By Scout Nelson
In western North Dakota, farming comes with a unique challenge—great soils but very little rainfall. With just around 15 inches of precipitation each year, dryland farming can be tough. To help farmers get better results in these conditions, researchers at the Dickinson Research Extension Center (REC) have launched a new project.
The study, led by Dickinson REC director Chris Augustin and NDSU research agronomist Krishna Katuwal, is designed to find better ways to use soil and moisture in dryland farming and grazing.
The research is part of the Food, Energy and Water Security (FEWS) initiative at North Dakota State University (NDSU) and is funded by the USDA Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS).
This project brings together teams from NDSU, Montana State University, and USDA-ARS in Mandan. Their first step is to test how different crop rotations affect soil water. Some test plots are already growing spring wheat, while others will soon be planted with sunflowers, corn, barley, peas, and cover crops.
Scientists are using deep soil sensors that measure moisture, salt levels, and temperature down to four feet underground. These sensors are very sensitive, able to detect moisture changes as small as 0.01%.
A high-tech drone equipped with a hyperspectral camera is also being used to take detailed images of the soil and crops.
A special machine called a VERIS soil mapper is being used to study organic matter, pH levels, and salinity across the field.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-sasiistock
Categories: North Dakota, Crops, Corn, Equipment & Machinery