Illinois NREC – Summer 2017 Newsletter
Here is the quarterly report from Illinois NREC designed to keep our stakeholders abreast of current research and upcoming events.
Here is the quarterly report from Illinois NREC designed to keep our stakeholders abreast of current research and upcoming events.
As major phosphorus-related water impairments continue to generate headlines and stir regulatory interest, there is an increasing need to better understand factors impacting phosphorus (P) transported from areas where agriculture is heavily underpinned by tile drainage. Substantial opportunities to reduce Illinois’ point-source P loads exist, but the agricultural sector will nevertheless need to play a role in meeting P reduction targets.
Developed by: Dr. Laura Christianson, Crop Sciences, University of Illinois
Illinois Water Resources Center
While in-field practices such as 4Rs nitrogen management and cover crops will be vital to meeting agricultural water quality goals, as substantial investments in drainage systems continue to be made, edge-of-field practices like bioreactors will also be a necessary part of the solution. Inside a bioreactor, provision of a solid organic carbon source in addition to maintenance of anoxic conditions allows the natural process of denitrification to be enhanced, meaning waters leaving these treatment systems have significantly reduced nitrate loads.
Kristin Greer updates farmers on a recent project completed by her team at the University of Illinois
Illinois NREC partnered with the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association to highlight research projects being funded by NREC. Each of the presentations are available below.
Learn more about the agronomic, environmental, and economic aspects of cover crops from Dr. Shalamar Armstrong.