Eric Billman

Research Agronomist
USDA - Agricultural Research Service
PeeDee Research and Education Center

Office: Pitner 110
Phone: 843-662-3526

Email: ebillma@clemson.edu
Personal Website: https://www.ars.usda.gov/southeast-area/florence-sc/coastal-plain-soil-water-and-plant-conservation-

Educational Background

Ph.D. Agronomy
Mississippi State University 2018

M.S. Agronomy
University of Kentucky 2015

B.S. Sustainable Cropping Systems
The Ohio State University 2012

Profile

Dr. Eric D. Billman is a Research Agronomist currently working on projects related to improving cotton management practices and water management for the southeastern U.S. His upbringing on his family's organic dairy farm in Ohio, coupled with his background in forage and cover crop genetics, has led to him experimenting with innovative cropping systems research that explores combining new cover crop species with cotton to reduce input costs to producers. Alternative forms of weed control, reductions in pesticide use, water conservation, plant responses to heat and drought stress, and forage and cover crop breeding are his primary fields of work.

Research Interests

Dr. Billman's research interests include incorporating novel cover cropping systems into cotton productions systems of the Southeast to reduce chemical and physical inputs, as well as investigating the potential benefits and efficacy of newly developed row and cover crop germplasm adapted for drought and heat stress. He also is working to develop novel grass and legume germplasm that are more tolerant of heat and drought stress in the southeastern U.S. Coastal Plain.

Publications

1. Billman, E.D., Goff, B.M., Baldwin, B.S., Prince, K.D., and Phillips, T.D. Effects of vegetative cool-season grasses on forage removal by dairy heifers. Agronomy Journal. 109(4): 1540-1550. 2017.

2. Billman, E.D., Morrison, J.I., and Baldwin, B.S. Breeding a heat-tolerant annual ryegrass for earlier fall planting in the southeastern United States. Crop Science. 60(2): 830-840. 2020.

3. Dillard, S. L., Billman, E.D., and Soder, K.J. Assessment of forage brassica species for dairy and beef-cattle fall grazing systems. Applied Animal Science. 36(2):157-166. 2020.

4. Billman, E.D., Williamson, J.A., Soder, K.J., Andreen, D.M., and Skinner, R.H. Mob and rotational grazing influence pasture biomass, nutritive value, and species composition. Agronomy Journal. 112(4): 2866-2878. 2020.

5. Billman, E.D., De Souza, I.A., Smith, R.G., Soder, K.J., Warren, N., Teixeira, F.A., and Brito, A.F. Winter annual forage mass–nutritive value trade-offs are affected by harvest timing. Crop, Forage, and Turfgrass Management. 7(2): e20113. 2021.

6. Billman, E.D., Morrison, J.I., and Baldwin, B.S. Breeding heat tolerant orchardgrass germplasm for summer persistence in high temperature stress environments of the southeastern United States. Crop Science. 61(3): 1915-1925. 2021.

7. Szogi, A.A., Shumaker, P.D., Billman, E.D., and Bauer, P.J. Leaching Potential of phosphite fertilizer in sandy soils of the southern Coastal Plain, USA. Environments. 8(11): 126. 2021.

8. Billman, E.D., De Souza, I.A., Smith, R.G., Soder, K.J., Warren, N., and Brito, A.F. Evaluating warm-season annual forages to fill summer forage gaps in short-season climates. Crop, Forage, and Turfgrass Management. 8(1): e20152. 2022.

9. Billman, E.D., De Souza, I.A., Smith, R.G., Soder, K.J., Warren, N., and Brito, A.F. Identifying optimal early-season harvest timing in annual fall forages. Crop, Forage, and Turfgrass Management. 8(2): e20179. 2022.

10. Stone, K.C., Billman, E.D., Bauer, P.J., and Sigua, G. Using NDVI for variable rate cotton irrigation prescriptions. Applied Engineering in Agriculture. 38(5): 787-795. 2022.

11. Billman, E.D., Dillard, S.L., Roca-Fernandez, A.I., and Soder, K.J. Supplementation of oilseeds to an herbage diet high in condensed tannins affects methane production with minimal impact on ruminal fermentation in continuous culture. Fermentation. 8(3). 109. 2022.

12. Mercier, K.M., Billman, E.D., Soder, K.J., Jaramillo, D.M., Goslee, S.C., and Adler, P.R. Managing interspecies competition to improve spring pasture maturity, nutritive value, and biomass. Crop Science. 63(2): 974-986. 2022.

13. Andreen, D. M., Billman, E.D., Brito, A.F., and Soder, K.J. Effect of incremental amounts of Asparagopsis taxiformis on ruminal fermentation and methane production in continuous culture with orchardgrass herbage. Animal Feed Science and Technology. 299: 11564. 2023.

14. Billman, E.D., and Campbell, B.T. Cover cropping history affects cotton boll distribution, lint yields, and fiber quality. Crop Science. 63(3): 1209 - 1220. 2023.