R. James Cook

My research within the biological and agricultural sciences is aimed at obtaining the understanding and developing the technology necessary to achieve the full potential of direct-seed (no-till) cereal-based cropping systems. Seeding crops such as wheat and barley directly into undisturbed soil and residue of the previous crop is necessary to increase the profitability of dryland agriculture, provide wild-life habitat, and save, if not rebuild, eroded and degraded soils. Such cropping systems require new strategies to control pests and new varieties of crop plants adapted to an undisturbed soil environment. With direct seeding the only soil disturbance is that provided by the "one-pass" operation used to plant and fertilize the crop. The approaches include making greater use of biological control, including through biotechnology, and developing a deeper understanding of soil microbiological processes. This research requires systems approach and ranges from basic to applied research.