Husein A. Ajwa
 |
Associate Extension Specialist Department of Vegetable Crops |
Education
B.S. University of Jordan. Soils and Irrigation; 1983
M.S. University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point. Soil Science; 1989
Ph.D. Iowa State University, Soil Science; 1993
Professional Experience
1986 - 1987 Technical Assistant, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign,
IL
1993 - 1994 Post-doctoral Research Associate (Soil Chemistry), Iowa State
University, Ames, IA
1994 - 1995 Post-doctoral Research Associate (Soil Chemistry and Biochemistry),
Kansas State University. Manhattan, KS 1995 - 2001 Soil Scientist, USDA-ARS,
WMRL, Fresno, CA
2001 - Present Assoc. Vegetable Crops Specialist, University of California,
Davis, CA. t)
Awards
Certificate of Merit, awarded by the USDA-PWA, 1996
Certificate of Merit, awarded by the USDA-PWA, 1997
Certificate of Merit, awarded by the USDA-PWA, 1999
Certificate of Merit, awarded by the USDA-PWA, 2001
Accomplishments
Quantified decomposition of organic waste materials in soils; evaluated the effect of trace elements on the decomposition of plant materials added to soils; determined mineralization rates of seleniferous organic wastes in soils; evaluated the mobility of trace elements in soils enriched with different rates of biosolids; evaluated bioextraction of selenium and boron with trace element accumulator plants; determined the changes in soil and air gases as affected by fertilization, cultivation, fire, and grazing; developed a horizontal flow-through mesocosm to evaluate the remediation of nitrate-contaminated groundwater by organic infusion; determined gross and net mineralization and assimilation of nitrogen in grassland and agricultural soils; determined the activity of nine soil enzymes in grassland and agricultural soils; developed a high performance ion chromatographic methodology to quantify two sulfonylurea herbicides and their metabolites in soil; determined sorption mechanisms of primisulfuron herbicide on soils, clay minerals, and oxides; assessed sulfate and metals adsorption by soils; assessed the effect of pH, ionic strength, the type and charge of metals on sulfate adsorption by soils; designed and constructed an apparatus to continuously monitor carbon dioxide release from soils; determined constants used in the modeling and the speciation computer program, MinteqA2; developing preplant management practices for strawberry production based on micro-irrigation to apply alternative fumigants to methyl bromide for control of soil-born pathogens; evaluated the distribution in soil, emissions, and efficacy of alternative fumigants to methyl bromide applied through drip irrigation systems. .