Institution/Organization: University of Tennessee Biosystem Engineering
Email Address: bleib@utk.edu
Website(s):
Keyword(s) of Area of Expertise:
- Irrigation
Bio:
Brian G. Leib
Associate Professor of Biosystems Engineering
University of Tennessee
Biosystems Engineering & Soil Science Phone (865) 974-8846
2506 E.J. Chapman Dr FAX (865) 974-4514
Knoxville, TN 37996-4531 E-Mail bleib@utk.edu
A. Professional Preparation
Pennsylvania State University Agricultural Engineering Ph.D. 1998
Colorado State University Agricultural Engineering M.S. 1989
Pennsylvania State University Agricultural Engineering B.S. 1982
B. Appointments
2003- Assistant/Associate Professor & Extension Irrigation Specialist, Biosystems Engineering & Soil Science, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN
1998-2003 Assistant Professor & Extension Irrigation Specialist, Biological Systems Engineering, Washington State University, Prosser, WA
1994-1997 Research/Teaching Assistant, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
1990-1994 Extension Agent – Irrigation, Colorado State University Extension, Colorado River Salinity Control Project, Cortez, CO
1988-1989 Irrigation Engineer for Agua Engineering, Inc., Fort Collins, CO
1986-1988 Research Assistant & International Fellow, Colorado State University, Sans Luis Valley Research & Extension Project (US-AID), Fort Collins, CO
1983-1985 Cartographer (GS-11), Defense Mapping Agency, Washington, DC
C. Research Publications
Barnes, E. M., B. T. Campbell, G. Vellidis, W. M. Porter, J. O. Payero, B. G. Leib, R. Sui, D. K. Fisher, S. Anapalli, P. D. Colaizzi, J. P. Bordovsky, and D. O. Porter. 2020. Forty years of increasing cotton’s water productivity and why the trend will continue. Applied Engineering in Agriculture, 36(4): 457-478.
Leib, B. G., W. C. Wright, T. Grant, A. Haghverdi, D. Muchoki, P. Vanchiasong, M. Zheng, D. M. Butler, and A. L. Wszelaki. 2020. Rainwater harvesting with solar and gravity powered irrigation for high tunnels. Applied Engineering in Agriculture, 36(4): 489-498.
Zheng, M., B. Leib*, D. Butler, W. Wright, P. Ayers, D. Hayes, and A. Haghverdi. Assessing heat management practices in high tunnels to improve the production of romaine lettuce. Agriculture 2019, 9, 203
Haghverdi, A. B. Leib*, R. Washington-Allen, W. Wright, S. Ghodsi, T. Grant, M. Zheng, and P. Vanchiasong. Studying crop yield response to supplemental irrigation and the spatial heterogeneity of soil physical attributes in a humid region. Agriculture 2019, 9, 43.
Zheng, M., B. G. Leib*, W. Wright, and P. Ayers. 2019. Neural models to predict temperature and natural ventilation in a high tunnel. Transactions of ASABE 62(3): 761-769.
Zheng, M., B. G. Leib*, D. M. Butler, W. C. Wright, P. D. Ayers, D. G. Hayes, A. Haghverdi, T. Grant, P. Vanchiasong, and M. Muchoki. 2019. Assessing heat management practices in high tunnels to improve organic production of bell peppers. Scientia Horticulturae, 2019 246: 928-941.
Haghverdi, A., and B. G. Leib*. 2018. Site specific irrigation systems, chapter in Precision Agriculture for Sustainability. John Stafford. Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing, (refereed, invited).
Haghverdi, A., R. A. Washington-Allen, and B. G. Leib*. 2018. Prediction of cotton lint yield from phenology of crop indices using artificial neural networks. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, 152:186-197.
Grant, T., B. G. Leib*, H. A. Duncan, C. L. Main, and D. Verbree. 2017. A Deficit Irrigation Trial in Differing Soils Used To Evaluate Cotton Irrigation Scheduling For The Mid-South. Journal of Cotton Science, 21(4):265-274.
Grant, T., B. G. Leib*, H. J. Savoy, D. Verbree, and A. Haghverdi. 2017. Cotton response to irrigation and nitrogen source in differing Mid-South soils. Agronomy Journal, 109 (6): 2537-2544.
Zheng, M., B. G. Leib*, D. M. Butler, W. C. Wright, P. D. Ayers, and D. G. Hayes. 2017. Modeling energy balance and airflow characteristics in a naturally ventilated high tunnel. Transactions of the ASABE, 60(5): 1683-1697 (doi: 10.13031/trans.12080).
Summary: 39 journal articles and book chapters, 81 presentations at technical conferences, 2 Ph.D. students, and 5 M.S. students. The * indicates the major professor of the first author.
D. Extension Publications
Leib, B. G., Z. Emery, M. Zheng, T, Grant, W. C. Wright, A. Wszelaki and D. M. Butler. 2020 (peer reviewed, in-press). Thermal protection of spring tomatoes in high tunnels. University of Tennessee – Extension, Knoxville, TN (W949).
Leib, B. G., Z. Emery, M. Zheng, T, Grant, W. C. Wright, A. Wszelaki and D. M. Butler. 2020 (peer reviewed, in-press). Thermal protection of winter lettuce in high tunnels. University of Tennessee – Extension, Knoxville, TN (W948).
Shekoofa, A., S. Purdom, A McClure, and B. Leib. 2020. Variable rate irrigation scheduling for soybeans: Large plot evaluation. University of Tennessee – Extension, Knoxville, TN, (W944).
Leib, B. G. and N. R. Bumgarner. 2020 (peer reviewed). Basics of irrigation and introduction to systems and management in the residential landscape. Master Gardeners Handbook Section and Extension Publication. University of Tennessee – Extension, Knoxville, TN, (W871).
Leib, B. G., and T. Grant. 2019. Understanding center pivot application rate. University of Tennessee – Extension, Knoxville, TN, W809-F (peer-reviewed).
Leib, B. G., and T. Grant. 2019. Tools to determine crop water use. University of Tennessee – Extension, Knoxville, TN, W809-E (peer-reviewed).
Leib, B. G., and T. Grant. 2019. How soils hold water: a home experiment. University of Tennessee – Extension, Knoxville, TN, W809-D (peer-reviewed).
Leib, B. G., and T. Grant. 2018. Irrigation water management (IWM) – a simple analogy. University of Tennessee – Extension, Knoxville, TN, W809-A (peer-reviewed).
Leib, B. G., T. Grant, A. Shekoofa, and M. A. McClure. 2018. The basics of soybean irrigation in Tennessee. University of Tennessee – Extension, Knoxville, TN, W809-B (peer-reviewed).
Leib, B. G., T. Grant, and T. B. Raper. 2018. The basics of cotton irrigation in Tennessee. University of Tennessee – Extension, Knoxville, TN, W809-C (peer-reviewed).
Shekoofa, A., and B. G. Leib. 2018. Tile Drainage Systems. University of Tennessee – Extension, (W 788).
Summary: 107 extension articles, fact-sheets & bulletins, 420 extension presentations, 195 site/years of on-farm research/extension demonstrations
E. Funded Projects
Comparing lettuce yield and quality using drip and overhead irrigation on biodegradable mulches Funded by the Tennessee Department of Agriculture via a Specialty Crop Block Grant from USDA ($36,247). Wszelaki A., B. G. Leib and Z. Hansen, November 2018 to August 2021.
Genotype identification for drought tolerance traits: Exploring soybean water saving potential among Tennessee varieties. Funded by the Tennessee Soybean Promotion Board ($71,423). Shekoofa A., B. Leib, M. A. McClure, V Pantalone and P. Arelli, January 2017 to December 2019.
Demonstrate the new MOIST+ program with irrigation consultants in soybean. Submitted to the Tennessee Soybean Promotion Board ($50,000). Leib, B. G., January 2016 to December 2019.
Thermal protection strategies in high tunnels to extend the growing season. Funded by the Tennessee Department of Agriculture via a Specialty Crop Block Grant from USDA ($40,163). Leib, B. G., A. Wszelaki, D. Butler and M. Zheng, November 2016 to August 2019.
Increasing the resilience of agricultural production in the Tennessee and Cumberland River Basins through more efficient water resource use. Funded by USDA NIFA Water for Agriculture ($5,000,000). Forbes, W., …… B. G. Leib….., April 2015 to March 2021.
Developing irrigation management strategies for soybean production in humid regions of the southern US, a regional project between Kentucky, Georgia, Tennessee, and Alabama. Funded by the Southern Soybean Research Program ($180,000). Wendroth, O., G. Vellidis, B. Leib and B. Ortiz, B. G., January 2016 to December 2018.
Converting the automated MOIST+ spreadsheet into a cross platform APP for cotton irrigation scheduling. Funded by Cotton Incorporated Core Funds ($15,000). Leib, B. G., April 2018 to December 2018.
Implementing variable-rate, deficit irrigation with producers using pie shape zones. Funded by Cotton Incorporated Core Funds ($10,000). Leib, B. G., March 2017 to December 2017.
Summary: Total of 31 grants for $6,860,764 and 21 grants as Lead PI for $1,181,491
F. Collaboration with Chinese Agricultural Institutions
2018 collaboration in USA: submitted a NSF joint USA-China proposal on Food, Water and Energy that was not funded, presented “Rain Water Utilization & Energy Conservation for Protected Agriculture” to 15 professionals at the US-China Joint Symposium on the Nexus of Food, Energy, and Water Systems in Franklin, TN and arranged for an English editor while providing technical editing of three manuscripts for Chinese colleagues.
2017 collaboration in China: Started field trials for improving water retention in sandy soils at the Liaoning Academy of Agricultural Science in Shenyang, made an oral presentation at the Soil Physics Workshop in Shenyang, and meet with possible collaborators for the NSF joint USA-China proposal on Food, Water and Energy, May 19-26, 2017 and August 1-6, 2017.
2016 collaborative visit in China: presented Seminars at the Liaoning Academy of Agricultural Science in Shenyang, toured facilities of the Shenyang Agricultural University, presented an oral session at the China-US Center for Soil Productivity and Environmental Conservation lead by the University of Tennessee and Shenyang Agricultural University and presented an oral session at the International Conference for the Nexus of Food, Energy, Water, and Soil in Yixin, Jiangsu Province, October 20-29, 2016.
2015 Chinese collaboration in the USA: hosted Feng Liangshan from the Liaoning Academy of Agricultural Science at the University of Tennessee as a visiting scholar. He participated in deficit irrigation trials of cotton & soybeans, implementing variable rate irrigation with row crop producers using conventional center pivot systems, and energy management & rain harvesting for high tunnels. November 2015 to October 2016.
2014 Collaborative visit in China: Toured facilities of and presented seminars at the Liaoning Academy of Agricultural Science in Shenyang. Also participated in and made an oral presentation for the Environmental Sustainability Conference at Hefei as part of an effort to develop research and educational collaboration between Chinese universities and the University of Tennessee, October 20-29, 2014.