Sarah E Light

Sarah has been serving as the Agronomy Advisor in Sutter, Yuba, and Colusa Counties since 2017. Her program includes Alfalfa/Hay, Beans, Wheat, Grains, Corn, Sorghum, Barley, Sunflower, Safflower, Oil Seed crops. Her research and extension focuses on crop production, nutrient management, soil health, cover crops, water management, and pest management. She is the president of the Western Cover Crops Council.

Languages: 

• English (Primary fluency)
• Spanish (Primary fluency)

Peer-Reviewed Publications

• Fredell, G., Blenkowski, D., Light, S.E., Rangel, L.I. (2025). Distribution, Potential Commercial Adoption, and Possible Impacts of the Endophytic Fungus, Epichloë, in UK Pasture Grasses and Cereals. CABI Plant Health Cases.
• Santiago, S.T., Clark, N.; Leinfelder-Miles, M., Light, S., Mathesius, K., Wilson, R., Parikh, S., Savidge, M., Geisseler, D. (2025). Nitrogen mineralization from soil organic matter under field conditions in California Soils. Soil Science Society of America Journal. 89(2).
• Kanter, J., Leinfelder-Miles, M., Clark, N., Lundy, M.E., Koundinya, V., Long, R., Light, S.E., Brim-DeForest, W.B., Linquist, B., Putnam, D., Hutmacher, R.B., Pittelkow, C.M. (2024). Setting research and extension priorities for agronomic crop production in California. California Agriculture. 78 (2): 88–99.
• Mitchell, J.P., Cappellazzi, S.B., Schmidt., R., Chiartas, J., Shrestha, A., Reicosky, D., Ferris, H., Zhang, X., Ghezzehei, T.A., Araya, S., Kelly, C., Fonte, S.J., Light, S.E., Liles, G., Willey, T., Roy, R., Bottens, M., Crum, C., Horwath, W.R., Koch, G.M., Scow, K.M. (2024). No-tillage, surface resideue retention, and cover crops improved San Joaquin Valley soil health in long term. California Agriculture. 78 (2): 52–63.
• Suarez Romero, V & Light, S.E. (2023). Can saturated paste be used to predict bulk density in annual cropping systems in California? Soil Science of America Journal, 1-7.
• Light, S.E., Sullivan, D.M., & Horneck, D.A. (2022). Timing of potassium chloride application effect on soil and potato uptake of chloride. Agrosystems, Geosciences & Environment, 5, e20301.
• Santiago, S., Light, S.E., Clark, N.E., Wang, Z., Mathesius, K., & Geisseler, D. (2022). Seasonal Net
• Nitrogen Mineralization in the Topsoil of Subsurface Drip Irrigated Fields. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis, 54(5), 627-639.
• Kanter, J., Clark, N.E., Lundy, M.E., Koundinya, V., Leinfelder-Miles, M., Long, R., Light, S.E., Brim-Deforest, W.B., Linquist, B., Putnam, D., Hutmacher, R.B., & Pittelkow, C.M. (2021). Top management challenges and concerns for agronomic crop production in California: Identifying critical issues for extension through needs assessment. Agronomy Journal, 113(6), 5254-5270.
• Light, S.E. & Hanson, B. (2021). Herbicide Symptoms on Hemp. UC ANR Publications, 8689.
• Mitchell, J.P., Shrestha, A., Epstein, L., Dahlberg, J.A., Ghezzehei, T., Araya, S., Richter, B., Kaur, S., Henry, P., Munk, D.S., Light, S., Bottens, M., & Zaccaria, D. (2021). No-tillage sorghum and garbanzo yields match or exceed standard tillage yields. California Agriculture, 75(3-4), 113-120.
• Huynh, B.L., Duong, T., Clark, N.E., Long, R., Light, S.E., Dahquist-Willard, R.M., Ehlers, J.D., Close, T.J., & Roberts, P.A. (2021). Registration of aphid-resistant ‘California Blackeye 77’ cowpea. Journal of Plant Registrations, 16(1), 13-20.
• Xue, J., Bali, K.M., Light, S., Hessels, T., & Kisekka, I. (2020). Evaluation of remote sensing-based evapotranspiration models against surface renewal in almonds, tomatoes and maize. Agricultural Water Management, 238.
• Phillips, C.L., Light, S.E., Gollany, H.T., Chiu, S., Wanzek, T., Meyer, K., & Trippe, K.M. (2020). Can biochar conserve water in Oregon agricultural soils? Soil and Tillage Research, 198.
• Phillips, C.L., Light, S.E., Lindsey, A., Wanzek, T., Meyer, & K., Trippe, K.M. (2020). Preliminary evaluation of a decision support tool for biochar amendment. Biochar, 2, 93-105.
• Long, R.F., Leinfelder-Miles, M., Mathesius, K., Bali, K., Light, S., Galla, M., Mueller, S., Fulton, A., Clark, N., & Meyer, R.D. (2019). Garbanzo production in California. UC ANR Publications, 8634.
• Long, R.F., Gulya, T., Light, S., Bali, K., Mathesius, K., Galla, M., & Meyer, RD. (2019). Sunflower Hybrid Seed Production in California. UC ANR Publications, 8638. 

Selected Extension Publications: 

• Borum, J; et al. (2024). Cover Cropping in the SGMA Era - A comprehensive overview of
• water impacts, policy implications, and recommendations for California's water
• managers. The Soil-Water Interface Expert Convening Series: Cover Crop Impacts on
• Water Budgets, California, Sustainable Conservation.
• Leinfelder-Miles, M., Light, S.E., Clark, N.E., Long, P., Goodrich, B. (2023). Sample Costs for Baby Lima Beans. UC Davis Agricultural Issues Center.
• Light, S.E., Lloyd, M., Berris, H., Stewart, D., Goodrich, B. (2022). Estimated Costs for a Winter Cover Crop in an Annual Rotation. UC Davis Agricultural Issues Center.  
• Light, S.E., Harper, L. (2020-2021). Soil Health Connection. Youtube.
• Long, R.F., Leinfelder-Miles, M., Light, S.E., Putnam, D., Murdock, J., Sumner, D.A. (2020). Sample Costs to Establish and Produce Organic Alfalfa Hay. UC Davis Agricultural Issues Center.
• Long, R.F., Leinfelder-Miles, M., Light, S.E., Putnam, D., Murdock, J., Sumner, D.A. (2020). Sample Costs to Establish and Produce Alfalfa Hay. Davis, CA, UC Davis Agricultural Issues Center.
• Phillips, C., Light, S.E., Lindsey, A., Trippe, K. (2017). Pacific Northwest Biochar Atlas.
• Light, S.E., Leinfelder-Miles, M., Long, R., Clark, N., Stewart, D. (2018). Sample costs to produce garbanzo beans in the Sacramento and the N. San Joaquin Valley. UC Davis Agricultural Issues Center.
• Long, R.F., Light, S.E., Galla, M.,Murdock, J. (2018). Sample costs to produce sunflowers for hybrid seed in the Sacramento Valley. UC Davis Agricultural Issues Center
• Clark, N., Light, S.E., Leinfelder-Miles, M., Long, R., Stewart, D. (2018). Sample costs to produce garbanzo beans in S. San Joaquin Valley. UC Davis Agricultural Issues Center.