Title | Exec. Assoc. Vice President & Director |
Department | LCES Administration |
TSmith@agcenter.lsu.edu | |
Address 1 | 8208 Tom Bowman Drive Alexandria, LA 71302 |
Phone | 318-473-6520 |
Fax | 318-473-6503 |
Dr. Tara P. Smith is currently serving as Executive Associate Vice President and Director of the Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service. Smith also serves as a professor and regional director in the Central Region of the LSU AgCenter and research coordinator of the Sweet Potato Research Station. Smith obtained a B.S. in Biology degree from the University of LA at Monroe in 2000, a M.S. in Biology from Louisiana Tech University in 2001 and a PhD from Louisiana State University in 2006 (entomology). Smith was hired in 2006 as the state sweet potato specialist for Louisiana and has 17 years of experience in research and extension working with the Louisiana and National sweet potato industries. As director of extension, Smith serves as a member of the senior leadership team with the LSU AgCenter, supporting all aspects of extension programming, including 4-H, nutrition, and agricultural and natural resources programs throughout the state. Dr. Smith has been an active member of the LSU College of Agriculture Alumni Association throughout her career.
EDUCATION:
Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Doctor of Philosophy, Entomology, May 2006
Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, Louisiana
Master of Science, Biology, August 2001
University of Louisiana at Monroe, Monroe, Louisiana
Bachelor of Science, Biology, May 2000
Submitted:
USDA: APHIS National Clean Plant Network (NCPN) – A Unified Proposal for NCPN – Sweetpotato. Imana Power and T.P. Smith. 2022-2023. $200,918.00
Funded:
Louisiana Sweet Potato Commission 2012 – 2022: $ 70,000 – $7,000 annually to support of insect research in sweet potatoes. Tara P. Smith
LDAF Specialty Crop Block Grant: A. Villordon, T. Smith and M. Sistrunk – Best Practices to Reduce Heavy Metal in Sweetpotato for Increased Competitiveness and Food Safety. 2023 -2024. $78,480.43
USDA: NIFA – SCRI “CleanSEED: A Project to Ensure the Sustainability of the U.S. Sweetpotato Seed Programs.” 2022-2026. $ M. Shankle, Jeff Davis Don LaBonte, Arthur Villordon T. Smith et al. – LSU portion Program Specific - $548,116.
USDA: NIFA – SCRI “Rapid Development of Marketable Root-Knot Nematode Resistant Sweetpotato Varieties, Translation of Genomics and Advanced Phenomics into On-Farm Crop Management.” 2021-2026. $5,011,710 – LSU portion - $600,000, Program Specific - $42,291
USDA: APHIS National Clean Plant Network (NCPN) – A Unified Proposal for NCPN – Sweetpotato. C.A. Clark and T.P. Smith. 2021-2022. $183,663.00
USDA: APHIS National Clean Plant Network (NCPN) – A Unified Proposal for NCPN – Sweetpotato. C.A. Clark and T.P. Smith. 2020-2021. $203,558.00
USDA: APHIS National Clean Plant Network (NCPN) – A Unified Proposal for NCPN – Sweetpotato 2019-2020. C.A. Clark and T.P. Smith. $110,906.00
USDA: APHIS National Clean Plant Network (NCPN) Cooperative Agreement Program. USDA. C. A. Clark and Tara P. Smith. “Expanding the Production and Improving Quality Control of Virus-tested Sweetpotato Foundation Plants in Louisiana.” $ 96,675 7/1/2017 – 6/30/2018.
USDA: APHIS National Clean Plant Network (NCPN) Cooperative Agreement Program. USDA. C. A. Clark and Tara P. Smith. $89,700.7/1/2016-6/30/2017.
Labonte, D. R., C. Clark, T. P. Smith, A. Villordon, and C.S. Stoddard. 2021. ‘Vermillion’ Sweetpotato. HortSci 56 (8): 979–981. Extension Specialist / Station Coordinator
Batts, T.M., D.K. Miller, J. L. Griffin, A.O. Villordon, D.O. Stephenson, K.M. Jennings, S. Chaudhari, D.C. Blouin, J.T. Copes and T.P. Smith. 2020. Impact of reduced rates of 2,4-D and glyphosate on sweetpotato growth and yield. Weed Technology. Doi:https://doi.org/10.1017/wet.2020.57. – site coordinator and committee member
Batts, T.M., D.K. Miller, J. L. Griffin, A.O. Villordon, D.O. Stephenson, K.M. Jennings, S. Chaudhari, D.C. Blouin, J.T. Copes and T.P. Smith.2020. Impact of reduced rates of dicamba and glyphosate on sweetpotato growth and yield. Weed Technology. Doi:https://doi.org/10.1017/wet.2020.54. – site coordinator and committee member
Chen, J., M.J. Stout, J. Beuzelin, T.P. Smith, D. Labonte, J. Murray and J.A. Davis. 2019. Host Preference of Sweetpotato Weevil, Cylas formicarius elegantulus (Summers): an Example of Hopkins’ Host-Selection Principle. Arthropod Plant Interactions. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11829-019-09704-0
Smith, T. P., J. M. Beuzelin, A. L. Catchot, A. C. Murillo and D. L. Kerns. 2015. Biology, Ecology and Management of the Sugarcane Beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in Sweetpotato and Corn. J. Integ. Pest Mngmt. 6(1): 13: 1-6.
Labonte, D. R., C. Clark, T. P. Smith, A. Villordon, and C.S. Stoddard. 2015. ‘Bellevue’ Sweetpotato. HortScience. 50: 930-931
Arancibia, R., C. Smith, D.R. Labonte, J. Main, T.P. Smith and A. Villordon. 2014. Optimizing sweetpotato yield for fresh and or processing market by plant spacing and planting/harvest time. HortTech 24(1): 17-24.
Labonte, D. R., A. Villordon, C. Clark, T. P. Smith and C.S. Stoddard. 2014. ‘Burgundy’ Sweetpotato. HortScience. 49:669-671.
Smith, Tara P., S. R. Shields, A. Hogan, D. Burns, M. Foster, V. Deshotel, B. Hebert, R. Levy, L. Faulk. 2022. LSU AgCenter ANR onboarding guide.
Smith, Tara P. 2022. Louisiana Insect Pest Management Guide – Sweet Potato. 2022. Louisiana State University Agricultural Center Pub. 1838 (revised 3/19). Updated annually.
Guidry, K.M., Tara P. Smith and M. Sistrunk. 2019. Projected Costs and Returns, Crop Enterprise Budgets for Sweetpotato Production in Louisiana, 2016. www.lsuagcenter.com
Smith, Tara P., and others. 2022. Vegetable Crop Handbook for the Southeastern US (Sweet Potato Production, Insect, Weed and Disease Section Contributions). Edited by J. M. Kemble, L. Ivey, K.M. Jennings and J.F. Walgenbach. Updated annually
Overstreet, C, E. McGawley, C. Clark, J. Rezende, T. Smith and M. Sistrunk. 2019. Guava Root-Knot Nematode: A Potentially Serious New Pest in Louisiana. Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Pub. No. 3670.
Sistrunk, M. and Tara P. Smith. 2019. Louisiana Summary of Agriculture and Natural Resources: 2019 Narratives: Sweet Potato. Updated annually.
Smith, Tara P. 2019. Louisiana Insect Pest Management Guide – Sweet Potato. 2019. Louisiana State University Agricultural Center Pub. 1838 (revised 3/19). Updated annually.
Guidry, K.M., Tara P. Smith and M. Sistrunk. 2019. Projected Costs and Returns, Crop Enterprise Budgets for Sweetpotato Production in Louisiana, 2016. www.lsuagcenter.com
Overstreet, C, E. McGawley, C. Clark, J. Rezende, T. Smith and M. Sistrunk. 2019.Guava Root-Knot Nematode: A Potentially Serious New Pest in Louisiana. Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Pub. No. 3670.
Smith, Tara P., C. Gregorie, T. Arnold and D. LaBonte. 2018. Evaluating Yield and Quality of Commercial Sweet Potato Varieties in Louisiana. Louisiana Agriculture. Vol. 61, No. 3 pp. 8-10.
Smith, Tara P., T. Crawford, L. Lucas-Powell, A. Powel, L. Hebert and S. Linscombe. 2016. Youth Field Days and Career Fairs Provide Up Close View of Agricultural Production, Research, Educational and Career Opportunities. Louisiana Agriculture. Vol. 59, No. 3 pp. 24-25.
Clark, Christopher A., and Tara P. Smith. 2016. Improving Sweetpotato Foundation Seed Production in Louisiana through Research, Qualitative Management and National Clean Plant Network Support. Louisiana Agriculture. Vol. 59, No. 3 pp. 26.
Smith, Tara P., and others. 2019. Vegetable Crop Handbook for the Southeastern US (Sweet Potato Production, Insect, Weed and Disease Section Contributions). Edited by J. M. Kemble, L. Ivey, K.M. Jennings and J.F. Walgenbach. Updated annually
Clark, C. A., and Tara P. Smith. 2016. Black Rot of Sweetpotato. Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Pub. No. 3526.
Guidry, K.M., Tara P. Smith and M. Sistrunk. 2015. Projected Costs and Returns, Crop Enterprise Budgets for Sweetpotato Production in Louisiana, 2015. www.lsuagcenter.com
Sistrunk, M. and Tara P. Smith. 2015. Sweet Potatoes. In “2015 Outlook for Louisiana’s Agriculture”.
Smith, Tara P., J.M. Beuzelin, T. F. Arnold and D. May. 2015. Managing Sugarcane Beetles in Louisiana Agriculture. Louisiana Agriculture. 58 (1):16-17.
Smith, Tara P., and J. Beuzelin. 2014. Insect Pest Management in Louisiana Sweet Potatoes. Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Pub. No. 2620. Revision of 2008 version.
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