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Ronald F Turco

Associate Director ARP, Professor Agronomy

Department: Agronomy
Phone: 765.494.8077
Fax: 494.0808
E-mail: rturco@purdue.edu
 

Dr. Ronald F. Turco is a Professor in the Department of Agronomy and Assistant Director for Environmental Programs for the College of Agriculture. He has BS degrees from the University of Idaho in Bacteriology and Soil Science and a PhD from Washington State University in Soil Microbiology. His research concentrated on understanding how the behavior of microorganism and the processes they control in natural systems, is influenced by human activity. His current projects are divided across three areas: understanding the fate of introduced E. coli in soil and water and the role these processes play in food contamination, developing a better predictive capacity to understand the environmental fate of manufactured nano materials (fullerenes, single wall carbon nanotubes and nanometals) in soil and water and defining the unintended consequences of using our soils resources for biofuel production. His work on environmental pathogens led to the development of EPI-Net.org a USDA national facilitation project. He has authored many articles and reports and has delivered numerous invited and volunteered presentations. Dr. Turco teaches two graduate level courses: Soil Microbiology and a new course tentatively titled Biotransformation of Anthropogenic Molecules. He also teaches an undergraduate course on Soil Ecology.
 

- Recent Publications

del Busto-Ramos, M., M. Budzik, C. Corvalan, M. Morgan, R. F. Turco, & B. Applegate (2008). Development of an on-line biosensor for in situ monitoring of chlorine dioxide gas disinfection efficacy. Applied Microbiology Biotechnology, 78, 573-580.

Nyberg, L., R. F. Turco, & L. Nies (2008). Assessing the impact of nanomaterials on anaerobic microbial communities. Environmental Sciences and Technology, 42, 1938–1943.

Farris, L., M. Habteselassie, L. Perry, Y. Chen, B. Reuhs, R. F. Turco, & B. Applegate (2008). Luminescence techniques for detection of bacterial pathogens. Principles of Bacterial Detection: Biosensors, Recognition Receptors and Microsystems (213-230). New York: Springer Publishing.

Habteselassie, M., M. Bischoff, E. Blume, B. Applegate, B. Reuhs, S. Brouder, & R. F. Turco (2008). Environmental controls on the fate of E. coli in soil. Water Air and Soil Pollution, 190, 143-155.

Turco, R. F. (2005). SPATIAL PATTERNS OF SOIL AVAILABLE N, CA, AND MOISTURE CONTENT IN OPTIMALLY FERTILIZED LOBLOLLY PINE STANDS. Soil Science Society of America Journal.

Turco, R. F. (2004). Tile spacing impacts on Zea mays L. yield and drainage water nitrate load. Ecological Engineering.

Edwards, I. P., & R. F. Turco (2004). Inter- and intraspecific resolution of nrDNA TRFLP assessed by computer-simulated restriction analysis of a diverse collection of ectomycorrhizal fungi. Mycological Research, 109.

Turco, R. F. (2003). USGS Indiana Water Resources Research Center.

Turco, R. F. (2003). Carbon Sequestration Research. Farm Foundation.

Turco, R. F. (2003). Properties and Interactions of herbicides with Soils. Herbicide Mode of Action Class.

 

+ Patents
 

- Awards & Honors

Chairperson, Division S3- Soil Biology and Biochemistry (2008). Soil Science Soc America.

Water Guardian Award (2003). MACA Mid America Croplife Association.

 

+ News Releases
   
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