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Title: Assistant Professor of Landscape Horticulture
Location: Hammond Research Station
Strategic Goal Focus: Increase agricultural production and enhance the conservation of Louisiana’s natural resources by developing talent, technologies, products and practices.
Damon Abdi has been an assistant professor of landscape horticulture at the LSU AgCenter Hammond Research Station since 2021. With a 70% extension appointment, Abdi spends much of his time educating people — working especially closely with industry groups like the Louisiana Nursery and Landscape Association. He also participates in Master Gardener outreach efforts, conducts workshops on topics like how to build patios and writes articles and fact sheets. On the research front, Abdi’s focus is water management, including runoff mitigation and nature-based solutions such as rain gardens.
Abdi’s work covers a wide array of issues and brings him into contact with horticulturists of all stripes. His focus on practical research topics and knack for making scientific information easy to understand help green industry professionals and home gardeners alike successfully grow plants and build beautiful gardens. Nursery crops represent a $198.3 million industry and the basis for more than 1,100 businesses in Louisiana.
“I serve as that liaison between what they are seeing in the field and their challenges and then what AgCenter resources can do with them. I work closely with them for all of their events, especially with regard to continuing education and helping to grow the industry, get more people licensed and encourage best management practices.”
Abdi’s close relationships with horticulture professionals help him keep a pulse on industry issues, allowing him to tailor his research and educational efforts to address real-world challenges. He strives to deliver solutions that boost profitability while advancing scientific research that safeguards natural resources — a value that resonates in Louisiana and in communities worldwide.
