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 In the News - Growers explore ways of reducing soil compaction at field day
Vision: Agricultural Solutions through Innovative Science
(Click here for ASRU Mission Statement)
The Agricultural Systems Research Unit (ASRU) at the Northern Plains Agricultural Research Laboratory in Sidney, MT, is located near the confluence of the Missouri and Yellowstone Rivers. It is uniquely positioned to conduct multidisciplinary research to develop sustainable irrigated and dryland crop production systems in the semi-arid Upper Missouri Basin of the Northern Great Plains representing more than 33 million acres of cropland in the MonDak region (eastern Montana and western North Dakota), and has direct application to other areas around the nation, now and into the future.
The MonDak region is a highly productive food and export producing region due to favorable growing conditions, high quality and abundant water supplies, and minimal problems with soil salinity. It is also one of a very few areas in the nation that still has abundant, high quality un-appropriated water and the capacity for future large-scale irrigation development—as much as 500,000 acres that could be converted from dryland to center pivot sprinkler irrigated production in the bench areas adjacent to the Yellowstone and Missouri Rivers.
Click here to learn more about their research program, developments, coordinated efforts, land leases, and specific projects within ASRU.
Research Program
The Unit’s large, multidisciplinary research program addresses pressing dryland and irrigated agricultural crop production issues in the Northern Great Plains. The ASRU is committed to agricultural production research to ensure the economic and ecological sustainability of the region’s agricultural enterprises and the continued well-being of its’ rural communities. |
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The ASRU is part of the national ARS program (NP216) on Agricultural System Competitiveness and Sustainability (http://www.ars.usda.gov/research/programs/programs.htm?NP_CODE=216). ASRU research is conducted under the project entitled “Ecologically-Sound Pest, Water and Soil Management Strategies for Northern Great Plains Cropping Systems.” The overall goals are to minimize use of pesticides, reduce tillage, reduce energy use and improve soil and water quality while maximizing efficient use of precipitation and irrigation waters.
Developments
The ASRU is focused on developing integrated crop production systems that are both economically viable and environmentally sustainable. The primary research objectives deal with the improvement of irrigated and dryland cropping systems through increased understanding of the advantages and limitations of existing and proposed farming systems, and the development of biological approaches that improve production efficiency and reduce grower input costs. Specifically, these are:
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Develop strategies for irrigated crop production systems using increased crop diversity, reduced tillage, and emerging technologies to improve agricultural chemical, water and nutrient use efficiencies.
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Develop biologically based control strategies for specific diseases that currently limit the productivity of NGP production systems.
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Develop new strategies for dryland production systems that utilize increased crop diversity and advanced technologies to improve agricultural chemical, water, and nutrient use efficiencies, increase economic competitiveness, and enhance natural resource quality.
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Coordinated Efforts
Working in conjunction with their Customer Focus Group, MT and ND Extension agents, NRCS personnel, and local Conservation Districts, ASRU scientists have identified various diversified cropping systems with a high probability of successful adoption. These systems are also designed to optimize soil and air quality, improve biological diversity, maximize carbon sequestration and reduce greenhouse gas emissions through better tillage and residue management combined with biologically- and culturally-based cropland pest management strategies.
The eight scientists in this unit combine talents and skills in agronomy, soil science, microbiology, plant pathology, weed ecology and agricultural engineering to develop holistic management strategies and ecologically-based cultural practices that maintain sustainable high quality and high yielding irrigated and dryland production systems. Researchers are studying alternative crops and crop rotations that are suitable for the region’s irrigated and dryland systems. They are evaluating outcomes and quantifying environmental benefits and/or drawbacks that may result from the biologically-based farming strategies and practices being developed. Carryover effects of different cropping rotations are important and are being closely followed in the different tillage and management treatments. Thus, these cropping systems are continually evolving as a result of research findings and grower input. In addition, ASRU scientists are strongly involved in extending research results and increasing adoption rates by many grower presentations, publications and testing promising plot research outcomes on growers’ fields.
Land Leases
The ASRU currently has long term leases on about 215 acres of highly productive dryland and about 50 acres of irrigated lands for research.
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Large, multidisciplinary, dryland studies have been established at two locations in north central Montana to examine 2, 3 or 4 year rotations comparing conventional wheat-fallow with cultural and alternative management interactions on no-till production.
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Two long term multidisciplinary sprinkler irrigation studies have been established on both 2 and 4 year sugarbeet, malting barley and/or potato rotations. Linear move irrigation systems, equipped with microprocessor controls, GPS and solenoid valves on every sprinkler head, are used to make site specific adjustments of water and nutrients.
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ASRU Research projects include:
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Profitable alternative cropping systems for dry and irrigated lands in the MonDak.
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Weed management in dryland crops.
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Evaluation of various pulses and oilseed crops in dryland and irrigated cropping rotations.
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Precision, site-specific irrigation management under center pivot sprinkler systems.
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Managing applied nitrogen fertilizer to protect water quality.
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Soil microbiological evaluations of cropping systems designed to enhance soil aggregation and improve soil quality.
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Evaluation of the effect of various dryland and irrigated cropping systems on soil hydraulic properties.
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Carbon sequestration and reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with various cropping systems and management alternatives for irrigated and dryland operations.
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Biological control measures for managing Cercospora Leaf Spot in sugarbeets and Net Blotch in barley (plant pathology).
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Remediation of soil compaction from farm equipment travel and tillage operations.
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