Agriculture

“If you desire peace, cultivate justice, but at the same time cultivate the fields to produce more bread; otherwise there will be no peace.”

– Norman Borlaug

Norman Borlaug’s development of high-yield, disease-resistant crop varieties fed millions and reshaped agriculture in Mexico, Pakistan, and India, standing as a testament to the transformative power of science. In stark contrast, Trofim Lysenko’s pseudoscientific agricultural policies in the Soviet Union led to devastating famine, a grim reminder of the consequences of disregarding evidence-based science. These stories highlight not only the potential of innovation to address humanity’s greatest challenges but also the critical importance of rigor and accountability in scientific practice. Borlaug’s vision of agricultural progress—combating famine while protecting ecosystems—is more urgent than ever as we face a growing population, limited resources, and accelerating environmental crises.

My research focuses on the biogeochemistry of sustainable agriculture, with a particular emphasis on tropical regions—arguably the most critical agricultural frontiers of the future. These landscapes, often recently deforested, present unique challenges as nutrient-poor soils are rapidly converted to intensive use. In highly weathered tropical soils, phosphorus—the foundation of agricultural productivity—is tightly bound to iron, and accessing this essential nutrient inadvertently mobilizes iron for pathogens. This feedback, where phosphorus-limited plants feed pathogen pressure, threatens the stability of agricultural systems in some of the world’s most vulnerable regions. My work examines these dynamics, drawing on studies of legacy phosphorus in subtropical grasslands (Petticord et al., 2024, Ecosphere; Zhi et al., 2024, Journal of Environmental Management) and microbial drivers of nutrient availability (Li et al., 2023, ISME J).

By exploring how iron-phosphorus cycling interacts with pathogen dynamics, I aim to identify strategies to balance productivity with sustainability in tropical agricultural landscapes. Whether investigating biochar’s potential to improve soil resilience (Song et al., In Review, Scientific Reports) or examining phosphorus cycling in low-input pastures (Petticord et al., In Review, Soil Biology and Biochemistry), my work seeks actionable solutions to ensure that agriculture in tropical regions can support global food demands without exacerbating deforestation, soil degradation, or ecosystem collapse. In these rapidly changing systems, the path to sustainable agriculture requires not only better tools but a deeper understanding of the ecological trade-offs that define our future.

Publications:

  • Petticord, D.F., Boughton, E.H., Li, H., Qiu, J., Saha, A., Zhi, R., Sparks, J.P. “Phytoremediation of Legacy Soil Phosphorus: Plant Species Influences Total P Harvest Potential and Passive P-Loss as Leachate.” Ecosphere 15(9): e4976 Link
  • Zhi, R., Boughton, E.H., Li, Haoyu., Petticord, D.F., Saha, A., Sparks, J., Reddy, K.R., Qiu, J. (2024). “Soil Legacy Phosphorus and Loss Risk in Subtropical Grasslands.” Journal of Environmental Management, 366, 121656. Link
  • Qiu, J., Boughton, E.H., Li, Haoyu., Henderson C.R.B Petticord, D.F., Saha, A., Zhi, R., Sparks, J., Reddy, K.R., 2024. “ Unraveling Spatial Heterogeneity of Soil Legacy Phosphorus in Subtropical Grasslands.” Ecological Applications 34(6): e3007. Link
  • Li, J., Liu, Z.F., Jin, M.K., … Petticord, D.F., et al. “Microbial Controls over Soil Priming Effects under Chronic Nitrogen and Phosphorus Additions in Subtropical Forests.” The Nature ISME J 17, 2160–2168 (2023). Link
  • Weixia, W., Petticord, D.F., “Characteristics of soil microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen and their relationships with soil nutrients after a conversion from farmland to orchard or agroforestry in northwest China” In Review at GCB
  • *Song, X.*, *Petticord, D.F.*, Wang, P., Van Zwieten, L. “Impact of Biochar Application and Mowing on Soil Organic Carbon Fractions and Enzyme Activities in Karst Grassland Ecosystems.” In Review at Carbon Research
  • Li, J., Ma, Q., Petticord, D.F., Frey, D., Op de Beeck, M., Jin, M.K., Zhu, Y., Jin, S., Ying, H., Wang, L., Ding, K., Yang, X., Zhu, Y.G. “Adding Straw to Manure Suppresses Microbial Specialist Taxa and Reduces Overall Antibiotic Resistance Risk.” In Review at Environmental Science & Technology
  • Petticord, D.F., Zhi, R., Boughton, E., Guo, Y., Liao, H.L., Reyes, A., Sparks, J., Qiu, J. “Phosphorus Dynamics in Low-Input Subtropical Pastures: Root and Rhizosphere Fungi.” In Review at Soil Biology and Biochemistry
  • Song, X., Wang, P., Van Zwieten, L., Petticord, D.F. “Parent Soil Type Determines the Effectiveness of Biochar in Improving Soil Carbon Storage.” In Review at Scientific Reports
  • Li, J., Ma, Q., Petticord, D.F., Frey, D., Op de Beeck, M., Jin, M.K., Zhu, Y., Jin, S., Ying, H., Wang, L., Ding, K., Yang, X., Zhu, Y.G. “Effects of Persistent Overgrazing on Microbial Community Construction and Functional Genes.” In Review at Agriculture Ecosystems and Environment
  • Petticord, D.F., Boughton, E., Gough, A., Saha, A., Reyes, A., Zhi, R., Qiu, J., Sparks, J.
  • “Conversion from pasture to hay fields reduces overland P transport in a subtropical pasture” In Preparation for Agriculture Ecosystems and Environment
  • Petticord, D.F., Lucas, J., Monti H., Soper F., Wong, M., Uveges, B., Sparks, J. “Farms need fertilizer, forest’s don’t: the biogeochemistry of our imminent phosphorus crisis.” In Preparation for Nature Climate Change

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