Dr. Michele L. Reba

Research Hydrologist, Lead Scientist|USDA-ARS

2023 Abstract - A DECADE OF ON-FARM WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH: LESSONS LEARNED AND FUTURE EFFORTS: Impactful agricultural research can be accomplished through many avenues. One path is to work at a smaller plot scale with control on several variables and multiple replicates, while another is to work at the farm or field-scale. Working at this larger scale often reduces control of multiple variables and limits the number of replicates. However, the link to management and current management challenges can be more readily related to findings at the larger scale. Communication between producers and researchers is also key to success. The Delta Water Management Research Unit began working at the field-and farm-scale in 2011. They have grown these research efforts since then to work with multiple producers in the Lower Mississippi River Basin. Now, a decade later, lessons learned and specific findings from on-farm research will be highlighted and include field-scale greenhouse gas emissions, field-scale and farm-scale runoff water quality and rice irrigation impact on water use efficiency, yield, grain quality, and arsenic, and impacts of cover crops in a rice-soybean rotation. Additionally, future research studies will be described.