Davis Lab
Image attribution: A Legume a Day
Pulse Agronomy
The Pulse Agronomy Team aims to increase the acreage and variety of pulse crops grown in Colorado and around the world. Our intent is that by increasing pulse acreage we will advance environmental outcomes including:
- Improved soil health
- Reduced water use
- Diminished demand for fertilizers and pesticides
What is a Pulse Crop?
Pulse crops are plants from the legume family that are harvested for their dried seeds. Pulses include dry beans, peas, and also chickpeas or garbanzos, cowpeas or black-eyed peas, and lentils. Pulses do not include legumes harvested fresh or used as cover crops or forages.
Where We Work in Colorado
We do research in partnership with scientists at many of the Colorado Research Centers including Grand Valley in Fruita, Rogers Mesa in Hotchkiss, and Southwestern in Yellow Jacket.
We also partner with the USDA Agricultural Research Service’s Central Great Plains Research Station in Akron, CO.
Our Current Research Projects
Phosphorus Solubilization and Nitrogen Fixation by Pulse Crops
Salinity and Sodicity Tolerance in Pulse Crops
Impact of Pulse Crops on Soil Health
Improving Environmental and Economic Sustainability Outcomes Through Incorporation of Pulses into Irrigated and Dryland Crop Rotations
Developing Best Management Practices for Organic Chickpea Production
Winter Pea Crop Rotations As an Approach to Make Summer Irrigation Water Available for Temporary Water Sharing Arrangements
Pulse Suitability Mapping
Meet Our Team
Dr. Jessica Davis
Professor
Pulse Agronomy
jessica.davis@colostate.edu
Dr. Davis is an Agronomist and Soil Scientist. After working at the Coastal Plain Experiment Station in Georgia, she came to CSU in 1995 and has enjoyed various roles here. Her degrees are from:
- Bachelors – Cornell University
- Masters – Texas Tech University
- Ph.D. – Texas A&M University
Girma Wolde
Project Manager for Soil Health Project in Ethiopia
Girma received his BS in Crop Production and Protection from Jimma University, Ethiopia and his MS in Soil Science from Hawassa University, Ethiopia. He is currently Assistant Professor of Soil Science and Head of the Department of Plant Science at Wolkite University, Ethiopia.
Antisar Afkairin
Post-Doc
Dr. Afkairin is an Environmental Microbiologist. She received her BS in Biology from Benghazi University, Libya and her MS in Environmental Engineering from the Academy of Graduate Studies, Libya prior to completing her PhD in Soil and Crop Sciences from CSU.
Winie Paul
MS Student
Winie is from Haiti and graduated from EARTH University, Costa Rica as an Agronomic Engineer and interned at Two Roots Farm in Colorado.
Marissa Spear
Research Associate
Marissa works on the Improving Environmental and Economic Sustainability Outcomes through Incorporation of Pulses into Irrigated and Dryland Crop Rotations project. She received her BS from North Dakota State University in Biological Sciences and her M.S. from University of Minnesota Duluth in Integrated Biosciences.
Bill Szasz
Masters Student
Bill is a Research Associate at the Western Colorado Research Center – Grand Valley. He received his B.S. in Horticulture from Montana State University.
Babatunde Ojetunde
Ph.D. Student
Babatunde is from Nigeria where he received his B.Sc. in General Agriculture from the Federal University of Technology in Minna and his M.Sc. in Agricultural Economics from the University of Ilorin.
Expert Collaborations
Nutrition Collaborations
We are collaborating with nutrition experts like Henry Thompson and Ph.D. students Chelsea Didinger and Tymofiy Lutsiv to increase pulse consumption to improve human health.
Chelsea Didinger
