Pires joins NDSU Extension as soil health specialist

Carlos Pires has joined North Dakota State University Extension as a soil health specialist and assistant professor in the School of Natural Resource Sciences. Pires started on April 16.

Pires holds a doctorate in agronomy from Kansas State University. Originally from southern Brazil, he earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Agronomy and Soil Science from the Federal University of Santa Maria – Brazil. His research focused on soil microbial community structure and activity under various tillage systems, crop rotations and yield environments.

During his doctoral studies at K-State, Pires coordinated an on-farm research network to test different agricultural practices to improve soil health at the farm level. His research involved regenerative agriculture strategies, cropping system resilience, nutrient management, applied soil biology and cover cropping.

Pires completed a post-doctoral fellowship at K-State under the Wheat Rx program, which consists of suggested management practices for the economical and sustainable production of high-quality winter wheat in Kansas.

Beyond his degree, Pires founded AgroConnection, an international outreach initiative to connect agricultural stakeholders worldwide and facilitate knowledge exchange among international students. Pires also provides leadership on international and national levels to promote agricultural sustainability.

“Dr. Pires brings a wealth of knowledge to NDSU Extension and is looking forward to building relationships with farmers, Extension agents and researchers that will bring tangible benefits to our producers and their communities,” says Mohamed Khan, NDSU Extension assistant director and program leader for agriculture and natural resources.

Pires strongly believes that sustainable agriculture and the resilience of our ecosystems are fundamentally connected to the health of our soil.

“The chance to connect plants and soil, and to consider the system as a whole is what excites me,” says Pires. “Enhancing soil health is one of the major challenges in agriculture, and I know agriculture is the heart of North Dakota.”

NDSU Agriculture Communication – May 9, 2024

Source: Carlos Pires, 701-231-8901, carlos.pires@ndsu.edu

Source: Mohamed Khan, 701-231-8944, mohamed.khan@ndsu.edu

Editor: Kelli Anderson, 701-231-7006, kelli.c.anderson@ndsu.edu