By Linda Geist
Attendees at the University of Missouri Crop & Pest Management Field Day, July 8 in Columbia, will learn about new statewide soil moisture monitoring tools.
The Missouri Hydrology Information Center (MoHIC), a statewide collaboration among MU Extension, and state and federal partners, has expanded soil moisture monitoring across the state. Researchers are using these observations to develop new tools for drought monitoring, agricultural management and water resource planning.
MU Extension state climatologist Zack Leasor will explain how the sensor technology can be interpreted to help growers improve yields, conserve water and prevent nutrient runoff. The sensors measure the amount of water available to plants at varying soil depths, providing data to guide irrigation and crop management decisions. The Missouri Climate Center and the Missouri Resource Assessment Partnership (MoRAP) are working to create gridded maps of soil moisture that would make data available in any location.
The data gives climatologists a look at trends and effects of rainfall, especially in the various soil types and landscapes across Missouri, says Leasor. “Two locations can receive the same amount of rain but have very different impacts on crops, depending on soil type, landscape, vegetation and other weather conditions,” he says.
Leasor will demonstrate how soil moisture conditions have changed across Missouri during the 2026 growing season and discuss how recent weather patterns have affected soil moisture. He will also provide a drought update and discuss the role of El Niño in shaping weather and agricultural conditions during this year’s growing season.
Leasor will be among MU Extension specialists who will share the latest research on Missouri crops and pests during the field day.
The annual event expands this year to offer a full day of learning, thanks to a collaboration with the Missouri Soybean Association, says Kevin Bradley, MU Extension weed scientist and longtime organizer of the pest management field day.
Source : missouri.edu