Melanie Stock

Plants, Soils, & Climate (PSC)

Assistant Professor, Urban & Small Farms Extension Specialist


Melanie Stock

Contact Information

Office Location: AGRS 326
Email: melanie.stock@usu.edu

Educational Background

PhD, Soil Science, (Soil Physics and Geological Engineering), University of Wisconsin - Madison, 2018
Winter runoff processes after tillage and manure application in a dairy agroecosystem
MS, Soil Science, University of Wisconsin - Madison, 2013
Using soil temperature dynamics and ground-penetrating radar to investigate the subsurface habitat of eastern American toads (Anaxyrus americanus americanus) during winter
BA, Botany, Zoology, and Conservation Biology, University of Wisconsin - Madison, 2008

Licensures & Certifications

Associate Professional Soil Scientist, Soil Science Society of America, 2017

Biography

Dr. Stock is a soil scientist. Her lab focuses on high-value crops and resource use efficiency to improve the environmental sustainability and economic viability of small farms. Visit the Small Farms Lab at smallfarmslab.com + on Instagram! @usu_smallfarms

Teaching Interests

Community-based education through Extension outreach with microfarmers, master gardeners, and community gardens. Topics include cut flowers, high tunnels, backyard livestock, manure management, and soil fertility.

Research Interests

Adapting cut flower crops for Utah from basic cultivation methods to nutrient management and physics-based season extension, overwintering, and water-use efficiency.

Awards

Extension Innovator Award, 2023

Utah State University Extension

Editor’s Choice Article Award , 2023

Horticulturae

Kenneth Post Award , 2022

American Society of Horticulture Science

Highlighted Paper, 2021

American Society of Horticulture Science

DC Faculty Fellows , 2019

Utah State University

Champ Tanner Agricultural Physics Award, 2018

University of Wisconsin - Madison, Department of Soil Science

Best Student Speaker Award, 2017

American Water Resources Association, Wisconsin Chapter

Champ Tanner Agricultural Physics Award, 2017

University of Wisconsin - Madison, Department of Soil Science

Soil and Water Management and Conservation: Student Oral Competition, 2nd place , 2017

Soil Science Society of America

William Rothermel Soils Scholarship, 2017

University of Wisconsin - Madison, Department of Soil Science

Champ Tanner Agricultural Physics Award, 2016

University of Wisconsin - Madison, Department of Soil Science

Ruth & Carl Miller Academic Merit Award, 2016

University of Wisconsin - Madison

Soil Physics and Hydrology Division Lightning Round, 2nd place, 2016

Soil Science Society of America

Jaya Iyer Student Presentation Award, 2015

University of Wisconsin - Madison, Department of Soil Science

Richard D. Powell Memorial Scholarship, 2015

University of Wisconsin - Madison

Ruth & Carl Miller Academic Merit Award, 2015

University of Wisconsin - Madison

G.A. Harris Fellowship, 2014

Decagon Devices, Inc.

William T. Dible Terra International, Inc. Scholarship, 2014

University of Wisconsin - Madison

Richard D. Powell Memorial Scholarship, 2011

University of Wisconsin - Madison


Publications | Abstracts

  • Wagner, K.M, Stock, M., (2023). The effect of sun protection and plastic mulch color on production of two dahlia cultivars in Salt Lake County, Utah. American Society for Horticultural Science *
  • Rauter, S., Stock, M., (2022). Evaluating Production Strategies for Anemone and Ranunculus in the Intermountain West. American Society for Horticultural Science
  • Stock, M., Oliver, E., Wagner, K.M, Nischwitz, C., (2022). Improving Dahlia Production in Northern Utah through Nutrient and Temperature Management.. American Society for Horticultural Science
  • Oliver, E., Stock, M., Grossl, P., (2021). A Survey of Soil Quality and Contamination for Urban Agriculture Along the Wasatch Front. Soil Science Society of America
  • Stock, M., Pyakurel, S., Allen, N., (2021). Efficiency of Day Versus Night Irrigation of Urban Crops in a Semi-Arid Landscape. Soil Science Society of America
  • Rauter, S., Stock, M., (2021). Evaluating Production Strategies for Ranunculus and Anemone in the Intermountain West. American Society for Horticultural Science
  • Stock, M., Lewis, M., (2020). Advancing early season cut flower production with Peony in the US Intermountain West. American Society of Horticulture Science
  • Prasad, L., Arriaga, F., Thompson, A., Karthikeyan, K., Stock, M., (2020). Event-based runoff evaluation from fall chisel tillage and no-tillage. Soil Science Society of America
  • Lewis, M., Stock, M., (2020). High Tunnel Systems for Producing Snapdragon Cut Flowers in Northern Utah. American Society of Horticulture Science
  • Durfee, T., Stock, M., Lewis, M., (2020). Improving Stock (Matthiola incana) cut flower production in the Intermountain West. American Society of Horticulture Science
  • Stock, M., (2020). Instagram is an underutilized platform in agricultural extension that can engage nontraditional groups. American Society of Agronomy
  • Pyakurel, S., Stock, M., (2020). Quantifying day versus night irrigation efficiency for urban crops with a water-energy balance approach. Soil Science Society of America
  • Stock, M., (2019). Cut Flowers. Utah Urban and Small Farms Conference *
  • Stock, M., Arriaga, F., Vadas, P., Ward-Good, L., Karthikeyan, K., (2018). Tillage, manure, and winter runoff. Wisconsin Agribusiness Classic *
  • Vadas, P.A, Stock, M.N, Feyereisen, G.W, Arriaga, F.J, (2017). Processes Controlling Nutrient Loss in Runoff from Winter Applied Dairy Manure. Agronomy Society of America *
  • Stock, M., Arriaga, F.J, Vadas, P.A, Good, L.W, Karthikeyan, K., (2017). Reducing winter runoff losses from dairy agroecosystems through tillage and manure application timing. Soil Science Society of America *
  • Stock, M.N, Arriaga, F.J, Karthikeyan, K., Vadas, P.A, Good, L.W, (2017). Reducing winter phosphorus losses from dairy agroecosystems through tillage and manure application timing. American Water Resources Association *
  • Stock, M.N, Arriaga, F.J, Karthikeyan, K., Vadas, P.A, Good, L.W, (2016). Does tillage increase frozen soil infiltration?. Soil Science Society of America *
  • Vadas, P.A, Jokela, W., Good, L.W, Arriaga, F.J, Karthikeyan, K., Stock, M.N, (2016). Impact of seasonal and short-term manure application decisions on phosphorus loss in runoff. American Society of Agronomy *
  • Stock, M.N, Arriaga, F.J, Karthikeyan, K., Vadas, P.A, Good, L.W, (2016). Reducing winter phosphorus losses from dairy agroecosystems through tillage and manure application timing. American Society of Agronomy *
  • Stock, M.N, Arriaga, F.J, Karthikeyan, K., Vadas, P.A, Good, L.W, (2015). A water-energy balance approach to quantify manure management under frozen conditions. Soil Science Society of America *
  • Stock, M.N, Hart, D.J, Balster, N.J, (2012). Using Ground-Penetrating Radar to detect eastern American toads (A. a. americanus) belowground. American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists *
  • Stock, M.N, Balster, N., (2012). The effects of soil temperature on belowground amphibian hibernation in an urban versus rural environment. Wisconsin Wetlands Association *

An asterisk (*) at the end of a publication indicates that it has not been peer-reviewed.

Publications | Fact Sheets

An asterisk (*) at the end of a publication indicates that it has not been peer-reviewed.

Publications | Curriculum

  • Curtis, K., Ward, R.A, Stock, M., (2018). Start-to-Farm. USU Extension

An asterisk (*) at the end of a publication indicates that it has not been peer-reviewed.

Publications | Journal Articles

Academic Journal

An asterisk (*) at the end of a publication indicates that it has not been peer-reviewed.

Publications | Technical Reports

Other Reports

An asterisk (*) at the end of a publication indicates that it has not been peer-reviewed.

Publications | Other

Newsletter

  • Stock, M., (2022). Cut flower crops and programming are rapidly growing across Utah. Utah Pests Quarterly Newsletter, Utah Plant Pest Diagnostic Laboratory & USU Extension *
  • Nischwitz, C., Stock, M., (2022). New diseases detected on Utah cut flowers. Utah Pests Quarterly Newsletter, Utah Plant Pest Diagnostic Laboratory & USU Extension *
  • Compton, T., Nischwitz, C., Stock, M., (2020). Dahlia mosaic virus (DMV) on dahlia in Utah. Utah Pests News *
  • Stock, M., (2019). A Closer Look at Utah’s Manure and Compost. Summit County Agriculture Producer Newsletter *
  • Stock, M.N, Black, B.L, Drost, D.T, (2019). Improving production schedules for high-value perennial flowers in Utah: Peony. Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers (ASCFG) Cut Flower Quarterly *
  • Stock, M.N, (2019). It’s SOILS Time! . Utah Cut Flower Farm Association Newsletter *
  • Stock, M., Lewis, M., (2019). Reflecting on 2019: Incredible Economics to Devastating Disease. Utah Cut Flower Farm Association Newsletter *
  • Stock, M., (2019). Ongoing Research at USU. Utah Cut Flower Farm Association *

Other

  • Stock, M., Nischwitz, C., (2021). Tackling the three challenges of dahlia production: bloom timing, nutrient management, and disease.. The Cut Flower Quarterly/Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers *
  • Stock, M., Wagner, K.M, Hansen, S., Black, B.L, Drost, D.T, (2020). Evaluating production strategies for Ranunculus in the Intermountain West. The Cut Flower Quarterly/Association of Cut Flower Growers *

An asterisk (*) at the end of a publication indicates that it has not been peer-reviewed.

Extension

Small Livestock Management, 2019 - Ongoing
Master Gardener, 2019 - Ongoing
Cut flower crop development for Utah, 2018 - Ongoing
Urban and small farms soil health management, 2018 - 2023
Urban and small farms resource use efficiency, 2019 - 2022

Graduate Students Mentored

Cambry Adams, Plants, Soils, and Climate, January 2024
Nick Volesky, Plants, Soils, and Climate, September 2022
Samikshya Pyakurel, Plants, Soils, and Climate, August 2019 - May 2023
Shannon Rauter, Plants, Soils, and Climate, January 2021 - December 2022
Frank (Eli) Oliver, Plants, Soils, and Climate, August 2020 - August 2022
Maegen Lewis, Plants, Soils, and Climate, August 2019 - May 2021