Michael Gold, PhD

Mike Gold holds chestnuts in his left hand in the chestnut tree repository at the Horticulture and Agroforestry Research Farm.

Professor Emeritus

goldm@missouri.edu
(573) 884-2874

Dr. Gold is professor emeritus at the University of Missouri Center for Agroforestry. From 2017-2026 he served as the Agroforestry Graduate Emphasis Area Coordinator for the School of Natural Resources and advises many online agroforestry graduate students. Mike’s research focuses on development of market and consumer knowledge for specialty crops (e.g., chestnut, elderberry, pawpaw). From 2011-2025, he created and taught the agroforestry overview course as part of the Center’s, 100% online, Agroforestry MS degree and graduate certificate program (also available on campus). He is active in the Center’s outreach and training programs including the Center’s annual Agroforestry Academy. 

Google Scholar Profile


Research Foci

  • Marketing research on nontraditional products (e.g., chestnut, elderberry, pawpaw) to enhance market development of agroforestry products
  • Chinese chestnut (Castanea mollissima) orchard production
  • Market research directed to development of Chinese chestnut as a viable horticultural crop for Missouri producers

Outreach

  • Co-facilitator, Agroforestry Academy

Teaching & Advising

Selected Publications

  • Gold, M.A., Hemmelgarn, H.L., Jose, S. (2026).  Temperate Agroforestry in the United States:  Current Trends and Future Directions.  In:  Newman, S.M. Gordon, A.M.(eds).Temperate Agroforestry Systems 3rd Edition.  CABI.  Wallingsford, UK. In Press. 
  • Romanova, O., Gold, M., Stubblefield, K., Hemmelgarn, H. (2026).  Analyzing the Current Agroforestry Organizational Landscape in the U.S.  Agroforestry Systems.  100:228  https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-026-01600-w. 
  • Favor, K.A., Gold, M.A., Halsey, S., Hall, M., Vallone, R. (2024).  Agroforestry for enhanced arthropod pest management in vineyards.  Agroforestry Systems. 98:213-227. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-023-00900-9 
  • Meier, N.A., M.A. Gold, R.S. Revord. (2024). Performance of ten elite Chinese chestnut cultivars in replicated trial over 16 years in central Missouri. Acta Hortic. 1400: 283-288. 
  • DOI: 10.17660/ActaHortic.2024.1400.33 https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2024.1400.33  
  • Thapa, B., Lovell, S., Meier, N., Revord, R., Owens, P., and Gold, M. (2023).  Significant opportunities for tree crop expansion on marginal lands in the Midwest, USA.  J. of Sustainable Agriculture and Environment. http://doi.org/10.1002/sae2.12080 
  • Kronenberg, R., Lovell, S., Thapa, B., Spinka, C., Valdivia, C., Gold, M., and Bardhan, S.  (2023). Survey of Missouri landowners to explore the potential of woody perennials to integrate conservation and production. Land 12(10) https://doi.org/10.3390/land12101911 
  • Thomas, A.L., Byers, P.L., Starnes, R., Sergent, S.E., Templemire, A., McGowan, K., Schuessler, B., Gold., M.A., Westwood, M.N., and Biagioni,R.  (2023).  ‘Pocahontas’:  A Vigorous and Highly Productive American Elderberry.  Acta Horticulturae. 10.17660/ActaHortic.2023.1381.8 
  • Krishnaswamy, K., Adainoo, B., Crowell, B., Thomas, A.L., Lin, C-H., Cai, Z., and Gold, M. (2022) Physical characterization of frozen fruits from eight cultivars of the North American pawpaw (Asimina triloba).  Frontiers in Nutrition, section Nutrition and Food Science Technology.  https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2022.936192
  • Romanova, O., Gold, M.A., Hall, D.M., and Hendrickson, M. (2022). Perspectives of agroforestry practitioners on agroforestry adoption.  Rural Sociology. 87(4): 1401-1431. https://doi.org/10.1111/ruso.12463
  • Romanova, O., Gold, M. and Hendrickson, M. (2022) Temporal aspects of agroforestry adoption: SARE case study.  Agroforestry Systems96:659–668. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-021-00708-5
  • Webber, J.B., Gordon, D., Rosati, A. Meier, N., Gold, M. and Revord, R.S. (2022). Postharvest spoilage incidence and prestorage treatment in Chinese chestnut and complex hybrid cultivars.  HortTechnology 32(2): 164-171.  DOI: https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTTECH04981-21
  • Revord, R.S., Miller, G., Meier, N.A., Webber, J.B., Romero-Severson, J., Gold, M.A. and Lovell, S.T. (2022).  A roadmap for participatory chestnut breeding for nut production in the Eastern United States.  Frontiers in Plant Science.  https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2021.735597
  • Dibala, R., Jose. S., Gold, M., Hall, J., Kallenbach, R., Knapp, B. (2022) Initial performance of red mulberry (Morus rubra L.)under a light gradient: an overlooked alternative livestock forage?  Agroforestry Systems  96:565–576.   https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-021-00699-3
  • Garrett, H.E., S. Jose, and M.A. Gold, eds. (2022) North American Agroforestry.  3rd Edition.  Agronomy Society of America, Madison, WI.  566p. DOI:10.1002/9780891183785   https://acsess.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/book/10.1002/9780891183785
  • Jose, S., H.E. Garrett, M.A. Gold, J.P. Lassoie, L.E. Buck and D. Current (2022) The development of agroforestry as an integrated land use management strategy.  Chapter 1.  In:  Garrett, H.E., S. Jose and M.A. Gold (eds).  North American Agroforestry.  3rd Edition.  Agronomy Society of America, Madison, WI.  Pp. 1-25.  https://doi.org/10.1002/9780891183785.ch1
  • Gold, M.A. and H.E. Garrett (2022)  Agroforestry nomenclature, concepts and practices.  Chapter 2.  In:  Garrett, H.E., S. Jose and M.A. Gold (eds).  North American Agroforestry.  3rd Edition.  Agronomy Society of America, Madison, WI. Pp. 27-41. https://doi.org/10.1002/9780891183785.ch2
  • Hemmelgarn, H.L., and M.A. Gold (2022) Agroforestry education and training.  Chapter 19. In:  Garrett, H.E., S. Jose and M.A. Gold (eds).  North American Agroforestry.  3rd Edition.  Agronomy Society of America, Madison, WI  pp. 543-554.  https://doi.org/10.1002/9780891183785.ch19
  • Valdivia, C. M.A. Gold, C. Barbieri, J. Gao and C. Flora (2022).  Human and institutional dimensions of agroforestry.  Chapter 17. In:  Garrett, H.E., S. Jose and M.A. Gold (eds).  North American Agroforestry.  3rd Edition.  Agronomy Society of America, Madison, WI. Pp. 489-519.  https://doi.org/10.1002/9780891183785.ch17
  • Cai, Z., M.A. Gold, M.M. Cernusca, and L.D. Godsey (2022) Agroforestry product markets and marketing.  Chapter 15. In:  Garrett, H.E., S. Jose and M.A. Gold (eds).  North American Agroforestry.  3rd Edition.  Agronomy Society of America, Madison, WI. Pp. 437-468.  https://doi.org/10.1002/9780891183785.ch15
  • Dibala, R., Jose. S., Gold, M., Hall, J., Kallenbach, R., Knapp, B. (2021) Tree density effects on soil, dry matter production and nutritive value of understory Megathyrsus maximus in a seasonally dry tropical silvopasture in Panama. Agroforestry Systems 95:741-753  https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-021-00628-4
  • Mendelson, S., Gold, M., Lovell, S., Hendrickson, M. (2021)  The Agroforestry Academy: Assessing Long-Term Outcomes And Impacts of a Model Training Program. Agroforestry Systems  95:601-614   https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-021-00604-y
  • Trozzo, K.E., Munsell, J.F., Chamberlain, J.L., Gold, M.A., Niewolny, K. (2021) Forest farming: Who wants in?  Journal of Forestry (in press)
  • Seruni, A.P., F.X. Aguilar, Z. Cai, M.A. Gold, J.M. Roshetko (2020)  Parcelized cut-and-carry agroforestry systems for confined livestock. Small-Scale Forestry  https://doi.org/10.1007/s11842-020-09460-7
  • Gold, M.A. (2020)  Anthromes—Temperate and Tropical Agroforestry. In: Goldstein, M.I., DellaSala, D.A. (Eds.), Encyclopedia of the World’s Biomes, vol. 5. Elsevier, pp. 107–116. ISBN: 9780128160961

Explore more resources from Dr. Gold & the Center for Agroforestry team.

READ

Download UMCA’s free technical guide for establishing and maintaining chestnut orchards.

Download

WATCH

Dr. Gold gives his take on how growing chestnuts can contribute to resilient farms & communities.

Watch on YouTube

LISTEN

Dr. Gold explains the benefits of tree-based polycultures in this episode of The Agroforestry Podcast.

Listen on your favorite podcast platform
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