USDA-NRCS Conservation Innovation Grants On-Farm Conservation Innovation Trials for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2021
Climate-smart irrigation for drought, fertility, & structural resilience in almond systems
Grant amount- $ 1,849,558
Objective of this research is (1) to quantify maximum water, energy, and nitrogen efficiency benefits and tradeoffs from deep root irrigation (DRI), pressure-compensated subsurface drip irrigation (PSDI), and drought-tolerant hybrid perennial grass cover crops (Hybrid Pb) (2) to transfer co-developed knowledge and increase adoption through water and N management clinics, farm demonstration events, product advisory groups, podcasts, and webinars throughout the state in partnership with the Almond Board of California, the Punjabi American Grower Group, Resource Conservation Districts, and Cooperative Extension professionals.
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2022 Montana Fertilizer Advisory Committee (MFAC) Research Grant USDA-NRCS
Combatting soil acidification to avoid large economic losses to Montana farmers
Grant amount- $ 54,465
Objectives of this research are (1.) to evaluate different sampling strategies for soil acidity characterization (2.) to monitor soil pH, Al concentration, soil organic matter, and crop yields 5 yr after applying different beet lime rates (applied in 2017) (3) to determine the efficacy of different lime sources to improve soil pH and other soil health parameters and crop yields (4) to identify low pH tolerant pulse varieties (5) to disseminate the outcomes of this project among growers, ag professionals, and the scientific community.
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2021 California League of Food Producers Research Grant
Deficit irrigation and salinity impacts on processing tomato nutrition and quality
Grant amount- $34,760
Objective of this research is to develop a monitoring guideline for deficit irrigation using commercially available wireless sensor technology in processing tomato in order to maximize yield, quality, and human nutrition under increasing groundwater salinity and water scarcity.
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NM Water Resources Research Institute Student Water Research Grant 2019-2020
Monitoring Toxic Metal Uptake by Corn Grown in Agricultural Fields Across Animas and San Juan Rivers
Grant amount- $6490.11
Objective of this research is to analyze and monitor the toxic metals Pb, As and Al in corn samples harvested from agricultural fields irrigated from Animas and San Juan Rivers. This research grant was authored by myself to mentor a Masters research project for Michael Whiting, a graduate student in the Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, NMSU.
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NM Water Resources Research Institute Student Water Research Grant 2017-2018
Sequential Extraction of metal(loids) in agricultural field soils impacted by Animas/San Juan River after the 2015 Gold King Mine Spill
Grant amount- $5604.94
Objective of this research has helped the researchers to clearly understand plant available form of arsenic for which I was the primary investigator. This project aimed to educate and inform multiple stakeholders in assessing the safety of their agricultural fields and resume to normal cultivation methods as they did before the 2015 GKM acid mine spill.
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USEPA The Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act (WIIN Act) Grant 2017-2018
Analyze Effects of Contaminants in the Animas and San Juan River Water Attainment of Livestock Watering and Crop Irrigation Uses
(Unlisted collaborator) Cowritten with project PI-Dr. Kevin Lombard and Dr. April Ulery
Grant amount- $124,193
Objective of this research was to monitor the elevated levels of contaminants after the Gold King Mine Spill in forage crops and water used for livestock watering.