Isaac Mpanga

PepsiCo Inc.

Phosphate-(P)-solubilizing microorganisms (PSM) are important drivers of P cycling in natural and agro-ecosystems. Their use as plant inoculants to improve P acquisition of crops has been investigated for decades. However, limited reproducibility of the expected effects, particularly under field conditions, remains a major challenge. This study dem...

The form of nitrogen (N) supply has a significant impact on rhizosphere chemistry and root growth responses of higher plants. The respective effects are also employed as management options to improve nutrient acquisition and to minimize nutrient losses in cropping systems. However, surprisingly little is known concerning the interactions with rhizo...

Climate variability is a major factor threatening crop production in Arizona State. However, limited information exists on how growers are adapting with land-use practices. Using data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Agricultural Census (2012 and 2017) of the US Department of Agriculture, this study investigates tren...

Aims: The use of plant growth-promoting microorganisms (PGPMs) to improve plant-nutrient acquisition has a long history but reproducibility remains a challenge. Recent findings suggest an important role of suitable inoculant-fertilizer combinations for the expression of PGPM-effects, particularly with respect to nitrogen (N) supply. In face of the...

The use of plant growth-promoting microorganisms (PGPMs) as inoculants to support nutrient acquisition of crops is discussed as a promising strategy for improving fertilizer use efficiency, to enable crop production with less input of fertilizers, and to reduce detrimental environmental side effects related with high inputs of mineral fertilizers....

Climate change is upon us, and we need to act now in our own small ways without waiting for anyone. In this book, Dr Mpanga (a farmer, teacher, research, and consultant with expertise in sustainable and regenerative agriculture systems) presents a comprehensive guide of circular agriculture principles and practices as a climate-smart tool for resil...

Background: Grape pomace (GP) is a by-product of wineries after filtering the grape juice for wine production. GP contains seeds, pulp, skin, and stalks with acidic properties, and it is normally composted before using as a soil amendment. However, composting GP requires more time, labor, and equipment; furthermore, composting loses some of the des...

Agriculture continues to be a major consumer of global water with increasing demand in the sector due to increasing human population and extreme climate events (increasing temperature and severe drought) in most regions. These human and natural factors continually cause water distress by increasing water risk areas (limited water for agricultural u...

Maize is one of the globally most important cereal crops used for food, feed and fuel. It requires optimum soil nutrients such as Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K) for proper growth and development as well as for tolerance to biotic and other abiotic stresses. Yield potentials are not met under suboptimal soil fertility. One of the in...

The depletion of freshwater supply is occurring at a faster rate than it is being replenished. The agriculture sector is the largest consumer of freshwater for irrigation and production-related processes. The use of reclaimed municipal water for the irrigation of crops offers a sustainable alternative solution for reducing the dependence of agricul...

In semi-arid croplands, water and organic matter in the soil are limiting factors affecting soil fertility, health, and crop productivity. Climate change with increasing temperatures, limited precipitations, and increasing drought stress negatively affected soil water and organic matter availability in arid soils. This situation calls for innovativ...

The need to reduce the negative impacts of agriculture on the environment and the consumer demands for food produced without synthetic chemical inputs have led to organic agriculture production systems. The United States (US) commands about half of the market share of organic products worldwide and is home to half of the world’s organic farmers, bu...

The demand for agricultural lands for other uses because of population growth and extreme climate in Arizona led to 57% decrease in average farm size and 127% increase in farm numbers from 1997 to 2017, which threaten sustainable local food production. Small-scale family farms of less than 10 acres make up 50% of the farmer population in the state...

Synthetic nitrogen fertilizer use comes with unsustainable financial and environmental costs, making it not attractive to small-scale and organic farmers. Poultry manure (PM) when available is a primary fertilizer source for small-scale and organic farmers but there is still limited research on its effects of specific crops and soil fertility under...

Human activities have contributed to climate change in many ways, including unsustainable agriculture activities such as monocropping and intensive use of chemicals, which contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. The problems caused by these conventional systems have led to the search for more sustainable and regenerative agricul...

Interest in the use of poultry manure as a soil amendment has grown along with increased concern of sustainable resource use and recycling on Arizona farms, particularly in organic production systems. Manure application in Arizona increased by 30%from 2012 to 2017. Application of poultry manure to soil has numerous benefits such as increasing soil...

Current worldwide grape production stands at almost 70 million tons year-1 with 80% extracted as wine, and 20% is grape pomace (GP)-organic waste resulting from the wine-making process. Disposal of GP causes significant environmental and economic issues. The GP is acidic with both macro and micro plant nutrients, making it a potentially suitable am...

The unprecedented outbreak of the novel COVID-19 pandemic has stalled or critically stifled most of the world’s economies. The United States (US) reported a 9.8% drop in gross domestic product by the end of June. The devastating impact of the pandemic can be readily recognized by surveillance data, but these numbers fail to recognize the complexiti...

Irrigation water is crucial for farm operations in the world, with irrigated lands contributing about 40% to food and fiber production. In semi-arid regions such as the Southwestern United States, the demand for irrigation water has increased due to population growth, rising temperatures, and severe drought events in the region. Irrigation plays a...

Understanding the needs of stakeholders is crucial for extension and outreach programs, especially in developing new programs. From January to April 2020, a needs assessment was conducted in Yavapai and Coconino Counties for the newly created Commercial Horticulture and Small Acreage (CHSA) program. The information from the needs assessment is impo...

The study was conducted to find out the effects of Moringa oleifera leaves and seeds as a supplementary feed on the growth performance of all-male tilapia. The main objectives of the study were to determine effects of the supplementary feed (leaves + normal feed, seeds + normal feed, leaves + seeds + normal feed) on all male tilapia in terms of the...

Understanding the needs of stakeholders is crucial for extension and outreach programs, especially in developing new programs. From January to April 2020, a needs assessment was conducted in Yavapai and Coconino Counties for the newly created Commercial Horticulture and Small Acreage (CHSA) program. The aim was to identify the needs of small-scale...

According to the United States Geological Service (USGS), zeolites are hydrated aluminosilicates of alkaline and alkaline-earth metals with very porous structure. Zeolites are used as pet litter, animal feed, in wastewater treatment, and as soil amendments. Identified about 200 years ago, there are over 40 different types that include analcime, cha...

Irrigation water is crucial for farm operations in the world, with irrigated lands contributing about 40% to food and fiber production. In semi-arid regions such as the Southwestern United States, the demand for irrigation water has increased due to population growth, rising temperatures, and severe drought events in the region. Irrigation plays a...

Hops are an essential crop in the world for beer production and are mostly grown between latitudes 35° to 55° north, which includes northern Arizona. The U.S. leads world hop production (40%) and is closely followed by Germany (38%). In the U.S., Washington state is the highest producer (68%), followed by Idaho and Oregon in the second and third po...

The form of nitrogen (N) supply has a significant impact on rhizosphere chemistry and root growth responses of higher plants. The respective effects are also employed as management options to improve nutrient acquisition and to minimize nutrient losses in cropping systems. However , surprisingly little is known concerning the interactions with rhiz...

The following changes have been made to the published paper [1]. Figure 3B was missing, while Figure 3A showed twice in the previously published version.

The use of plant growth-promoting microorganisms (PGPMs) as bio-effectors (BEs) to improve the nutrient acquisition of crops has a long history. However, limited reproducibility of the expected effects still remains a major challenge for practical applications. Based on the hypothesis that the expression of PGPM effects depends on soil type and the...