The people who ready the ground for discovery
Meet two of the many skilled hands whose work lays the foundation for research projects grounded at the Arizona Experiment Station's network of field sites..
Field crews prepare uniform rows with a tractor-mounted planter, laying the groundwork for the next integrated pest management experiments at Maricopa Agricultural Center, Spring 2025.
Luis Zozaya
Two members of the Campus Agricultural Center’s Fields and Grounds team recently offered a rare, behind-the-scenes glimpse into what it takes to ready a research plot long before any data is collected.
Francisco “Pancho” Danese grew up on his family’s commercial farm, surrounded by citrus groves, grapevines, grain fields, and rows of vegetables. His early years gave him a deep, hands-on education in irrigation systems, harvest work, equipment design, and the day-to-day realities of farm management. For the last two decades at the University of Arizona farm, he’s put that hard-earned knowledge to work—quietly shaping successful research projects and field operations through skill, patience, and a knack for solving problems before anyone else knows they’re there.
Jesus Diaz and his path began on a family farm in a small tropical town in southern Mexico. Coffee plants, rich soil, and the steady rhythms of farm life were his childhood landscape. From that environment, he learned the virtues of working the land with respect and persistence—qualities he now brings to his work in agriculture and sustainability.
Together, they offer a look into the unseen effort that supports the Arizona Experiment Station sites—a world where preparation, care, and experience come together long before a project officially begins.
Field preparation varies by project but generally follows a series of essential steps designed to create optimal soil conditions for planting and research. Common prep work includes ripping, followed by two rounds of discing and two passes with the land plane. If required by the project lead, we then apply herbicide and fertilizer and complete an additional discing to incorporate those materials into the soil.
Once the field surface is ready, we begin project design, which may include marking the field and laying out row locations and often using the ripper again as needed. After layout is complete, we form the crop rows and begin pre-irrigation. When the soil moisture is adequate, we cultivate the rows to loosen and aerate the soil. The next step is shaping beds of varying widths depending on the crop. After planting, a second irrigation is required to support uniform germination.
Under normal circumstances, weather and equipment permitting, this full process takes a minimum of three weeks to complete.
Because many projects occur simultaneously during peak planting seasons, coordinating resources and timelines can be difficult. Weather conditions often delay field work, and equipment failures can further impact the schedule. Managing these overlapping demands while maintaining quality standards is an ongoing challenge.
Once a crop is established, we continue to support it through regular tractor work, including weed control and fertilizer applications. Each piece of equipment must be calibrated for the specific crop, seed type, and project requirements. Coordinating an appropriate irrigation schedule is also critical and must align both with the research team’s needs and the agronomic requirements of each project.
Our ongoing 'Native Grass Project' at Red Rock is a standout example. Its unique design and the diversity of grass species involved have made it both challenging and rewarding. The wide range of seed sizes and densities required careful equipment calibration, but seeing most of the native grass fields now well-established has been a significant accomplishment for our team.