Planting the seeds of success

Growing up in the foothills of the Andes Mountains of South America, Sergio Cabello Leiva spent a happy childhood in Chile learning all he could about the land and its bountiful promise.

Leiva was hired as the North Dakota State University Carrington Research Extension Center's new Soil Scientist beginning on September 1. He replaced Jasper Teboh in the position.

He hails from his hometown of Nancagua, a city of around 15,000 people which is roughly located in the middle of the shoestring-shaped country in the province of Colchagua, just over 100 miles south of the capital, Santiago. It is nearly equidistant between the Andes and the Pacific Ocean.

"My family taught me to appreciate the beauty of nature, crops, and agriculture," said Leiva in an introductory press release posted to the NDSU Extension Service's weekly newsletter, Center Points, on September 22.

His active years as a child included cycling, hiking, and fishing, and he began his agricultural journey as a summer laborer harvesting table grapes.

Leiva attended the Universidad de Talca (University of Talca), majoring in agronomy, eventually becoming a field agronomist in winter crop seed production.

At Talca, he studied soil science and fertility, and he says his experiences there allowed him to face the challenges of plant nutrition in different crops and environments.

He continued his education at the Universidad de Concepción, where he earned his master's degree in soil sciences and precision agriculture.

"I learned how to use drone multispectral images and GIS software to analyze spatial differences, and apply the correct fertilizer rate for each farm and crop," said Leiva.

From there, he made the decision to leave the only country and continent he had ever known to come to the United States, to the northern climates of North Dakota to study in Fargo at NDSU. There, he received his Ph. D.

His post-doctorate activities include working for a season in oats breeding at the University of Minnesota. He would also advise farmers regarding crop nutrition, irrigation, and soil practices.

"[At the U of M], I learned about new breeding techniques and the power of genetic tools in crop improvement," he said.

He is excited to make his home in Carrington, and through the combination of farming wisdom and expereince with science and applied research, Leiva says, "We can achieve remarkable things together."

Leiva believes that producers can "achieve better yields and higher quality while respecting the environment through innovation, applied sciences, and sustainable agricultural practices."

To contact Leiva, you can reach him at his e-mail address, [email protected], or call the Carrington REC office at (701) 652-2951.