Workforce Development Extension Internship 2025

Elizabeth Karides, Louisiana State University

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Mentor: Drs. Qianwen Lu and Xuan Wei

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Contents

• Introduction
• Biochar Research
• Specialty Mushroom Farming Project
• Additional Extension Activities

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Introduction

Image/source: Elizabeth Karides

• Rising Junior at Louisiana State University
• Plant and Soil Systems: Crop Science major
• Located at CMREC- Clarksville
• Mentored by Drs. Qianwen Lu and Xuan Wei

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Biochar Research

Image/source: Kavitha, B., Reddy, P. V., Kim, B., Lee, S. S., Pandey, S. K., & Kim, K.-H. (2018). Benefits and limitations of Biochar Amendment in agricultural soils: A Review. Journal of Environmental Management, 227, 146–154. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2018.08.082

What is biochar?

• Biomass that has undergone pyrolysis and used as a soil amendment rich in carbon (Kavitha et al., 2018)

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Purpose of Experiment

• Determine the optimum application rate of biochar

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Experimental Design

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Growing Swiss Chard from Seed

Image/source: Elizabeth Karides

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Experiment Approaches

Image/source: Elizabeth Karides

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Pre-seed plants

Field preparation

Biochar application

Transplanting

Data collection

Data compiling and analyses

Data sharing

Specialty Mushroom Farming

Image/source: Elizabeth Karides

• Assisted UME faculty in making mushroom growth substrate and producing specialty mushrooms
• Supporting UME in their mushroom pilot research means supporting Maryland’s specialty mushroom growers
• In the process of publishing a UME instructional brief about mushroom cultivation

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Specialty Mushroom Farming

Image/source: Elizabeth Karides

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Preparing Growth Substrate

Mushroom Substrate Pasteurization

Spawn for Inoculation

Additional Extension Activities

Image/source: Elizabeth Karides

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Downy Mildew Basil Project

Crape myrtle Bark Scale Research

Urban Farm Work

Extension Workshops

MACAA Farm Tour

UMD Campus Research Tour

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E-mail: Ekarid1@lsu.edu