FarmBits: The Nebraska Extension Digital Agriculture Podcast

This week, FarmBits hosts Katie Bathke and Victor Ferreira welcome Dr. Qingshan Wei from North Carolina State University to discuss his efforts in innovative plant sensor design. Dr. Wei is an associate professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering where his research focuses on developing next-generation field deployable molecular imaging, sensing, and diagnostic tools for plants and humans. Listen here as we dive into varying sensor technology that is transforming traditional diagnostic tests to rapid field detection and plant health monitoring for a variety of abiotic and biotic stressors. Be sure to tune in to this exploratory episode to learn more about the cutting edge sensor technology within agricultural pest management. Contact Information: E-mail: qwei3@ncsu.edu Twitter: @SensorNCSU @NC_PSI @NCStateEngr FarmBits Contact Information: E-Mail: farmbits@unl.edu Twitter: https://twitter.com/UNLFarmBits Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UNLFar

In this episode of FarmBits, Rana and Katie explore the role of IoT (Internet of Things) in enhancing agricultural security. From smart sensors and biophysical authentications, IoT technologies are transforming how farmers safeguard their crops and livestock. Learn how these innovative tools are being designed to provide real-time monitoring, prevent threats like theft, and ensure the integrity of food production. Join us as we discuss the future of IoT in securing sustainable and efficient farming practices with Dr. Nirnimesh Ghose, an assistant professor from UNL's school of computing. Contact Information: E-mail: nghose@unl.edu Website: https://cse.unl.edu/~nghose/ FarmBits Contact Information: E-Mail: farmbits@unl.edu Twitter: https://twitter.com/UNLFarmBits Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UNLFarmBits Rana's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rana-farrasati-945aa5141/ Katie's LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-bathke-a15082246/ Opinions expressed by the hosts and guests on this podcast are solely their own, and do not reflect the views of Nebraska Extension or the University of Nebraska - Lincoln.

This week, FarmBits hosts Rana Farrasati and Katie Bathke welcome Talon Mues from University of Nebraska – Lincoln's Plant Pathology Department to talk about chemigation technology for plant pathogen studies in irrigated corn production. Talon is a research technician and graduate student with a passion for leveraging research within disease management based on growers experiences. His work with grower's across the state of Nebraska helping address questions in disease onset, application, and management. We also dive into Nebraska's work of pathogen genetic diversity in the Great Plains. Tune in to this exciting episode to learn more about the several applications of technology within agricultural pest management. Contact Information: E-mail: tmues3@unl.edu Twitter: @Talon_Mues FarmBits Contact Information: E-Mail: farmbits@unl.edu Twitter: https://twitter.com/UNLFarmBits Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UNLFarmBits Rana's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rana-farrasati-945aa5141/ Katie's LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-bathke-a15082246/ Opinions expressed by the hosts and guests on this podcast are solely their own, and do not reflect the views of Nebraska Extension or the University of Nebraska - Lincoln.

In this episode of the FarmBits podcast, we sit down with Dr. Ketut Bagus P. Putra, solutions engineer at Koidra specializing in developing novel wireless sensor hardware and system architecture for environmental monitoring in agriculture. Dr. Putra shares his journey into digital agriculture, exploring the transformative role of IoT software in horticultural crops within greenhouses, and how Koidra's innovative IoT solutions, like DataPilot and KoPilot, empower growers to optimize their greenhouse operations through data-driven decision-making. We dive into the challenges of IoT adoption, the specific crops benefiting from these technologies, and the potential for improving labor efficiency and yields. Tune in to learn how IoT is reshaping sustainable agriculture and what skills are crucial for the next generation of agricultural technologists. Contact Information: E-mail: hello@koidra.ai / ketut.putra@koidra.ai Website: https://www.koidra.ai/ Recent research: https://homegrownchallenge.ca/grantees/autonomous-controlled-environment-system-for-year-round-berry-production/ FarmBits Contact Information: E-Mail: farmbits@unl.edu Twitter: https://twitter.com/UNLFarmBits Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UNLFarmBits Rana's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rana-farrasati-945aa5141/ Deepak's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deepak-ghimire/ Opinions expressed by the hosts and guests on this podcast are solely their own, and do not reflect the views of Nebraska Extension or the University of Nebraska - Lincoln.

On this week's episode of the FarmBits podcast, Camila and Victor are joined by Ankita Kalra, a dual PhD candidate in the Departments of Biological Systems Engineering and Computer Science Engineering at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Ankita focuses on the applications of computer vision and AI in agriculture. In this episode, Ankita shares her current research on developing AI-driven solutions for precision agriculture. One of her key projects is the AIR-N: AI-Enabled Robotic Precision Nitrogen Management Platform. This project aims to optimize nitrogen application in corn fields using advanced AI and robotic systems to enhance crop yield and resource efficiency. Ankita Kalra, Graduate Research Assistant , University of Nebraska - Lincoln Contact Information: E-mail: akalra2@huskers.unl.edu LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ankitakalra Website: http://ankitakalra.com FarmBits Contact Information: E-Mail: farmbits@unl.edu Twitter: https://twitter.com/UNLFarmBits Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UNLFarmBits Camila's LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/camila-chiaranda-rodrigues-328018154 Victor's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victor-de-sousa-ferreira-32877484/ Opinions expressed by the hosts and guests on this podcast are solely their own, and do not reflect the views of Nebraska Extension or the University of Nebraska - Lincoln.

The advantages of AI technology within agriculture is expanding our use technology by creating automated decision making. Common uses of such technology include crop and soil health monitoring, predictive analytics, intelligent spraying, irrigation management, and more! The benefits we are seeing with AI use in agriculture are data-driven decisions, improved crop yields, reduced costs, and greater sustainability with water and fertilizer use. With that, Katie and Camila are covering all things AI and its application within agriculture with special guest Dr. Nitin Rai. Dr. Nitin Rai is a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering at North Dakota State University. In this episode, Dr. Rai shares his innovative work within drone applications in agriculture. His research focuses on the use AI to help growers apply such technology to their daily operations. Tune in to learn more about how AI technology is revolutionizing agriculture in sunflower, wheat, and canola cropping systems. Contact Information: E-mail: nitin.rai@ndsu.edu Twitter: https://x.com/nitindominic5 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nitindominic55/ FarmBits Contact Information: E-Mail: farmbits@unl.edu Twitter: https://twitter.com/UNLFarmBits Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UNLFarmBits Katie's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-bathke-a15082246/ Camila's LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/camila-chiaranda-rodrigues-328018154 Opinions expressed by the hosts and guests on this podcast are solely their own, and do not reflect the views of Nebraska Extension or the University of Nebraska - Lincoln.

In the next generation of agriculture, IoT technology is transforming how farmers manage their operations more efficiently. By using smart sensors and devices, farmers can monitor soil moisture levels, track weather conditions, control irrigation systems remotely, and even predict their yield. This data-driven approach helps optimize water usage, improve crop growth and yield. On this episode of Farmbits, we are joined by Dr. Xin Qiao, an Associate Professor at the Panhandle Research & Extension Center. Dr. Qiao, along with his colleagues at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and beyond, shares his groundbreaking work in IoT applications for agriculture. His research focuses on using IoT to help growers manage their fields more efficiently, from optimizing irrigation to predicting crop yields. Tune in to learn more about how IoT technology is revolutionizing agriculture, the challenges faced, and the future prospects for next-generation farming! (Company) Contact Information: E-mail: xin.qiao@unl.edu Twitter: https://x.com/PhrecIrrigation Website: https://phrec-irrigation.com/#/ FarmBits Contact Information: E-Mail: farmbits@unl.edu Twitter: https://twitter.com/UNLFarmBits Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UNLFarmBits Rana's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rana-farrasati-945aa5141/ Camila's LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/camila-chiaranda-rodrigues-328018154 Opinions expressed by the hosts and guests on this podcast are solely their own, and do not reflect the views of Nebraska Extension or the University of Nebraska - Lincoln.

Joshua Dotto is a highly passionate engineer with 2+ years of experience in embedded hardware, sensors, backend databases, web dashboard development, and wireless communication technologies that power Internet of Things (IoT) devices. Visit Joshua’s website https://jdotto.dev to learn more! Email: jdotto2@unl.edu LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-dotto/ Current title: Robotics Software Engineer at Machine Automation and Agricultural Robotics (MAARS) Lab Education Level: Master of Science in Biological Systems Engineering from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a Computer Science and Engineering focus, specializing in the Internet of Things (IoT).

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a network of physical objects that are connected to the internet and can exchange data with other devices and systems. IoT devices can include household objects, sensors, cameras, and controllers, among others. On this week's episode to kick off the summer 2024 series, Katie and Deepak met with Nipuna Chamara, postdoctoral research at Biological Systems Engineering department, UNL to talk about the Internet of Things (IoT) and it's application in agriculture. Tune into this week's episode to learn more about how IOT works as well as the current advancements, challenges, and future prospects withing IOT use for advancement in agriculture. Guest Contact Information: E-mail: nabeysingheherathm2@huskers.unl.edu FarmBits Contact Information: E-Mail: farmbits@unl.edu Twitter: https://twitter.com/UNLFarmBits Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UNLFarmBits Katie's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-bathke-a15082246/ Deepak's Twitter: https://twitter.com/agrideepak093 Deepak's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deepak-ghimire Opinions expressed by the hosts and guests on this podcast are solely their own, and do not reflect the views of Nebraska Extension or the University of Nebraska - Lincoln.

In this episode, we're having an interesting conversation with Extension Educator Dr. Katja Koehler-Cole about soil health and the enrollment of cover crops, which is a hot topic in agronomy. She also explains some cool aspects of how the University of Nebraska - Lincoln is involved in sharing information about soil health through the Crop Watch portal, giving us the latest news relevant to the agriculture community across Nebraska. Take some time and join Ana and Katie in this engaging conversation with Dr. Katja. 🌱🌳🎙🎧 FarmBits Contact Information: E-Mail: farmbits@unl.edu Twitter: https://twitter.com/UNLFarmBits Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UNLFarmBits Co-host 1 Twitter: @AnaClarGom Co-host 1 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ana-clara-gomes-6b87097a/

Welcome back to another episode of the FarmBits podcast! This week Katie and Deepak were joined by John Shanahan, the head of science for Agoro Carbon Alliance. A company that strives to provide science-based carbon solutions to the agricultural community. John shares with us the ins and out of what Agoro Carbon Alliance is all about specifically highlighting the collaborative efforts to help educate, quantify, and market soil carbon in agriculture. Tune is this week to learn all about the science behind how Agoro Carbon Alliance (Company) Contact Information: E-mail: john.shanahan@agorocarbon.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/AgoroCarbonUS LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/agoro-carbon-alliance-us/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AgoroCarbonUS Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/agorocarbonus/ FarmBits Contact Information: E-Mail: farmbits@unl.edu Twitter: https://twitter.com/UNLFarmBits Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UNLFarmBits Deepak's Twitter: https://twitter.com/agrideepak093 Deepak's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deepak-ghimire Katie's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-bathke-a15082246/ Opinions expressed by the hosts and guests on this podcast are solely their own, and do not reflect the views of Nebraska Extension or the University of Nebraska - Lincoln.

On this week's episode of the FarmBit's podcast, Deepak and Katie were joined by Dr. Anna-Lisa Paul, a plant molecular biologist and the Director of the Interdisciplinary Center for Biotechnology Research (ICBR) at the University of Florida. She is also a Research Professor in the department of Horticultural Sciences, program of Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology. Be sure to listen here as we discuss her research on the topic of plant gene expression in response to spaceflight and exploratory environments. Tune in to this week's episode to hear how Dr. Paul and her team revolutionized the ability to grow plants under cosmic circumstances. Contact Information: E-mail: alp@ufl.edu Website: Space Plants Lab - University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences - UF/IFAS (ufl.edu) FarmBits Contact Information: E-Mail: farmbits@unl.edu Twitter: https://twitter.com/UNLFarmBits Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UNLFarmBits Deepak's Twitter: https://twitter.com/agrideepak093 Deepak's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deepak-ghimire Katie's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-bathke-a15082246/ Opinions expressed by the hosts and guests on this podcast are solely their own, and do not reflect the views of Nebraska Extension or the University of Nebraska - Lincoln.

Hey everyone! In this episode, we've got a special treat for you. Rana and Ana had an enlightening chat with Omar Murad, a Postdoc Student at UNL, all about the fascinating world of the rapid soil sensing tool and its contribution to the carbon market. They dive into how carbon works, explore methods and technology of penetrometers to measure carbon in the soil, and even touch on the intriguing concept of the carbon market. Plus, Omar generously shares insights from his work at the University of Nebraska Lincoln with anyone that interested in soil carbon. Trust us, you don't want to miss this riveting discussion! Tune in for more and let's unravel the quest for carbon together! 🌳🌱🔍 #carbonmarket #sustainability Omar Murad Contact Information: E-mail: omurad2@unl.edu / 5353murad@gmail.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mohammad-omar-faruk-murad-ph-d-92a7a04a/ Website: https://bse.unl.edu/faculty/mohammad-omar-faruk-murad FarmBits Contact Information: E-Mail: farmbits@unl.edu Twitter: https://twitter.com/UNLFarmBits Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UNLFarmBits Rana's Twitter: https://twitter.com/farrasati?lang=en Rana's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rana-farrasati-945aa5141/ Ana's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ana-clara-gomes-6b87097a/ Ana's Twitter: https://twitter.com/AnaClarGom Opinions expressed by the hosts and guests on this podcast are solely their own, and do not reflect the views of Nebraska Extension or the University of Nebraska - Lincoln.

Embark on a cosmic adventure in this week episode with Cassie Palmer, a PhD student from Dr. Yufeng Ge's lab at Biological System Engineering Department – UNL. Join FarmBits hosts Rana Farrasati and Ana Clara Gomez as they delve into Cassie's role in the SPACE2 project (listen to Episode 116 to understand the project vision), exploring the future of space farming by growing greens in lunar regolith soil. Discover the tech wizardry behind it all, from digital image processing to analyzing crop growth. And that's not all – Cassie is also inspiring local high school students to join NASA's "Plant the Moon Challenge" using lunar soil. Tune in for an exciting glimpse into the special treatments and tech for lunar farming frontier! 🌕🚀 Cassie Palmer's Contact Information: E-mail: cpalmer9@huskers.unl.edu LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cassandra-palmer-unl/ FarmBits Contact Information: E-Mail: farmbits@unl.edu Twitter: https://twitter.com/UNLFarmBits Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UNLFarmBits Rana's Twitter: https://twitter.com/farrasati?lang=en Rana's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rana-farrasati-945aa5141/ Ana's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ana-clara-gomes-6b87097a/ Ana's Twitter: https://twitter.com/AnaClarGom Opinions expressed by the hosts and guests on this podcast are solely their own, and do not reflect the views of Nebraska Extension or the University of Nebraska - Lincoln.

On this week's episode of the FarmBits podcast, Camila and Victor were joined by Dr. Carolina Cordova, Assistant Professor and Statewide Soil Health Specialist at University of Nebraska – Lincoln. Dr. Cordova shared thoughts and expertise in Soil Health regarding technologies and opportunities in this area, and also discussed sources, examples and advices for agriculture public. On this episode Dr. Cordova went through soil health definition, soil sensors and emerging soil technologies. Below is the website link for the Soil Health Conference coming up in February and March. Tune in here for Part 1 of our conversation with Dr. Caro Cordova. Carolina Córdova UNL Dept. of Agronomy & Horticulture 165 Keim Hall Lincoln, Nebraska 68583-0915 - Email: ccordova4@unl.edu - X: CaroCordovaEc - Linkedin: cordovasc - Cordova Soil Health Lab Website: https://www.sccordova.com/ - UNL Soil Health Conference Website: https://cropwatch.unl.edu/soil-health-program FarmBits Contact Information: - E-Mail: farmbits@unl.edu - Twitter: https://twitter.com/UNLFarmBits - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UNLFarmBits - Victor's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victor-de-sousa-ferreira-32877484/ - Camila's LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/camila-chiaranda-rodrigues-328018154 Opinions expressed by the hosts and guests on this podcast are solely their own, and do not reflect the views of Nebraska Extension or the University of Nebraska - Lincoln.

On this week's episode of the FarmBits podcast, Camila and Victor were joined by Dr. Carolina Cordova, Assistant Professor and Statewide Soil Health Specialist at University of Nebraska – Lincoln. Dr. Cordova shared thoughts and expertise in Soil Health regarding technologies and opportunities in this area, and also discussed sources, examples and advices for agriculture public. On this episode Dr. Cordova went through soil health definition, soil sensors and emerging soil technologies. Below is the website link for the Soil Health Conference coming up in February and March. Tune in here for Part 1 of our conversation with Dr. Caro Cordova. Carolina Córdova UNL Dept. of Agronomy & Horticulture 165 Keim Hall Lincoln, Nebraska 68583-0915 - Email: ccordova4@unl.edu - X: CaroCordovaEc - Linkedin: cordovasc - Cordova Soil Health Lab Website: https://www.sccordova.com/ - UNL Soil Health Conference Website: https://cropwatch.unl.edu/soil-health-program FarmBits Contact Information: - E-Mail: farmbits@unl.edu - Twitter: https://twitter.com/UNLFarmBits - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UNLFarmBits - Victor's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victor-de-sousa-ferreira-32877484/ - Camila's LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/camila-chiaranda-rodrigues-328018154 Opinions expressed by the hosts and guests on this podcast are solely their own, and do not reflect the views of Nebraska Extension or the University of Nebraska - Lincoln.

This week, Katie Bathke and Emily Hanson kick off the Spring 2024 season with an out-of-this-world episode featuring Dr. Yufeng Ge from UNL's Biological Systems Engineering Department. Dr. Ge is an Advanced Sensing Systems Engineer and has a major role in the SPACE2 team. This team has a vision to research agriculture in space to one day provide stable food sources beyond earth. In this episode, Dr. Ge discusses some of the challenges that will be faced with trying to establish agriculture in space such as Mars or the moon!. Tune into this exciting episode to learn more about the SPACE2 program and how it plans to "grow the first acre of corn on Mars." Dr. Yufeng Ge's Contact Information: E-mail: yge2@unl.edu SPACE2 Website: https://bse.unl.edu/space2 FarmBits Contact Information: E-Mail: farmbits@unl.edu Twitter: https://twitter.com/UNLFarmBits Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UNLFarmBits Katie's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-bathke-a15082246/ Emily's Twitter: https://twitter.com/emilyjhanson12 Emily's LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/emilyhanson212 Opinions expressed by the hosts and guests on this podcast are solely their own, and do not reflect the views of Nebraska Extension or the University of Nebraska - Lincoln.

On this week's episode of FarmBits podcast, Natasha and Camila are joined by Vinicius Velho, a business development representative at Perfect Flight. This company monitors aerial pesticide applications through digital platforms in Brazil, Latin America, and the US. Tune in to learn more about how technologies and digital tools can contribute to a more efficient, precise, and sustainable aerial pesticide application on this episode of FarmBits. Contact Information: E-mail: vinicius.velho@perfectflightapp.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vin%C3%ADcius-velho-78b6131a9/ Perfect Flight Website : https://www.perfectflight.com.br/ PF Instragram : https://www.instagram.com/perfectflightapp/?hl=pt PF LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/perfect-flight National Agricultural Aviation Association : https://www.agaviation.org/ FarmBits Contact Information: E-Mail: farmbits@unl.edu Twitter: https://twitter.com/UNLFarmBits Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UNLFarmBits Natasha's Twitter: https://twitter.com/NatashaUmezu Natasha's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natasha-hiromi-umezu-b84805136/ Camila's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/camila-chiaranda-rodrigues-328018154 Opinions expressed by the hosts and guests on this podcast are solely their own, and do not reflect the views of Nebraska Extension or the University of Nebraska - Lincoln.

Navigating a significant volume of data is always a challenge for graduate students. This week, Natasha and Ana were joined by Igor Boninsenha, a PhD student at the Federal University of Viçosa - Brazil. In this episode, Igor highlighted the critical role of organizational strategies in handling extensive datasets. Additionally, he shares the valuable insights on effective tools for data management. Tune in to this episode to learn more about the challenges and strategies involved in working with data management. Contact Information: E-mail: igor.boninsenha@ufv.br LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/igor-boninsenha-401a3ba0/ Sciagri website: https://www.sciagri.com.br/pt FarmBits Contact Information: E-Mail: farmbits@unl.edu Twitter: https://twitter.com/UNLFarmBits Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UNLFarmBits Natasha's Twitter: https://twitter.com/NatashaUmezu Natasha's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natasha-hiromi-umezu-b84805136/ Ana's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ana-clara-gomes-6b87097a/ Opinions expressed by the hosts and guests on this podcast are solely their own, and do not reflect the views of Nebraska Extension or the University of Nebraska - Lincoln.

This week, FarmBits hosts Deepak Ghimire and Emily Hanson welcome Tyler Nigon from Sentera to talk about the data management from an industry perspective. Sentera provides solutions to data & analytics as well as sensors & drones from research trial to crop production. In this episode, Tyler discusses the products and services offered by Sentera as well as insights on how he envisions the future of data management. Tune in to this exciting episode to learn more about how Sentera is leveraging the data to help agriculture research and production.