Purdue included in $20 million USDA climate research grant
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University will participate in a $20 million U.S. Department of Agriculture research, education and Extension program aimed at keeping Midwest corn-based cropping systems resilient in the face of future climate uncertainties.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded the grant to a team of 10 universities and two USDA Agricultural Research Service institutions Friday (Feb. 18).
Purdue will receive $1.4 million for its portion of the five-year project.
Led by agronomy professor Eileen Kladivko, Purdue researchers will create a database of plot, field and farm data that can be combined with climate data to evaluate and improve resilience of crop management practices. Philip Owens, assistant professor of agronomy, will use soil information to show how the field-scale research can be applied to increase sustainability of corn systems in an eight-state north-central region that includes Indiana.
Other Purdue faculty involved are Laura Bowling, associate professor of agronomy, and Jane Frankenberger, professor of agricultural and biological engineering.
"This project will build on our long-term drainage research sites to answer new questions," Kladivko said. "In addition, new research sites will provide economic and environmental benefits of cover crops, which are of increasing interest to Indiana farmers."
The long-term national outcome for the research is to reduce the use of energy, nitrogen and water by 10 percent and increase carbon sequestration by 15 percent through resilient agriculture and forest production systems.
Iowa State is the lead institution for the project. Other universities involved are Michigan State University, the universities of Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri and Minnesota, Lincoln University of Missouri, and Ohio State and South Dakota State universities.
Writer: Keith Robinson, 765-494-2722, robins89@purdue.edu
Source: Eileen Kladivko, 765-494-6372, kladivko@purdue.edu
Ag Communications: (765) 494-2722;
Keith Robinson, robins89@purdue.edu
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