About

Julie M. Grossman is an Associate Dean of Administration at the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS) and a Professor in Horticultural Science at the University of Minnesota. Her research interests focus on organic agriculture, biological nitrogen fixation, legumes, and cover crops. Grossman's work contributes to multiple United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including Zero Hunger, Good Health and Well-being, Quality Education, Clean Water and Sanitation, Affordable and Clean Energy, Decent Work and Economic Growth, Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, Sustainable Cities and Communities, Responsible Consumption and Production, Climate Action, Life on Land, and Partnerships for the Goals. Her expertise is reflected in her extensive research projects and publications related to sustainable agriculture, soil health, and legume cover crop-based fertility management. Grossman has been actively involved in research projects funded by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, focusing on advancing organic high tunnel sustainability, sustainable agriculture education, and identifying rhizobia partners for cold-hardy hairy vetch. She has also been recognized with a Fulbright fellowship for her work on sustainable soil management in Colombian coffee agroecosystems. Grossman's scholarly contributions include numerous peer-reviewed articles addressing soil health indicator variability, environmental outcomes of agricultural transitions, nitrogen fixation in hairy vetch, and specialty crop farmer perspectives on soil health and nutrient management in the Upper Midwest.

Research topics

• Biology
• Botany
• Agronomy
• Ecology
• Biochemistry

Selected publications

• Soil health indicator variability and management sensitivity across soils, bioregions, and agricultural systems

  Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment · 2026-01-02 · 1 citations

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Temperature and Host Plant Ecotype Drive Nitrogen Fixation, But Not Nodule Community Composition, in Hairy Vetch

  SSRN Electronic Journal · 2025-01-01

  preprintOpen accessSenior author
  PublisherDOI

• Environmental outcomes of landscape-scale agricultural transitions in the Upper Midwestern U.S.

  Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · 2025-05-23 · 1 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  The United States (U.S.) Corn Belt leads North America in row crop production, yet this high productivity comes at an environmental cost in terms of nitrate loss, soil erosion, and greenhouse gas emissions. In this study, we focus on the Upper Mississippi River basin within the U.S. Corn Belt, which represents a landscape scale for agricultural transformation. We outline a methodology to assess a suite of environmental outcomes associated with the transition from summer annual maize/soybean systems to incorporation of continuous living cover systems. We use and expand publicly available tools alongside empirical data to assess nitrate loss, soil erosion, and greenhouse gas emissions for four potential agricultural transition scenarios in the region, on an annual basis compared to a business-as-usual maize/soybean rotation. We consider the following four scenarios: incorporating (1) winter annual cover crops or (2) winter annual oilseeds into 50% of maize and soybean hectares in the region, or converting 50% of marginally productive maize and soybean hectares to (3) agroforestry or (4) pastured livestock systems. Our results indicate that all four systems are likely to reduce topsoil loss when compared to maize and soybean systems, and that the more transformative systems—agroforestry and pastured livestock—have the greatest potential to reduce nitrate loss. Yet, our results suggest that among these transitions, there are tradeoffs in environmental outcomes. For example, pastured livestock and winter annual oilseeds could potentially increase greenhouse gas emissions relative to maize/soybean systems. Our results illustrate that continuous living cover could improve environmental outcomes in the Upper Midwest, but there is tremendous uncertainty and variability surrounding those outcomes.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Temperature and host plant ecotype drive nitrogen fixation, but not nodule rhizobia community composition, in hairy vetch

  Rhizosphere · 2025-04-10 · 4 citations

  articleSenior authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Emerging specialty crop farmer perspectives and educational needs related to soil health and nutrient management in the Upper Midwest

  Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems · 2024-01-01 · 4 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Abstract Emerging farmers, including immigrant farmers, play an increasingly important role in the food system of the Upper Midwestern United States but face significant barriers to success. One important barrier is the lack of culturally relevant and system-specific training and technical assistance, particularly related to soil health and nutrient management. A team of researchers and farm support professionals was convened to conduct a farmer engagement process consisting of a survey and focus groups to better understand the experiences and wisdom that emerging farmers already have, and their educational needs related to soils. The broader goal was to inform the development of culturally relevant tools and training. Here we identify key takeaways related to content needs and learning style preferences. While emerging farmers are already skilled in assessing physical and biological aspects of soil health, they often need support in understanding chemical properties of soil, how to do soil testing, and how to translate soil test results into actionable practices. Additionally, many emerging farmers have experience in other countries and in agricultural systems based on practices such as shifting cultivation. Supporting farmers as they adapt these practices to a Midwest context requires educators to learn about these systems and value the expertise of farmers from diverse farming backgrounds. There is a particular need for more nuanced and farm scale-specific training about inputs in highly diversified, mostly organic systems, especially related to compost and manure management. In terms of learning styles, farmers preferred hands-on training opportunities with as much mentorship and peer learning as possible. Many Midwestern emerging farmers participate in incubator farm programs for beginning growers. While such programs provide valuable access to land and infrastructure, they often lack the capacity to provide tailored participant mentorship. This leaves program graduates unsure about how to utilize soil health and nutrient management practices when they start their own farms. To improve soil health and nutrient management outcomes for emerging farmers, we propose investing in train-the-trainer type programs for farmer leaders and staff with beginning farmer organizations. These programs should include tailored one-to-one mentorship and peer learning with an emphasis on organic inputs, chemical aspects of soil health, and diversified production systems.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Sustaining Soil Health in High Tunnels: A Paradigm Shift toward Soil-centered Management

  HortTechnology · 2024-09-13 · 10 citations

  articleOpen access

  This review was conducted to synthesize current knowledge, learn producer and Extension specialist perspectives, and identify gaps in understanding of the role of soil health in sustaining production in high tunnel (HT) systems. This synthesis includes findings from scholarly resources related to soil health in HTs, including research and Extension-based literature, perspectives from experienced HT producers and technical assistance providers, and the direct observations of a broad network of university research and Extension personnel working with HTs. Findings are intended to identify knowledge gaps and additional research and Extension resource needs of greatest priority to the HT producer community and technical assistance providers that support them at the time of publication. A review of 68 research articles and 58 Extension resources was conducted. Focus group interviews were conducted with small groups of experienced HT farmers in four regions of the eastern half of the United States, with in-depth farm case studies conducted in individual farmers in three of these regions. Growers across regions identified soil fertility management, soilborne diseases, soil compaction, and lack of consistency of soil analyses specific to HTs as the greatest soil-related challenges to HT production. Research and resources for technical assistance providers on mitigation strategies to remediate yield-limiting HT soil conditions, such as excessive soil salinity and high pathogen populations, were also lacking. As such, process-based research on techniques such as leaching, soil steaming, solarization, and anaerobic soil disinfestation in tunnels that consider short- and long-term costs, benefits, and effects on soil and plant productivity should be prioritized in the future when considering the impact of HT production on soil health. Interviews also indicated a need for networking opportunities for technical assistance providers across agencies (e.g., Natural Resources Conservation Service, Extension, nongovernmental organizations). Despite a high and increasing rate of adoption, there is currently a lack of information about maintaining HT systems. Given that HTs play a critical and growing economic role for specialty crop growers throughout the eastern United States, comprehensive intervention across the research–Extension spectrum to sustain productivity in HT systems is recommended.

  PublisherDOI

• VEGETATIVE GROWTH OF PEACH TREES [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch] ASSOCIATED WITH NATIVE SQUASH (Cucurbita pepo ssp. pepo L.) AND BAYOCOTE (Phaseolus coccineus L.) IN MILPA INTERCROPPED WITH FRUIT TREES (MIAF) SYSTEMS

  Agrociencia · 2024-08-05

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  The scarcity of basic foodstuffs in the Mazahua region of the State of Mexico, Mexico, reflects the scarcity of arable land in peasant agriculture. This issue was exacerbated in the early years of the Milpa Intercropped with Fruit Trees system (MIAF, for its Spanish acronym), because the fruit tree strip occupied up to 40 % of the area while producing no food or income during its vegetative growth stage. Native squash (Cucurbita pepo L.) and bayocote (Phaseolus coccineus L.) are basic species in the Mazahua diet, but it is unknown whether they have an adverse effect on the vegetative growth of the newly planted peach trees [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch] when grown in association. The goal of this research was to evaluate the effect of native squash and bayocote, grown in the fruit tree strip of the MIAF system, on the vegetative growth of peach trees for efficient soil intensification during the juvenile period of the tree. The treatments primarily involved associating peach trees with native squash, bayocote, and uncovered soil. The experimental design comprised randomized blocks with three replications. Vegetative growth, shoot biomass, root distribution, and soil moisture content were evaluated 60, 120, and 180 days after planting. Data were subjected to analysis of variance and comparison of means with the Tukey test (p ≤ 0.05) using the SAS 9.4 program. The native squash decreased the diameter and stem biomass of the peach trees since there was greater root overlap between the two species and less soil moisture. In contrast, with the association of the fruit tree with bayocote, the root distribution of the peach tree was greater, with no decrease in the diameter, height, or biomass of its stem. Local species such as bayocote have the potential to be grown in the fruit tree strip of the MIAF system in their first year of establishment.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• A framework to assess environmental outcomes of landscape-scale agricultural transition scenarios.

  2024-09-20

  preprintOpen accessSenior author
  PublisherDOI

• Temperature and host plant ecotype drive nitrogen fixation, but not nodule community composition, in hairy vetch

  bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) · 2024-08-29

  preprintOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  Abstract Hairy vetch ( Vicia villosa Roth) is a commonly grown cover crop throughout the U.S., which can contribute nitrogen for subsequent cash crops through biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) in association with Rhizobium leguminosarum biovar viciae (Rlv) bacteria. Hairy vetch is one of the few cover crops sufficiently cold-tolerant to over-winter in the Upper Midwestern U.S. However, nitrogen contributions by hairy vetch vary across locations, potentially due to cold impacts on the legume/rhizobia symbiosis. The traditional route to improve BNF in legumes involves selecting superior rhizobia strains to create more effective inoculants to apply at planting, but inoculants often fail to compete and survive in agricultural soils. Instead, this study tested the effects of temperature and host plant ecotype on hairy vetch BNF and Rlv community composition in nodules, with the goal of potentially identifying vetch ecotypes able to select beneficial Rlv strains from the soil community. Four hairy vetch ecotypes trapped Rlv from three Minnesota soils, at warm or cold temperatures. Vetch ecotype was a key driver of BNF and nodule formation under warm and cold conditions. However, temperature and plant ecotype did not drive Rlv community composition in nodules, and Rlv community composition did not affect plant productivity. Taken together, these results suggest that the best strategy to improve BNF at low temperatures in hairy vetch likely depends on breeding for improved biomass accumulation and nitrogen fixation in host plants, rather than focusing on host plant selection of beneficial rhizobia.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Rhizosphere Microbial Community Dynamics Contribute to Nitrogen Fixation and Forage Quality in Novel Perennial Intercrops in Rwanda

  SSRN Electronic Journal · 2023-01-01

  preprintOpen accessSenior author
  PublisherDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Thanwalee Sooksa-nguan

  Iowa State University

  16 shared

• Janice E. Thies

  11 shared

• F. W. Cubbage

  10 shared

• Chelsi Crawford

  North Carolina State University

  10 shared

• Sarah Warren

  10 shared

• Alex Liebman

  9 shared

• Mary Rogers

  University of Minnesota

  8 shared

• Marie Schaedel

  University of Minnesota

  8 shared

Labs

• Grossman LabPI

  The Grossman Lab focuses on plant-soil interactions in agroecological systems.

Awards & honors

• 2022 Women in Science Mentoring Award, American Society of A…
• 2018 Fulbright Scholar, Colombia
• 2015 University of Minnesota Emerging Leader in Plant Scienc…
• 2013 Nominee Ernest A. Lynton Award, Scholarship of Engageme…
• 2012 Nominee Outstanding Graduate Instructor Award, College…