Sustainable Agricultural Systems Laboratory : SASL STAFF

Dr. John R. Teasdale , Research Leader, Plant Physiologist
Dr. Teasdale is the Research Leader of the Sustainable Agricultural Systems Laboratory. He conducts a personal research program to develop sustainable cover crop and integrated weed management systems and to understand processes underlying weed population dynamics within sustainable agro-ecosystems.
E-Mail John.Teasdale@ars.usda.gov or Phone (301)504-5504
Dr. Jeffrey S. Buyer, Research Chemist
Evaluates microbial diversity in the rhizosphereby developing and using unique functional and biochemicallybased taxonomic markers, at the isolate and community level, to compare the microbiological impacts of various conventional and alternative agricultural systems.
E-Mail Jeffrey.Buyer@ars.usda.gov or Phone (301)504-8436
Dr. Michel Cavigelli, Research Soil Scientist
Conducts research on sustainable cropping systems and nutrient cycling at the 16 ha Farming Systems Project site at BARC. The site comprises five cropping systems, three of which are organic.
E-Mail Michel.Cavigelli@ars.usda.gov or Phone (301)504-8327
Dr. C. Benjamin Coffman, Agronomist
Conducts weed management and crop production research in conservation and conventional tillage systems and sustainable agriculture. Field manager and coordinator for BARC sustainable agriculture research program.
E-Mail Ben.Coffman@ars.usda.gov or Phone (301)504-5398
Dr. Thomas E. Devine , Research Geneticist
Conducts research on soybean genetics and breeding. Breeds soybeans for use as forage. Breeds grain soybeans for enhanced crop residue production to reduce soil erosion. Breeds hairy vetch for use as green manure and cover crops.
E-Mail Thomas.Devine@ars.usda.gov or Phone (301)504-6375
Dr. John Lydon, Research Plant Physiologist
Conducts research on the control of weeds using biologically based products. Emphasis is on the development of natural herbicides from microorganisms and on enhancing virulence and expanding the control range of weed pathogens using recombinant DNA techniques.
E-Mail John.Lydon@ars.usda.gov or Phone (301)504-5379
Dr. Autar Mattoo , Plant Physiologist
Dr. Autar K. Mattoo specializes in Plant Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Develops fundamental information on cross talks between plant hormones, signaling pathways and regulatory genes involved in nutrient accumulation, fruit ripening, senescence, programmed cell death, and plant responses to environmental extremes. Studies assembly and function of the photosystem II reaction center proteins. Investigates integration of genetically engineered crops into sustainable, alternative agriculture from biochemical, molecular genetics and biotechnological perspectives. Functional genomics, proteomics and metabolomics are used for discovery research and to understand transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation in plants.
E-Mail Autar.Mattoo@ars.usda.gov or Phone (301)504-6622
Dr. Jude Maul , Research Ecologist
Conducts research on plant/soil ecology and biogeochemistry of agroecosystems. Current research focus is on the fundamental differences between organic and conventional farming systems, in particular how changes in microbial community structure and function influence greenhouse gas flux, organic matter cycling and plant decomposition.
E-Mail Jude.Maul@ars.usda.gov or Phone (301)504-9068
Dr. Patricia Millner, Microbiologist
Conducts basic and applied research on soil; rhizosphere microbes ,and microbially- mediated processes that can be used to improve and preserve soil, water, and air quality in sustainable agroecosystems.
E-Mail Patricia.Millner@ars.usda.gov or Phone (301)504-5631
Dr. Steven Brian Mirsky , Research Ecologist
Conducts cover crop systems research for ecologically based crop/weed management to maintain crop profitability while enhancing soil and water quality and reducing crop production energetic requirements. Empirical agronomic research in a long-term cropping system experiment and additional field trials are coupled with simulation models to optimize agro-ecosystem economic profitability and environmental sustainability.
E-Mail Steven.Mirsky@ars.usda.gov or Phone (301)504-5324
Dr. Daniel P. Roberts, Research Microbiologist
Conducts research on (1) the genetic and physiologic basis of colonization of seeds and roots by plant-beneficial bacteria; (2) the development of techniques for analysis of rhizospherecolonization by plant-beneficial bacteria; (3) the role of colonization by plant-beneficial bacteria in the suppression of soilborneplant pathogens; and (4) the manipulation of colonization by plant- beneficial bacteria for enhanced suppression of soilborneplant pathogens.
E-Mail Dan.Roberts@ars.usda.gov or Phone (301)504-5680