of Guelph | 10/1/2024 | A. Biswas | Determining the Optimal Sample Size for Digital Soil Mapping. |
| Sacramento, Iorrana | Federal Univ. of Vicosa | 5/27/2025 | C. E. Schaefer | Understanding the Environmental Dynamics of the Pantanal: Pedological, Phytosociological, and Machine Learning Applications for Landscape Evolution and Inundation Monitoring Studies. |
SSSA Soil & Water Management & Conservation | ||||
| Ankomah, Godfred | Univ. of Georgia | 8/4/2025 | H. Sintim | Integrating Sustainable Management Practices to Improve Soil Health and Row Crop Productivity. |
SSSA Soil Biology & Biochemistry | ||||
| Fletcher, Elizabeth | Virginia Tech | 5/14/2025 | B. Badgley, J. Barney | Linking Plant and Soil Microbial Diversity via Functional Trait Ecology. |
| Lord, Sam | Univ. of Missouri | 5/16/2025 | K. Veum | Ecological Legacies From Grasslands to Agroecosystems: Microbial Ecology, Plant Community Assembly, and Resource Allocation. |
| Polussa, Alexander | Yale Univ. | 5/19/2025 | M. Bradford | The Role of Local Factors in Shaping Microbial Communities and Biogeochemical Functions Across Scales. |
| Wang, Zhine | Clemson Univ. | 12/16/2024 | R. Ye | The Diverse Effects of Continual Organic Inputs on Soil Biogeochemical Properties and Microbial Communities in Sandy Ultisols Under Organic Production. |
| Willard, Samuel | Imperial College London | 9/1/2024 | B. Waring | Examining Key Regulators of Organic Matter Stability at the Local, Regional, and Global Scale. |
SSSA Soil Chemistry | ||||
| Gupta, Soura | Indian Agricultural Research Institute | 10/25/2024 | M. C. Meena | Chemistry and Availability of Molybdenum in Soils. |
SSSA Soil Fertility & Plant Nutrition | ||||
| Hopkins, Austin | Colorado State Univ. | 9/15/2024 | J. Ippolito | A Meta-Analysis of Measured Annual Nutrient Runoff From Agricultural Land in North America. |
| Sharma, Ayush | Univ. of Florida | 8/13/2024 | L. K. Sharma, L. Zotarelli | Optimizing Potato Nutrient Management Through Sulfur and Precision Agriculture Applications. |
SSSA Soil Physics and Hydrology | ||||
| Dixon, Chihiro | Utah State Univ. | 8/9/2024 | S. B. Jones | Advancing Thermal Property Measurements and Water Management for Controlled Environment Agriculture on Earth and Beyond. |
| Haumann, Jacobus | Univ. of the Free State | 1/10/2025 | F. D. Fourie, S. Esterhuyse | Using Forward and Inverse Modelling to Investigate the Capability of Two-Dimensional Electrical Resistivity Tomography to Detect Water-Bearing Zones in the Subsurface |
| McDowell, Taylor | Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison | 8/16/2024 | J. Mason | Unsaturated Zone Hydrology and Geochemical Tracers of Erosion in Stabilized Aeolian Landscapes of the Central Great Plains. |
| Pathirana, Sashini | Memorial Univ. of New Foundland | 1/6/2025 | L. Galagedara, M. Cheema, S. Lambot | Integrated Ground-penetrating Radar – Electromagnetic Induction Techniques to Support Precision Agriculture by Assessing the Effects of Agricultural Practices. |
| Sierra Augustinus, I. | Bowling Green State Univ. | 8/8/2025 | M. Zamkov | Coalescence Growth of II-VI Colloidal Nanocrystals and their LEDS Applications. |
| Wang, Dengjun | Chinese Academy of Sciences | 7/1/2024 | D. Zhou | Mechanistic Understanding of the Fate and Transport of Engineered Nanomaterials and Biochar Colloids in the Subsurface. |
SSSA Soils & Environmental Quality | ||||
| Ghimire, Deepak | Univ. of Nebraska-Lincoln | 12/20/2024 | B. Maharjan | Optimizing Fertilizer Nitrogen Management for Sustainable Sugar Beet Production. |
SSSA Wetland Soils | ||||
| Chizen, Chantel | Univ. of Saskatchewan | 12/5/2024 | A. Bedard-Haughn | Soil Carbon Storage in Cultivated Prairie Pothole Wetlands. |
Doctorate Degrees No Division Specified | ||||
| Makkar, Jasleen | Mississippi State Univ. | 12/13/2024 | J. A. Thomasson | Multi-Temporal UAV Remote Sensing Combined with Machine Learning for Estimating Cotton Yield. |
| Singh, Rajveer | Washington State Univ. | 12/14/2024 | D. R. See | Genetic Mechanisms of Late-Maturity Alpha-Amylase in Spring and Winter Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Under Discrete and Continuous Temperature Stress. |
Masters Degrees in Agronomic Science Fields | ||||
ASA Agronomic Production Systems Section | ||||
| Khan, Imran | Tribhuvan Univ. | 7/11/2024 | L. Yadav, P. Ghimire, K. Aryal | Effect of Urea Management on Productivity and Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Rice. |
| Jeffery, Hannah | Texas Tech Univ. | 12/13/2024 | G. Ritchie | Weed Management for Sustainable Cotton Production in West Texas. |
| Shydlowski, Maya | Univ. of California-Davis | 9/12/2025 | M. Lundy, C. Pittelkow | Remote Sensing-Based Estimation of the Nitrogen Nutrition Index Enhances Diagnosis of Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Wheat. |
| Burlingame, Rebecca | Illinois State Univ. | 8/15/2025 | R. Rhykerd | The Impact of Selected Winter Cover Crops on Soybean and Corn Yield, Seed Quality, and Economic Returns. |
ASA Environmental Quality Section | ||||
| Arel, Chandler | Univ. of Arkansas | 8/26/2024 | K. Brye | Struvite Effects on Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Flood- and Furrow-irrigated Rice in the Greenhouse. |
| Morris, Brian | Pennsylvania State Univ. | 12/22/2024 | T. Groh, J. Duncan, H. Preisendanz | Impact of Biochar Application on Agricultural Landscapes Through Infiltration and Changes in Soil Physical Properties. |
Masters Degrees in Crop Science Fields | ||||
C01-Crop Breeding Genetics & Cytology | ||||
| Picabea, Maria Valentina | Univ. of Missouri | 12/12/2024 | J. Gillman, A. Scaboo, T. Joshi | A Study of Genetic Architecture Underlying Seed Composition Traits in Soybean (Glycine max.). |
C05-Turfgrass Science | ||||
| Perkinson, Payton | Michigan State Univ. | 8/15/2024 | K. Frank | Spring Establishment of Creeping Bentgrass and Annual Bluegrass on Putting Greens Following Simulated Winterkill. |
C06-Forage & Grazing Lands | ||||
| Sweger, Amanda | Montana State Univ. | 5/8/2025 | H. Goosey, C. Jones, K. McVay | Assessing Sulfur as a Means to Reduce Nitrate Accumulation and Improve Statewide Barley Forage Quality. |
| Witt, Parker | South Dakota State Univ. | 12/1/2024 | J. Leffler, K. Ehlert | Plant Available Water Drives Semi-Arid Forage Quality and Quantity in a Common Garden Greenhouse Experiment. |
Masters Degrees in Soil Science Fields | ||||
SSSA Soil & Water Management & Conservation | ||||
| Brar, Gurparshad Singh | Auburn Univ. | 7/11/2024 | J. Lamba | Effect of Poultry Litter and Biochar Application Methods on Nutrient Loss. |
| MacKenzie, Katherine | East Texas State Univ. | 8/1/2024 | G. Ogden, B. Williams | Influence of Tillage on Aggregate Stability in Clay Soils of North Texas. |
SSSA Soil Biology & Biochemistry | ||||
| Stockmaster, Ashley | Bloomsburg Univ. of Pennsylvania | 8/15/2025 | S. Rier, A. Hare, H. DeBardeleben | Microbial Enzyme Activity of Subaqueous Soils in the Long Island Sound. |
| Ochonye, Amarachi | South Dakota State Univ. | 8/26/2024 | D. Clay | Unleashing Microbial Power in the Corn Rhizosphere: Biofertilizer Driven Nitrogen Fixation and Yield Enhancement. |
SSSA Soil Fertility & Plant Nutrition | ||||
| Airee, Sandeep | Kentucky State Univ. | 5/10/2025 | A. Mukherjee, A. Chiluwal, M. Gebremedhin | Impacts of Fertility Practices on Soil Health and Water Quality. |
| Abiola, Samson | Oklahoma State Univ. | 7/8/2024 | A. de Oliveira Silva, B. Arnall, B. Carver | Enhancing Wheat Yield and Protein Formation: Assessing N Uptake Dynamics in Diverse Genotypes. |
| Estrada, Ella Hazel | Oklahoma State Univ. | 12/12/2025 | S. Phillips, S. Abit, S. Sharma | Spatial and Temporal Variability of Soil Health Scores and their Relationship to Crop Yield. |
SSSA Soils & Environmental Quality | ||||
| Nice, Md Simoon | Texas Christian Univ. | 8/19/2024 | O. Harvey, G. Kharel | Assessing Lignocellulose-C Dynamics using 2-D Thermal Analysis-Mixing Ratio Approach. |
Masters Degrees No Division Specified | ||||
| Langton, Christopher | Univ. of Bordeaux | 12/6/2024 | G. Gambetta | Evaluating the Impact of Grapevine Red Blotch Virus on Grape Maturity and Wine Quality in Paso Robles, California Vineyards: Implications for Commercial Production. |
| Zeri N, Israt | Univ. of Manitoba | 8/21/2024 | M. Rahman, F. Delijani | The Effect of Mechanized Retting Chamber Parameters on the Canola Fibre Retting Performance. |
| Stephaniuk, Holly | Univ. of Saskatchewan | 6/4/2025 | S. Munira | Assessment of Agricultural N20 Emissions: A Risk-Based Approach Using Soil Properties and GIS Spatial Data for Mapping N20 Vulnerability. |
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