Soil Fertility Team

Faculty

Trenton L. Roberts

Dr. Roberts is an Endowed Professor and Extension Soil Fertility Specialist in the CSES department with a primary focus on the development of soil-based nitrogen tests to improve nitrogen use-efficiency of agricultural crops. Trenton received degrees from Oklahoma State University, University of Arizona and University of Arkansas all related to soil science and agricultural production. Dr. Roberts has been the leader in the development of N-STaR the nitrogen soil test for rice, which is the first site-specific soil test method for rice. Future research will focus on the development of soil test methods for corn, wheat and cotton as well as the implementation of N-STaR for rice throughout the Mid-south. Trenton has worked diligently on the nitrogen use efficiency in the Mid-south and has several (>15) refereed journal articles on this topic. Over the past 8 years Dr. Roberts has worked to revise and update nutrient management recommendations, adding new soil and tissue tests to improve the accuracy and efficiency of crop production. In addition to his soil fertility work, Dr. Roberts has taken the lead of cover crop research within the state of Arkansas and has developed guidelines and recommendations for their effective implementation into crop rotations across the Mid-south.

Gerson Laerson Drescher

Bronc Finch

Dr. Finch is an Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist of Soil Fertility with the Department of Crop, Soil, and Environmental Sciences, University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture (UADA). Dr. Finch earned his B.S. in Agriculture Education, and M.S. in Plant, Soil, and Environmental Sciences from West Texas A&M University in Canyon, TX, and his Ph.D. in Soil Science from Oklahoma State University (OSU) in Stillwater, OK. He worked as a post-doc researcher at OSU leading research projects focused on nutrient management of various forage crops, as well as managing a soil analysis laboratory. Currently, Dr. Finch’s extension program is focused on developing, and disseminating up-to-date fertilizer and nutrient management recommendations for forage production in Arkansas. He has experience with soil and plant analysis, plant nutrition, nutrient cycling, and soil health.

Staff

Alden D. Smartt

Alden Smartt has been a part of the Department of Crop, Soil, and Environmental Sciences at the University of Arkansas since 2008. Alden earned his B.S. degree in 2011, with a major in Environmental, Soil, and Water Science and a minor in Crop Management. After graduation, he stayed in the department to continue his education, studying trace gas emissions from rice systems and earning his M.S. in Soil Physics under Dr. Kristofor Brye. Following the completion of his graduate degree, Alden continued research in rice, focusing on nitrogen fertility under Dr. Richard Norman, where his time as a Program Associate began in 2016. After Dr. Norman’s retirement, Alden expanded his research scope to include soil fertility work in crops such as corn, soybean, cotton, wheat, and forages under the guidance of Dr. Nathan Slaton and Dr. Trent Roberts.

Joseph B. Shafer

Joseph Shafer is a Program Associate of the Arkansas Soil Fertility program at the Department of Crop Soils, and Environmental Sciences. Joseph has a B.S. degree in Biological Sciences from Arkansas State University. Joseph has been with the University since 2002. He spent 9 years as the Soybean Research Specialist at The Pine Tree Research Station. He has been in his current position since 2011. Joseph is responsible for the day-to-day management of Dr. Roberts’ research located at the Pine Tree Research Station. It is also Jospeh’s responsibility to assist Dr. Roberts in the implementation of his research located at various locations across the State.

Stephanie M. Williamson

Stephanie Williamson is a Program Associate with the Arkansas Soil Fertility team and has a B.S. Degree in Animal Science from North Carolina State University. Following her M.S. Degree in Animal Science from the University of Arkansas researching environmentally focused feed modifications of grazing animals, Stephanie joined the Crop, Soil, and Environmental Science Department working with the USDA focused on animal waste management.  After several years in the lab and field conducting animal waste and water quality research, Stephanie returned to the CSES department and her row crop upbringing in 2010 to work for Dr. Roberts.  She manages the N-STaR Soil Testing Lab and Dr. Roberts’ research program.

Carri Lu Scott

Carri Scott is a Program Technician in the soil fertility program of Dr. Roberts.  A Northwest Arkansas native, Carri graduated from the University of Arkansas with a B. S. in Environmental Soil & Water Science. After a detour into other areas, Carri came back to the Crop, Soil, and Environmental Sciences Department in 2012. The majority of Carri’s time is spent in the lab, but sometimes she ventures out into fieldwork as well.

Qamar Sarfaraz

Program Associate
479-799-3582  |  qamars@uark.edu

Qamar Sarfaraz is a Program Associate in the Arkansas Soil Fertility Program at the Department of Crop Soils, and Environmental Sciences, University of Arkansas Systems. Sarfaraz earned his BS degree in Agriculture (AJK University), MS degree in Soil Science (AUP) and Ph.D. in Soil Science from the Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM) Brazil. He was an assistant professor in the Department of Soil Science at Lasbela University of Agriculture, Water and Marine Sciences Uthal, Balochistan, Pakistan (LUAWMS). He worked on preparing biochars, chemical characterization, and biochar application in soil during his Ph.D. and while working at LUAWMS. Qamar has experience in working with soil and plant analysis, plant nutrition, and nutrient cycling.

Kacie Gibbins

Program Associate
kgibbins@uada.edu

Kacie Gibbins joined the Extension Soil Fertility – Forage Nutrient Management program in June 2025 after earning a B.S. in Agribusiness – Animal Science from Arkansas Tech University. Raised on a cow-calf production operation in eastern Oklahoma, she gained practical knowledge and hands-on experience in forage production and livestock management. Kacie assists with applied forage soil fertility research and extension efforts, including serving as coordinator of the Hay Verification Program, with the goal of improving forage management recommendations.

Daniel Mesa

Program Associate
978-641-9838  |  dmesa@uada.edu

Daniel Mesa, originally from Une, Colombia, grew up working closely with native Andean crops and livestock, developing an early connection to agriculture. He earned his B.S. in Agronomy from the National University of Colombia, where he began a career rooted in agricultural research and innovation. Daniel has participated in a wide range of international research and agribusiness projects across Colombia, Brazil, and the United States. His work spans soil fertility, postharvest technology, biocontrol, agribusiness project management, and renewable energy integration in farming systems. These experiences have shaped a strong multidisciplinary and multilingual profile. In 2025, Daniel joined the Soil Fertility Program at the University of Arkansas as a Program Associate under the direction of Dr. Roberts. In this role, he contributes to field and laboratory research, supervises graduate students, leads data analysis and reporting efforts, and supports the development of science-based nutrient management strategies.

Prashasti Agarwal

Post-Doctoral Researcher
505-930-0795 |  pa034@uark.edu

Dr. Agarwal is a Postdoctoral Researcher with the Arkansas Soil Fertility Program in the Department of Crop, Soil, and Environmental Sciences at the University of Arkansas. Originally from India, she earned her bachelor’s degree in agriculture before completing a master’s at New Mexico State University, where she evaluated the feasibility of growing cover crops under water-limited arid agroecosystems to enhance ecosystem benefits. Dr. Agarwal earned her Ph.D. at Virginia Tech, where she investigated plant–soil–microbe interactions using a plant functional trait approach to design cover crop mixtures that promote soil health and agroecosystem services. In her current position, she assists in leading agricultural soil health analyses under diverse management practices that support soil conservation and applied nutrient management in major row crops of the Mid-South U.S. Her research focuses on linking conservation management practices, soil health indicators, and agronomic production outcomes for both short-term monitoring and long-term evaluation of soil health and agroecosystem sustainability.