Agricultural and Life Sciences (IFAS)
Wilkie Lab
Led by Ann Wilkie · Soil, Water, and Ecosystem Sciences
What we study
The Wilkie Lab studies how microbes break down waste, focusing on agricultural and industrial waste. They develop methods to improve odor control, energy production, and water quality using microbial processes.
What working here is like
- Wet lab
- Fieldwork
- Bacteria & microbes
- Plants
- No coding
- Projects
- 4
- Papers
- 6
Current projects
Livestock waste management technology
Developing methods to control odor and improve water quality from livestock waste.
Food waste auditing
Studying how schools can reduce food waste and improve sustainability.
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Project Experiential Learning in the Soil Sciences: Connecting Education, Management, and Outreach
The lab created a plan for the soil pit at UF’s BEST Lab, documenting soil layers and adding erosion control with native grasses and compost mulch, and designed a learning program for students and visitors with outreach to schools and clubs; the plan’s success will be checked with feedback and another pit will be developed after mapping local soils.
From the Spring 2025 UF Undergraduate Research Symposium · abstract book, p. 308
Mulching Soil with Dried Marigolds for Pest Control
The lab tests whether dried marigold flowers mixed into soil mulch can keep aphids and beetles away from tomato plants. The student set up greenhouse and outdoor trials comparing plain mulch, dried marigolds, and a mix.
From the Spring 2025 UF Undergraduate Research Symposium · abstract book, p. 75
Summaries are written by AI in plain language from public symposium abstracts and may be imperfect.
Recent papers, explained
- Evaluation of Composted Kenaf-based Growing Media for Coleus Production
2026 · Journal of Environmental Horticulture
Tests whether composted kenaf can replace peat in growing coleus plants.
- Hammermilled Sugarcane Bagasse Fibers Can Be Used to Reduce Peat and Phosphorus Applications in Petunia Production
2026 · HortScience
Tests if sugarcane bagasse can replace peat in petunia growing.
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- Uptake and Elimination of 7 Selected PFAS in Eisenia Fetida Exposed in Artificial Soil
2026 · Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology
- Nitrogen-Fixing Legume Nodules
2026 · EDIS
Shows how to tell apart legume nodules from nematode galls in soil.
- Kenaf Core as an Alternative Soilless Growing Medium: A Review
2026 · Plants
Reviews kenaf core as a lightweight, water-rich alternative to peat in growing media.
- Kenaf: Opportunities for an Ancient Fiber Crop
2024 · Agronomy
Tests whether ancient kenaf fiber can be used in modern industries.
Plain-language summaries are AI-written and reviewed by us; check the paper for details.
How to reach out
Ann Wilkie hasn't set up this page yet. You can also look them up in the UF directory (search “Ann Wilkie”).