Ph.D. 2009, University of Michigan; B.S. 1998, Luther College.  I am interested in understanding the impacts and feedbacks between plant herbivores/pathogens and plant populations and communities and applying these insights to improve the productivity and sustainability of agricultural production systems.  My research focuses on the ecology and biology of weeds and diseases and how pests and their impacts can be altered by management practices in a variety of agroecosystems.  Currently, I am engaged in several collaborative, multidisciplinary research projects to 1) evaluate the impacts of a potential biocontrol agent (a generalist seed pathogen) on cheatgrass invasion and plant community composition; 2) enhance the management of mite-transmitted cereal viruses; and 3) improve the sustainability of organic agricultural production by re-integrating crop and livestock production.

Recent Publications

  • Erik A. Lehnhoff, Zachariah J. Miller, Monica J. Brelsford, Sherry White, and Bruce D. Maxwell 2013. Relative Canopy Height of Weeds and Crops Influences Wild Oat (Avena fatua) Seed Viability, Dormancy, and Germination. Weed Science. In review
  • Matt Liebman, Zachariah Miller, C. Williams, P. Westerman, P. Dixon, A. Heggenstaller, A. Davis, F. Menalled, and D. Sundberg. 2013. Fates of Setaria faberi and Abutilon theophrasti seeds in three crop rotation systems.  Weed Research In review. 
  • Zachariah J. Miller, Fabian D. Menalled, Upendra M. Sainju, Andrew W. Lenssen, and Patrick G. Hatfield. 2013. Effects of integrated sheep grazing and diversifying crop rotations on spring wheat yields and weed pressure in the Northern Great Plains, U.S.A..Crop Science. In review.
  • Noelle Orloff, Zachariah J. Miller, Fabian Menalled, Mary Burrows, and Jane Mangold. 2013. Joint effects of biotic and abiotic stressors on winter wheat suppression of Bromus tectorum.  Weed Research 53: 192-200.
  • Zachariah J. Miller, Fabian Menalled, and Mary Burrows. 2012. Winter annual grassy weeds increases rates of over-winter mortality in autumn-sown wheat. Weed Research 53:102-109
  • Dai Ito, Zachariah J. Miller, Fabian Menalled, Matt Moffet, Mary Burrows. 2012. Relative susceptibility among alternative host species prevalent in the Great Plains to Wheat streak mosaic virus. Plant Disease 96: 1185-1192.
  • Zachariah J. Miller. 2012. Fungal pathogen species richness: Why are some plant species infected by more pathogen species?  American Naturalist 179: 282-292.
  • Leisso, Rachel, Zachariah J. Miller, Barry Jacobson, Mary Burrows. 2011. Pathogenicity of Fusarium spp. to chickpea seed and seedlings (Cicer arietinum L.) Canadian Journal of Plant Pathology 33: 400-409
  • Paul .V.A. Fine, Zachariah J. Miller, Italo Mesones, Sebastian Irazuzta, Heidi M. Appel, M. Henry H. Stevens, Ilari Sääksjärvi, Jack C. Schultz, and Phyllis D. Coley. 2006. The growth-defense tradeoff and habitat specialization by plants in Amazonian forests. Ecology 87: S150-S162

Recent Grants

  • 2012-2016       USDA-Organic Ag. Research and Extension Initiative. Targeted grazing to reduce tillage: environmental, ecological, and economic assessment of reintegrating animal and crop production.  F. Menalled, P. Carr, P. Hatfield, P. Miller, D. Weaver, M. Burrows, R. Engle, A. Bekkerman, J. Boles, Z. Miller, R. Quinn, L. Burkle-$1,499,815

  • 2012-2014       USDA-NIFA-Pest Management Alternatives (PMAP). Integrated management of cereal viruses. M. Burrows, F. Menalled, Z. Miller, R. Peterson, A. Bekkerman, B. Jacobsen.  $213,658

  • 2012-2015       USDA-Western Regional IPM. Opimizing efficacy of down brome (Bromus tectorum) biocontrol in crops and rangelands: integration and implementation. F. Menalled, Z. Miller, J. Mangold, A. Dyer. $98,600

  • 2013-2018       USDA-NIFA- AFRI-A predictive model to increase adoption of IPM of a mite-virus disease complex in wheat. G. Hein, S. Wegulo, J. Bradshaw, A. Zygielbaum, D. Namuth-Covert, D. Lyon, D. Colick, C. Rush, F. Workneh, M. Burrows, I. Grimberg, F. Menalled. Z. Miller, E. DeWolf, F. Epplin, R. Hunger, K. Kelsey, S. Tatineni, R. French, R. Graybosch, N. Tisserat.  $3,375,000

  • 2012-2015       USDA-Organic Transitions Program. Reducing tillage intensity in organic crop systems: ecological and economic impacts of targeted sheep grazing on cover crops, weed management, soil health, carbon sequestration, and greenhouse gas emissions. P. Hatfield, F. Menalled, U. Sainju, P. Miller, A. Bekkerman, P. Lachapelle, Z. Miller, A. Lessen. $742,907.