Talk on improving production of staple grains

The University of Washington Olympic Natural Resources Center, 1455 S. Forks Ave., invites the public to join it in the Hemlock Room at 7 p.m. May 1, for an “Evening Talk”

April 30, 2015 11:10 am
The ONRC.
The ONRC.

The University of Washington Olympic Natural Resources Center, 1455 S. Forks Ave., invites the public to join it in the Hemlock Room at 7 p.m. May 1, for an “Evening Talk” with Shyam Kandel. Kandel is originally from Nepal.

He is a PhD candidate in the School of Environmental and Forest Sciences working with Dr. Sharon Doty. He obtained his recent master’s degree in plant pathology from Washington State University. His study there was working with plant parasitic nematodes in the dry land wheat production. His current research is in understanding plant-microbe interactions and underlying phenomenon in the plants growing in nutrient poor environments.

Specifically, he is working on diazotrophic endophytes that will benefit crop plants through biological nitrogen fixation and other growth promoting attributes. He also received his bachelor’s and first master’s degree in agriculture from Tribhuvan University in Nepal. His future career goal is to work on different aspects of agro-ecology, sustainable agriculture and climate change issues related to food security.

His research into poplar and willow as important early successional plants, having the ability to grow in nutrient poor conditions, is supporting his efforts to improve the production of staples, such as corn and rice.

It has been found that symbiotic relationships existed between poplar and willow plants; and natural symbionts (called endophytes) which allow them to thrive in the adverse environments. Kandel is using these endophytes to inoculate major staple food crops and observe if the endophytes induce growth promotion in crop plants as well.

They reside naturally inside the host plants (not genetically modified), and provide different benefits such a biological nitrogen fixating, phytohormone production, drought tolerance, etc., to the host plants. The goal of his research is to investigate the contribution of nitrogen fixing endophytes to rice and corn so farmers can grow these crops in resource-poor conditions or minimize the use of chemical fertilizers.

He has designed his experiments in such a way that nitrogen-fixing endophytes can efficiently be colonized these crops through the selection of conducive host environment combinations.

Evening Talks at ONRC is supported by the Rosmond Forestry Education Fund, an endowment that honors the contributions of Fred Rosmond and his family to forestry and the Forks community.

In addition to bringing speakers and interesting research out to ONRC, the series provides a great opportunity for graduate students and others to gain experience presenting their research to the public, and to a thoroughly engaged audience. Refreshments will be served and a potluck of your favorite dessert is encouraged.

For more information, contact Frank Hanson at 374-4556.

Talk on improving production of staple grains

The University of Washington Olympic Natural Resources Center, 1455 S. Forks Ave., invites the public to join it in the Hemlock Room at 7 p.m. May 1, for an “Evening Talk” with Shyam Kandel. Kandel is originally from Nepal.

He is a PhD candidate in the School of Environmental and Forest Sciences working with Dr. Sharon Doty. He obtained his recent master’s degree in plant pathology from Washington State University. His study there was working with plant parasitic nematodes in the dry land wheat production. His current research is in understanding plant-microbe interactions and underlying phenomenon in the plants growing in nutrient poor environments.

Specifically, he is working on diazotrophic endophytes that will benefit crop plants through biological nitrogen fixation and other growth promoting attributes. He also received his bachelor’s and first master’s degree in agriculture from Tribhuvan University in Nepal. His future career goal is to work on different aspects of agro-ecology, sustainable agriculture and climate change issues related to food security.

His research into poplar and willow as important early successional plants, having the ability to grow in nutrient poor conditions, is supporting his efforts to improve the production of staples, such as corn and rice.

It has been found that symbiotic relationships existed between poplar and willow plants; and natural symbionts (called endophytes) which allow them to thrive in the adverse environments. Kandel is using these endophytes to inoculate major staple food crops and observe if the endophytes induce growth promotion in crop plants as well.

They reside naturally inside the host plants (not genetically modified), and provide different benefits such a biological nitrogen fixating, phytohormone production, drought tolerance, etc., to the host plants. The goal of his research is to investigate the contribution of nitrogen fixing endophytes to rice and corn so farmers can grow these crops in resource-poor conditions or minimize the use of chemical fertilizers.

He has designed his experiments in such a way that nitrogen-fixing endophytes can efficiently be colonized these crops through the selection of conducive host environment combinations.

Evening Talks at ONRC is supported by the Rosmond Forestry Education Fund, an endowment that honors the contributions of Fred Rosmond and his family to forestry and the Forks community.

In addition to bringing speakers and interesting research out to ONRC, the series provides a great opportunity for graduate students and others to gain experience presenting their research to the public, and to a thoroughly engaged audience. Refreshments will be served and a potluck of your favorite dessert is encouraged.

For more information, contact Frank Hanson at 374-4556.