Published work:

Mary Rogers and Leah Worth have a new research publication on biological control efforts of spotted-wing drosophila, titled Releases of the parasitoid Pachycrepoideus vindemmiae for augmentative biological control of spotted wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii. This work was a UMN Department of Horticultural Science, USDA-ARS, Albany, CA, UC Davis, Berkley, CA, and the USDA-ARS, Corvallis, OR collaboration. 

A collaboration with the Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Soil Water and Climate, and Horticultural Science on Nutrient and Nitrate Composition of Greenhouse-Grown Leafy Greens: A Trial Comparison Between Conventional and Organic Fertility Treatments was recently published in Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems. 

Exploring multifunctionality of summer cover crops for organic vegetable farms in the Upper Midwest, has been published in Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems as FirstView. This research was conducted by Naomy Candelaria during her MS degree, in advisement of Mary Rogers and Julie Grossman, and collaborator Adria Fernandez, with the Department of Horticultural Science. 

Exploring Overwintered Cover Crops as a Soil Management Tool in Upper-midwest High Tunnels has been published in HortScience. The research was a UMN multi-departmental project that took place from 2015-2017, in which Mary Rogers co-authored. 

A case study on preparing undergraduate students for mentorship with youth of marginalized identities in food systems education was published in Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems. This was a collaboration between Mary Rogers, Illana Livstrom with UMN Department of Agricultural Education, Communication, and Marketing, and Gillian Roehrig and Amy Smith with UMN Curriculum and Instruction. 

Out in the Field:

The 2022 growing season is approaching! We are excited for the year ahead and look forward to sharing our research projects with you. Stay tuned for future updates! 

Awards and Honors:

Matthew Gullickson was awarded the Gordon & Margaret Bailey Horticultural Science Scholarship and the Herman Charles Cohen Dissertation Improvement Award.

Anh Tran was awarded the ESA North Central Branch John Henry Comstock Award.

Mary Rogers was awarded the UMN Outstanding Community Service Award.

Mary Rogers was nominated for the 2021 Emerging Leaders award. This award recognizes an individual who reflects the characteristics, values, and legacy of Dr. Norman Borlaug.

Congratulations to all award and honor recipients!

The demand for high quality fruits and vegetables is increasing as human population increases. Concurrently diminishing resources, climate change and invasive species pressure production. Sustainable production practices are necessary in order to conserve natural resources, enhance our environment and provide economic opportunities as we meet of food and fiber needs.

My program integrates teaching and applied research in organic horticultural production systems. My teaching mission is to create life-long learners, with the aim of improving knowledge, skills and competence in horticultural science and food systems. My research program focuses on ecological strategies to improve production of vegetables and fruit and collaborating with local growers and community members to build a sustainable food system.

Growing North Minneapolis: A community-based collaboration in urban agriculture

Growing North Minneapolis is a community-driven collaborative, bringing together North Minneapolis community members, growers, youth leaders of many ages and partner organizations. We prioritize partnerships with individuals and communities of diverse identities, backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. The GNM team and community represents a wide range of backgrounds with leaders from the North Minneapolis community, as well as partners outside of the community. The program uses a horizontal leadership model, with collective decision-making, in order to ensure that all voices are heard and represented. Collectively, our GNM partnership possesses a wealth of knowledge related to urban, sustainable, and regenerative agricultural practices.

We work together to advance environmental, social, and racial justice through urban agriculture in the North Minneapolis community. Through garden-based education and intergenerational mentorship, we provide education and training for youth and community in agriculture studies and careers. Currently, GNM runs two agricultural education and career training programs in the North Minneapolis community - a school-year program for students at North High Community School (NHCS) and a 10-week long summer intensive urban agriculture internship program for 14-15-year-olds.  

The community organizations involved are NOMI roots, Project Sweetie Pie, Youth Resources, NOMI resources, Rice & Gravy, Black Storytellers Alliance, and the Old Highland, Folwell and Cleveland Neighborhood Associations. GNM also partners with the City of Minneapolis, Step-Up Minneapolis, the University of Minnesota (UMN) and UMN Extension’s Center for Youth Development - Hennepin County 4-H, UMN Extension’s Agricultural and Natural Resources - Hennepin County, and North Minneapolis Public Schools. Our partnership also has representation within the Northside Fresh Coalition, a community-based partnership led by longtime Northside residents with dozens of years of experience organizing, working, and living in the North Minneapolis food system.

Funding provided by: USDA NIFA, Greater Twin Cities United Way Full Lives grant program, UMN Healthy Foods, Healthy Lives Community-University Partnership grant (2016-2021)

We welcome individuals who are interested in pursuing positions as M.S. or Ph.D. graduate students as well as post-doctoral fellow positions, junior scientists, and undergraduate research assistants, or through the undergraduate research opportunities program (UROP). We highly recommend contacting Dr. Rogers to discuss current opportunities available, and we invite you to join events and seminars offered through the Department of Horticultural Science. See our current lab members on our About Us page.