Heuchelin Selected as Next Director of Iowa State’s Seed Science Center

Jun 02, 2025

Scott Heuchelin has spent a career working with seeds and crops, including the last several years specifically ensuring that seeds moved throughout the world are free of disease. Now, he’s returning to his alma mater to serve as the next director of Iowa State University’s Seed Science Center and a professor in the Department of Plant Pathology, Entomology and Microbiology.

Heuchelin will begin in this role on July 15, 2025. The Seed Science Center is housed within the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

“It is exciting to have Dr. Scott Heuchelin join us this summer as professor and director of the Seed Science Center! His deep experience in industry, leadership and translating research into practice will serve the Center and its stakeholders well and enable it to move forward,” said Daniel J. Robison, endowed dean’s chair in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. “Great thanks to Dr. Steve Harris for his service as interim director of the Center, and before him, Dr. Lulu Rodriquez, who also served as interim director, following the departure of Dr. Manjit Misra, who, for 32 years, built up and guided the Center to unprecedented success and impact. This new generation of leadership will build on that terrific legacy to sustain and advance the Center’s relevance, impact and excellence!

Source : iastate.edu

Video: Dr. Emerson Nafziger: Nitrogen Fertilizer Rates for Corn

The Crop Science Podcast Show, Dr. Emerson Nafziger from the University of Illinois breaks down decades of nitrogen research. From the evolution of N rate guidelines to how soil health and hybrid genetics influence nitrogen use efficiency, this conversation unpacks the science behind smarter fertilization. Improving how we set nitrogen fertilizer rates for rainfed corn is a key focus. Discover why the MRTN model matters more than ever, and how shifting mindsets and better data can boost yields and environmental outcomes. Tune in now on all major platforms!

"The nitrogen that comes from soil mineralization is the first nitrogen the plant sees, and its role is underestimated."

Meet the guest:

Dr. Emerson Nafziger is Professor Emeritus of Crop Sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, with degrees in agronomy from Ohio State, Purdue, and Illinois. His research has focused on nitrogen rate strategies and crop productivity. He co-developed the Maximum Return to Nitrogen (MRTN) model, which is widely used across the Midwest. His research spans N response trials, hybrid interactions, crop rotation effects, and yield stability.