Michael Crossley – Soybean Research Profile
Michael Crossley, Assistant Professor and Agricultural Entomologist, University of Delaware
Why did you decide to pursue a career that includes soybean research?
I knew I wanted to go into agricultural entomology since my freshman year of college. My master’s degree research covered soybeans, while my doctorate research was in potatoes. My soybean research focused primarily on soybean aphid.
What research topic have you completed in the past or are working on now that could have or has had the most significant impact on soybean production?
My work with soybean aphids found that “biotypes” are already widespread to overcome genetic resistance in new soybean varieties. It also identified migration patterns from buckthorn, where soybean aphid overwinters. This research pointed to the need for continued breeding to avoid losing to widespread soybean aphid biotypes. It also highlighted how much we have to learn about where soybean aphids move from each spring.
How has the soybean checkoff enhanced your ability to find answers to production problems for farmers?
The Delaware Soybean Board provided my very first grant as a new principle investigator. This grant helped revive research on slug parasitic nematodes, which grew into collaborative research supported by other groups and the United Soybean Board. For my lab, the Soy Checkoff funds graduate students, which is how research gets done.
Within your area of expertise, what are the top two or three general recommendations you would offer farmers to improve their management practices?
Realize that nematodes exist in the field that work with you — not just against you. Hundreds of thousands of nematode species exist, and a few of them can actually benefit crops like soybeans.
Within your area of expertise, what do you consider to be critical soybean research needs that can impact the profitability of famers in the future?
I think we should research questions about production practices that could promote beneficial nematodes or help manage slugs. How do practices like fertilizer, cover crops and others impact nematode populations? Are there fall practices that would minimize slug pressure in the spring? What new technologies could impact slug management?
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