Agronomic Division — 2012 Annual Report
Colleen Hudak-Wise, Ph.D., director, (919) 733-2655
Service
The Agronomic Division serves North Carolina residents by providing soil testing, plant
tissue analysis, waste analysis, solution analysis, nematode assay and expert advice
regarding plant nutrient management. This year, the division made several changes that
have improved the quality and scope of these services. Some notable milestones for 2012
include
1) implementation of new laboratory information management system (LIMS)
and associated fine-tuning,
2) roll-out of a reprogrammed and upgraded public access laboratory-
information-management system (PALS),
3) setting of a new all-time record for number of soil samples analyzed in a
single fiscal year (nearly 390,000),
4) data collection from grain sorghum field trials to determine optimal nitrogen
rates,
5) initiation of a two-year study to assess Fraser fir phosphorus and calcium
needs through tissue analysis and soil testing, and
6) completion of the initial phase of implementation of a molecular approach to
identifying plant-parasitic nematodes, with the help of funding by the N.C.
Tobacco Trust Fund Commission.
In the fall of 2008, the division received a $455,600 grant through the N.C. Tobacco
Trust Fund Commission for the redesign of its LIMS. Phase I of this project was
completed in October 2010. A new team of programmers worked on Phase II of the
project from 201 1 and into the summer of 2012. The new LIMS went “live” July 2012
and continues to be refined and adjusted to meet laboratory needs. To accompany the
LIMS redesign, computer analyst Jingqing Ren revised and updated PALS, the client’s
Web interface to LIMS, to render it more functional and user friendly.
In accordance with its designation as a Public Sector STAR site, the Agronomic Division
conducted monthly building inspections; issued a quarterly safety newsletter; presented
benchtop training on more than a dozen safety topics; and sent representatives to attend
NCDOL’s annual Carolina STAR safety conference. All in-house employees met
regularly and served on one of eight safety teams: Safety Inspection & Compliance, Sign
& Chemical Storage, Safety Program & Policy, Safety Information & Communication,
Job Safety Analysis, Housekeeping & Landscaping, Wellness, and Mentoring.
