NOTE: “Today” and “tonight” refer to Friday, May 1.
FORKS — Shyam Kandel will discuss “Major Staple Food Crops Research” at 7 tonight.
Kandel will speak in the Hemlock Forest Room at the Olympic Natural Resource Center at 1455 S. Forks Ave.
Kandel, originally from Nepal, is a doctoral candidate in the University of Washington School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, working with Sharon Doty.
He obtained his recent master’s in plant pathology from WSU. There, he worked with plant parasitic nematodes in the dryland wheat production.
His current research is in understanding plant-microbe interactions and underlying phenomenon in the plants growing in the nutrient-poor environments.
Specifically, he is currently working on diazotrophic endophytes that will benefit crop plants through biological nitrogen fixation and other growth-promoting attributes.
The goal of his research is to investigate the contribution of nitrogen-fixing endophytes to rice and corn so these crops can be grown in poor conditions or with a minimum of chemical fertilizers.
His future career goal is to work on different aspects of agro-ecology, sustainable agriculture and climate change issues related to food security.
Kandel received his bachelor’s and first master’s degree in agriculture from Tribhuvan University in Nepal.
Evening Talks at ONRC is supported by the Rosmond Forestry Education Fund.
Refreshments will be served. Participants are urged to bring a favorite dessert for a potluck.
For more information, phone 360-374-4556.