Research

My research strives to 1) determine if the multipurpose perennial wheat known as Kernza is a viable agronomic crop for the state of California by analyzing N balances, grain yield, and above and belowground biomass yield 2) analyze soil ecosystem services Kernza provides relative to conventionally tilled and no-till annual winter wheat by quantifying how each management system affects soil health, carbon sequestration, and microbial community biomass and composition.

Some underlying questions that drive my research are:

1) Will Kernza survive in a Mediterranean environment where water is scarce? If it does survive, what is the optimal N rate and water supply for Kernza in the Central Valley of CA?

2) Can Kernza sequester carbon within three-five years in a Mediterranean environment?

3) How does Kernza partition N between above and belowground biomass? Is this similar to other perennial bio energy crops currently being cultivated in the U.S. and abroad?

4) How does the microbial community biomass and composition differ in Kernza from annual winter wheat (both till and no-till) and can this explain any potential differences in soil health indicator values between the three systems?

Education

Ph.D. Student, Soils and Biogeochemistry Graduate Group, Department of Land, Air, and Water Resources, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA. Advisors: Kate Scow and Mark Lundy

M.Sc., Soil Science and Agroecology, College of Agricutlural and Life Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI. Advisors: Matt Ruark and Erin Silva

B.S., Soil and Crop Sciences, College of Agricutlural Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO. Advisor: Addy Elliot

A.A. Early Childhood Education, Front Range Community College, Fort Collins, CO.

Selected presentations

Diederich, K.M.; Ruark , M.D.; Krishnan, K.; Silva, E.M. (2017). Wisconsin Dairy versus Grain Rotations: How big are the differences in soil health? Poster presented at Soil Health Conference in Ames, IA, February, 2017.

Diederich, K.M.; Ruark , M.D.; Krishnan, K.; Silva, E.M. (2017). Wisconsin Dairy versus Grain Rotations: How big are the differences in soil health? Poster presented at MOSES Organic Farming Conference in LaCrosse, WI, February, 2017. (3rd place winner)

Diederich, K.M.; Ruark , M.D.; Krishnan, K.; Silva, E.M. (2017). Increasing Labile Carbon and Nitrogen Pools in Agricultural Soils Requires a Change in System, Rather than Practice. Poster presented at Soil Health Summit In Fort Collins, CO, June, 2017. (Honorable mention)

Diederich, K.M.; Ruark , M.D.; Krishnan, K.; Silva, E.M. (2017). Increasing Labile Carbon and Nitrogen Pools in Agricultural Soils Requires a Change in System, Rather than Practice. Poster presented at at Soil and Water Conservation Society Conference in Madison, WI, July, 2017.

Diederich, K.M. (2017). Increasing Labile Carbon and Nitrogen Pools in Agricultural Soils Requires a Change in System, Rather than Practice. Oral presentation at ASA-CSSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting in Tampa, FL, October 2017.

Diederich, K.M.; Ruark , M.D.; Krishnan, K.; Silva, E.M. (2017). Temporal and Cropping System Effects on Labile C and N Pools in Agroecosystems. Poster presentation at ASA-CSSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting in Tampa, FL, October, 2017. (Second place in Soil Health for Agroecosystems Community).

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