
Andrea S. Leiva Soto
Graduate student
Biography
As part of the Bachelor Degree, two internships were required. The first was performed on a Fruit Exportation Company. Working on control quality on Table grape production. Including field work, evaluation of caliber, racemes, color, harvest and data management. The second internship was completed on a Breeding Program on Table grapes. Involving selection of segregating plants on field trials. Including harvest of appealing segregating plants and assess on fruit quality in terms of color, astringency, crunchiness and post harvest performance. Additionally, in-vitro cultivation and rudiments rescue were performed on crossed individuals between selected varieties. Plus, concerning the Breeding Program Project progress, farmer meetings were coordinated.
To accomplish her Bachelor Degree, Andrea worked as a Student Research Assistant in the Weed Science Laboratory with Dr. Rodrigo Figueroa. The Thesis project was “Effects and efficacy of soil active herbicides in Persea americana cultivated on slope conditions”, evaluating herbicides dose response, controlled species and crop phytotoxicity. Likewise, assessments of new herbicides for vegetables crops, fruit nursery and forestry trees were study, including the setting of field trials on different regions across the country.
After obtain the Bachelor Degree, she became Research assistant in the Weed Science Laboratory with Dr. Douglas Doohan at The Ohio State University. Some of the activities performed related setting field, greenhouse and laboratory trials for the evaluation of herbicide doses response on crop and weed species. Including experimental design, measurements and data management.
Today, her Master thesis relates organic management on weed population involving the effect of soil amendments on soil nutrient availability and microbial ecology. Comparing conventional amendments and non conventional amendment applied by Ohio organic farmers on Wayne County area.