Posts Tagged: Technology

Extreme weather accelerates nitrate pollution in groundwater

Extreme weather spurred by climate change, including droughts and heavy rains, may increase the risk of nitrates from fertilizers ending up in groundwater, according to a recent study from researchers at the University of California, Davis. The study found heavy rains after a drought caused nitrates to seep 33 feet under farm fields in as little as 10 days. The study was published in Water Resources Research.

“The conventional wisdom was that it could take several weeks to years for nitrates to move from the crop root zones to reach groundwater,” said corresponding author Isaya Kisekka, a professor in the Departments of Land, Air and Water Resources and Biological and Agricultural Engineering. “We found these extreme events, such as California's atmospheric rivers, are going to move nitrate more quickly.”

In this study, different methods were used to measure how much nitrate, a component of nitrogen fertilizer, was seeping down through the soil in a tomato and cucumber crop near Esparto, California. Scientists conducted their research from 2021 until 2023 when California was experiencing periods of drought followed by atmospheric rivers. They measured nitrate during both the growing seasons and the rainy seasons.

Drought can leave more nitrogen in soil

Previous studies have shown about 40% of nitrogen fertilizer used for vegetables isn't absorbed by the plants but remains in the soil. During droughts, crops don't use nitrogen efficiently, leading to excess nitrogen in the soil. This study found that if a drought is then followed by heavy rainfall, that sudden burst of water causes nitrate to seep in groundwater more quickly. The nitrate concentration in the shallow groundwater exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency maximum contaminant level of 10 milligrams per liter for drinking water.

“In California, we often say we swing between droughts and floods,” said Kisekka. “These extreme events that come with climate change are going to make the risk of these chemicals ending up in our drinking water much more severe.”

Groundwater is the primary source of drinking water for most of California's Central Valley. In some regions, such as the Tulare Lake Basin, nearly one-third of drinking and irrigation wells exceed the EPA's safe nitrate level. High nitrate levels in drinking water can increase health risks, especially for young children. It may also increase the risk of colorectal cancer.

Need for real-time soil nitrate monitoring

Central Valley farmers are required to report to the Regional Water Board how much nitrogen they applied to their field and how much was removed as part of the crop's yield. The study compared different ways of monitoring when nitrate from fertilizers seep into groundwater. Kisekka said the results highlight the need for affordable, real-time soil nitrate monitoring tools to help farmers manage fertilizer use efficiently.

By using conservation practices that limit leftover nitrates in the crop's root zone after harvest, farmers can help reduce nitrate contamination in groundwater.  

This study's data will also help improve a model called SWAT, which is used to track nitrate seepage into groundwater across California's Central Valley. This effort is part of the Central Valley Water Board's program to regulate irrigated farmlands.

Other UC Davis authors include Iael Raij Hoffman, Thomas Harter and Helen Dahlke.

The study was supported by the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service through its Conservation Effects Assessment Project. The national project is designed to assess the effectiveness of conservation practices across different watersheds. The study also had support from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Sustainable Agriculture Workshop

When: December 3^rd, 2024

Where:   UC Cooperative Extension Monterey County

Agriculture Conference Room

1432 Abbott St, Salinas, CA 93901

Join us for our first-ever Workshop on Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Sustainable Agriculture.  Ag technologies are increasingly leveraging AI to tackle production and environmental challenges. This workshop will provide valuable insights from experts on AI-driven solutions for issues like labor shortages, crop health, and nutrient management.

Who should attend? Growers, agricultural professionals, tech developers, researchers, and anyone interested in learning how AI can improve agriculture are encouraged to attend. This is a fantastic chance to gain knowledge, share insights, and engage with others who are utilizing innovative technologies to enhance the efficiency and sustainability of farming practices.  The workshop is free but participants are encouraged to preregister using the link below.

8:00 Registration  (click here to pre-register)

8:25  Welcome 

8:30  Western Growers Association-Ag Innovation Center—Facilitating New Technologies in Agriculture    Dennis Donahue/Walt Duflock     

9:00   Practical Considerations for Implementing AI in Agricultural Equipment Jason Mellow, President Axis Ag 

9:30  Current and Future Applications of UAS in Agriculture Elliot Dorenbaum, National UAS Operations Manager, Wilbur Ellis Salinas

10:00 Disease Identification in Strawberry using Drone Technology Frank Martin Research Scientist USDA-ARS Salinas

10:30 Break

10:45  AI Institute for Next Generation Food Systems: Identifying Impact Areas to Benefit Resiliency and Sustainability  Steve Brown, Associate Director, UC Davis

11:15  Artificial Intelligence to Delineate Management Grids for Precision Nitrogen Management Dr. Wubugenda Yilma, Colorado State University; Raj Kholsa, Professor, Kansas State University. 

11:45  Do we need better soil maps for field-scale water and nutrient management? Elia Scudiero Associate Professor, UC Riverside

12:15 Adjourn

CCA educational hours requested

For more information, contact   Michael Cahn @ 831-214-3690 or Paramveer Singh @ 831-214-8621, email: psbsingh@ucanr.edu

Be Wary of Relying on Chat GPT for Agricultural Questions

Globally, approximately 570 million small and medium-sized farms need training in various agricultural fields. However, the delivery of agriculture training faces significant challenges. In some areas, the difficulty in obtaining this training has led to...

Lawn-pocalypse! Surviving Drought

Ah, summer! The season of sunburns, pool parties, and… lawn droughts. If your once lush, green carpet now looks like a crunchy brown doormat, you're not alone. Let's dive into why your yard is staging a dramatic death scene and what you can do to...

Bermuda grass and weeds overtaking drought stressed turf grass.

A patch of former lawn, mostly dead, with a few green weeds and Bermudagrass

Launching ServiceNow for UC ANR IT and HR

We are happy to announce that we are approaching the go-live date for our new ServiceNow platform for Information Technology and Human Resources! This upgrade to ServiceNow replaces Zendesk that has been used by IT and HR. UC ANR's implementation of ServiceNow is the start and will provide a strong and recognized platform that can help us streamline how we manage requests and services.

ServiceNow will go live the evening of Friday, June 21, 2024.

Here's what you can look forward to with ServiceNow:

• Single Platform Convenience: Track and manage IT and HR tickets in one location, ServiceNow's Employee Center
• Secure Access: Log in securely using UC ANR's Single Sign-On (SSO)
• Improved Visibility: Stay updated on request status from submission to resolution
• Knowledge Base: Over time, UC ANR IT and HR will expand knowledge bases to provide information on common questions

As we move forward, it's important to recognize that, like any major transition, we may experience some initial bumps. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we fine-tune the system to better serve you.

How to Request IT and HR Support:

• Upon go-live, the UC ANR Portal will be updated to link to ServiceNow at https://ucanr.service-now.com/esc,  where employees must login using UCANR Single Sign-On (SSO) to access our new Employee Center where you can create tickets for HR and IT
• Remember the HR (humanresources@ucanr.edu) and IT (help@ucanr.edu) emails will remain available to create tickets in ServiceNow

Preparing for Go-Live:

• Be Aware - Open tickets will be forwarded to ServiceNow, so if you have an open ticket, you will receive notifications as part of the move to ServiceNow 
• Validate Access - For UC ANR employees, verify your access to UCANR Single Sign-On (SSO) with DUO as it is required to access UC ANR's ServiceNow
• Review Training Materials – Learn about our new UC ANR Employee Center, how to submit tickets and how to view tickets – https://ucanr.edu/sites/servicenow
• Office Hours will be available June 24, 25, 26 1-1:30 p.m. for support:

-              Join Zoom Meeting: https://ucanr.zoom.us/j/91385989113?pwd=M2VwZHN1VzVDbVhQTEdjM3FOOTNwUT09

-              Meeting ID: 913 8598 9113

-              Passcode: 570931

Thank you for your continued support as we move forward with our implementation of ServiceNow!

Tu Tran, Associate Vice President for Business Operations
Bethanie Brown, Interim Executive Director of Human Resources

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