By Linda Geist
University of Missouri Extension researchers are among the recipients of a new five-year, $4.34 million grant from USDA to study water and nutrient recycling, says MU Extension agricultural engineer Teng Lim.
The grant, “Water and Nutrient Recycling: A Decision Tool and Synergistic Innovative Technology,” includes five universities: MU, University of Arkansas, Colorado School of Mines, Case Western Reserve University in Ohio and University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
MU Extension receives about $1.02 million of the grant funds to develop a decision-support tool to guide the use of water and nutrient recycling technology. Working on the project with Lim is MU Extension agricultural engineer Joe Zulovich. Users will be able to make decisions based on specific regional and operational parameters, Lim says.
Many farmlands are nutrient-imbalanced, although there have been a wide range of manure management options and region-specific requirements and constraints, Lim says. Thus there is a need for a flexible decision-making approach to technology selection and resource management. He says the tool will help producers make better decisions on liquid manure management practices. This will allow water to be recycled at different level and costs, and nutrients to be used more efficiently.
“This will engage stakeholders nationally on integrating the most locally robust manure treatment technology in agricultural production,” Lim says. “This collaboration work will result in more efficient and sustainable food production.”
Source: missouri.edu