Mary Love Tagert

Mary Love Tagert is an Assistant Extension Professor in the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering at Mississippi State University (MSU), part of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. She specializes in water quality, irrigation management, and watershed modeling. Her roles include research and extension responsibilities focused on sustainable agricultural practices and environmental stewardship.

Education: PhD in Plant and Soil Sciences (MSU, 2006), MS in Forest Resources (MSU, 2000), BS in Biology (Millsaps College, 1998).

Research Interests: Farm water storage systems, irrigation scheduling optimization, environmental fate of herbicides, watershed modeling using AnnAGNPS, non-point source runoff mitigation, and geospatial technologies in environmental management. She has contributed to projects addressing nutrient dynamics, sediment transport, and water quality monitoring in agricultural systems.

Publications and Presentations: Over 50 peer-reviewed articles and conference presentations since 2004, focusing on water resource management, precision agriculture, and environmental modeling. Recent work includes studies on iron-deficiency chlorosis in soybeans and soil moisture monitoring innovations.

• Awards:
  • 2009–2010 Faculty Leadership Forum Participant
  • 2005 Support Staff Research Award

Her advisory and grant activities include developing the Mississippi Irrigation Scheduling Tool (MIST) and collaborating with agencies like the Mississippi Water Resources Research Institute. She is actively involved in regional water management planning and educational outreach for sustainable agricultural practices.

Labs/Teams: Collaborates with the GeoResources Institute and Mississippi Water Resources Research Institute on interdisciplinary projects combining geospatial analysis and hydrologic modeling.