Applied Agricultural Research
At the Noble Foundation, applied agricultural research is a multidisciplinary research program that discovers and demonstrates technologies and practices that can be practically and effectively implemented by farmers, ranchers and stewards of natural resources in the southern Great Plains, as well as similar agricultural production environments. Scientists, researchers and agricultural specialists collectively undertake proactive, market-driven research to address current and anticipated issues related to forage-based, beef cattle production, wildlife and natural resource management and bioenergy production. The outcomes of this research are integrated into and disseminated through the agricultural consultation and educational programs of the Noble Foundation's Agricultural Division.
Representative research
- Determination of economic feasibility of producing high value fruit and vegetable crops in high tunnel hoop houses (Biermacher)
- Evaluation of switchgrass in a dual-purpose stocker cattle and bioenergy system (Cook, Biermacher, Blanton)
- Assessment of production-scale agronomics and economics of switchgrass as a bioenergy crop (Blanton, Biermacher)
- Determine cost and effectiveness of feral hog methods (Gee)
- Effects of cross-timbers burning on vegetation, wildlife habitat, stocker cattle production and economics (Gee, Moffet, Reuter)
- Determine the effects of very large scale aerial photography for evaluating pasture health (Moffet)
- Evaluate pasture and animal management strategies on cattle performance (Reuter)
- Response of summer-active and -dormant tall fescue to stockpiling (Rogers)
- Comparison of irrigation methods typically used on the performance of young pecan trees. (Rohla)
- Comparison of tree shelters on temperature and growth of young pecan trees (Rohla)
Principal investigators
Jon Biermacher, Ph.D., Ag Research
John Blanton, Ph.D., Ag Research
Billy Cook, Ph.D., Ag Research
Ken Gee, M.S., Ag Research
Corey Moffet, Ph.D., Ag Research
Ryan Reuter, Ph.D., Ag Research
James Rogers, Ph.D., Ag Research
Charles Rohla, Ph.D., Ag Research