Austin Hagan

RESEARCH Activities

Current research projects include the influence and interaction of management practices such as planting date, rotation, tillage, fertility, and seeding rates as well as the efficacy of fungicides, insecticides, and nematicides on the development and severity of foliar and soil diseases and nematode pests, and their impact crop yield and quality factors in corn, cotton, peanut, and grain sorghum. In recent years, my research interests have expanded to include the impact of production practices and variety selection on foliar disease severity in sorghum and switchgrasses utilized for energy and bioindustrial feedstocks along with defining disease-related biomass and sugar losses as well as assisting with screening peanut germplasm for resistance to foliar and soil diseases.

Extension Activities

Current extension responsibilities include the diagnosis and monitoring, and development of disease and nematode management strategies for cereals, corn, cotton, forages, grain sorghum, and peanut, along with bioenergy crops, amenity turfgrasses, and ornamentals.

select PUBLICATIONS

• Bowen, K. L., A. K. Hagan, M. Pegues, and J. Jones. 2016. Yield losses due to crown rust in winter oats in Alabama. Plant Health Progress 17(2):95-99.
• Bowen, K. L. and A. K. Hagan. 2015. Temperature and moisture conditions that affect aflatoxin contamination of peanuts. Peanut Sci. 42(2):121-127. doi: 10.3146/0095-3679-42.2.121
• Hagan, A. K., H. B. Miller, J. Burkett, and K. Burch. 2015. Root-knot control and yield response of corn with seed treatment and granular nematicides. Plant Health Progress 16(4):151-157. doi:10.1094/PHP-RS-15-0030.
• Hagan, A. K., H. L. Campbell, K. L. Bowen, and L. Wells. 2015. Seeding rate and planting date impacts stand density, diseases, and yield of irrigated peanuts. Plant Health Progress 16(2):63-70. doi:10.1094/PHP-RS-14-0019.
• Bowen, K. L., K. L. Flanders, A. K. Hagan, and B. Ortiz. 2014. Insect damage, aflatoxin content, and yield of Bt corn in Alabama. Journal of Economic Entomology 107(5)1818-1827.
• Conner, K., J. Olive, A. K. Hagan, L. Zhang and M. Bloodworth. 2014. First Report of Impatiens Downy Mildew Caused by Plasmopara obducens in Alabama. Plant Disease 98:1006.
• Hagan, A. K., K. L. Bowen, M. Pegues, and J. Jones. 2014. Nitrogen rate and variety impact on dry biomass and sugar yield along with disease identity and severity in sweet, forage, and silage/grain sorghum in Alabama. Agronomy Journal 106(4):1205-1211.
• Conner, K., A. K. Hagan, and L. Zhang. 2013. First Report of Corynespora cassiicola-incited target spot on cotton in Alabama. Plant Dis. 97(10):1379.