MDA announces 2016 Clean Water Fund research projects

ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has selected two projects to receive Clean Water Fund research contracts. Ten proposals, totaling $2.5 million in requested funds, were submitted. The two selected projects total $650,223.

Drs. Axel Garcia y Garcia and Jeff Strock from the University of Minnesota’s Southwest Research and Outreach Center will use the funding to assess cover crop strategies in a corn–soybean planting rotation to increase stability, improve resource use efficiency, and minimize negative impacts to the environment. The project will focus on the effect of cover crops on water, nitrogen and phosphorus use in the corn-soybean planting rotations, determine the effectiveness of cover crops at reducing the loss of nitrogen and phosphorous from leaching, assess the performance of crop models to simulate the water and nitrogen balances on corn production in Minnesota, and evaluate the cost-effectiveness of cover crops in corn-soybean planting rotations. Results of the project will advance the understanding of the benefits and limitations of cover crops in corn-soybean rotations and their impact on the environment.

Dr. Carl Rosen from the University of Minnesota’s Department of Soil, Water and Climate will research, demonstrate and evaluate the effectiveness of woodchip bioreactors for treating agricultural tile water. The project will be conducted using a unique, replicated field-scale experiment that allows analysis of two variables that have the potential to enhance bioreactor performance. The project is unique in that it will carefully monitor microbial performance using genetic and genomic technologies, and modify properties that facilitate removal of nitrogen and phosphorus. Increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of bioreactors may reduce the cost and increase adoption of the practice.

For additional information please visit mda.state.mn.us/cleanwaterfund/research