Researchers in the Department of Plant Sciences have found a way to reduce the amount of nitrogen fertilizers needed to grow cereal crops such as rice. The discovery could save farmers in the United States billions of dollars annually in fertilizer costs while also benefiting the environment.
The research comes out of the lab of Eduardo Blumwald, a distinguished professor of plant sciences, who has found a new pathway for cereals to capture the nitrogen they need to grow.
The International Fertilizer Association (IFA) today announced the winners of its IFA Science Awards for excellence in plant nutrition science and innovation for sustainable development.
Drone-mounted cameras are being used to determine fertilizer needs in agricultural crops, which also helps growers reduce crop fungal diseases. Bruce Linquist and Luis Espino address the use of drones (or unmanned aerial vehicles; UAVs) in rice production.
If all the nitrogen fertilizer is applied at fall planting, much of the nitrogen can be leached below the root zone by winter rains before the crop needs the nutrients for spring growth.