Recipient Organization
RUTGERS, THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW JERSEY (NEWARK)
123 WASHINGTON ST STE 510
NEWARK,NJ 071023026
Performing Department
Earth & Environmental Science
Non Technical Summary
Changing climate resulting in localized extreme weather is currently harming crop production in the U.S and is predicted to cause some reduction of crop yield (up to 60 %) for most of the U.S. by the years 2070-2100. Soil cultivation is a key contributor to the total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the U.S (6%). Currently, there are limited means to mitigate soil GHG emissions that are geared to the needs of smaller farm operations (68% of overall farms), where currently available GHG monitors are not cost-effective for small-scale farming.A novel approach will aim to bridge this knowledge gap in GHG management by introducing a combined approach of:a. direct GHG measurement that is cost-effective using open-source soil-GHG readerb. rapid and cost-effective indirect estimate of soil GHG release potential with simulated thermal model (STM) analysisc. comprehensive farmers outreach program that is geared to the needs of small farms operations covering best management recommendation and cost-effective GHG monitoring approaches, with a robust online self-training and peers support component.In order to develop these means to mitigate soil GHG emission, the postdoctoral fellow will train in conducting related research and extension outreach, as well as create the seed of future research needed for reducing GHG emission from small farm operations. Research activities for this two-year postdoctoral fellowship project will include:a. model soil GHG emission trialb. Field soil emission trial.c. evaluating the use of STM analysis to predict GHG emission of soils and to identify low emission fertilizersd. development of an open-source soil GHG-reader geared to the needs of small farm operations.These will be used to determine the GHG emission impact of different soil cultivation practices such as tillage, cover crop, nutrition management, and soil inoculation. Finding from the analytical analysis of soil GHG emission will be compared to observations derived from two novel approaches: STM analysis and soil-GHG reader to determine their performance as a tool to estimate GHG emission.Outreach activities following the research component of the fellowship will develop and conduct a small farm training program on how to apply best management practices to reduce soil GHG emission and how to evaluate farm soil GHG emission using the soil-GHG reader and STM approaches. Amentorship program integrated into this proposal will support the postdoctoral fellow professional development through research advisory in the field of GHG research, soil fertility, and conducting agricultural outreach programs.
Animal Health Component
100%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
0%
Applied
100%
Developmental
0%
Goals / Objectives
I. Project goalScopeThe fellow's goal is to become an agriculture extension and soil health researcher dedicated to providing research and training services to small-scale farm operations in the northeast Atlantic region on mitigating the harmful impacts of climate change.This project's research goal is to support mitigation of greenhouse gases emission (GHG) from agricultural soils cultivated by small and medium farms by developing a synergic approach utilizing:direct GHG measurement that is cost-effective, using the designed open-source soil-GHG reader.rapid indirect estimate of soil GHG release potential with simulated thermal model (STM) analysis.comprehensive training program geared to the needs of small farm operations covering best management practices (BMP) recommendation and open-source GHG monitoring.II. Project Objectives (O1-3):Compare the effect of soil nutrient management and cultivation practices on GHG emissions.Evaluate the use of open-source GHG reader and STM approaches to improve the cost-effectiveness of GHG monitoring.Disseminate findings for best management practice recommendations for reducing GHG emissions from soil farmingto achieve these career and research objectives, the fellow's two-year program will:a. build work relations with stakeholders. a.1. Scheduled farm visits to collect qualitative data by surveying 60 farmers and ten service providers.a.2. Attend two regional/national soil science meetings annually.a.3. Write two technical papers yearly geared to the non-scientific community.a.4. Develop an online platform dedicated to soil greenhouse gas mitigation.b. Executing independent research. b.1. Design and conduct the proposed fellowship research planb.2. Submit research grants to appropriate programs that secure continuous funding, building on fellowship research and outreach work.c. Gain research skills in soil greenhouse gas (GHG) research. Execute mentorship and project plans addressing the research tasks addressing the research objectives (O1-3)Task 1 Measure total GHG flux released from model soil under standard cultivation practices in controlled pot and field site crop trials. Task 2 Soil thermal stability measures GHG release rate from the ground under different cultivation practices as a function of soil moisture, temperature, and aeration conditions using simulated soil thermal analysis model reactor.Task 3 Validate the use of open-source soil-GHG reader methodTask 4 Develop a farmer training program for implementing BMP and monitoring methods for reducing soil GHG emissions.d. Teaching skills. The fellow will develop training materials and conduct outreach training programs for farmers.
Project Methods
Analytical methods (Tasks 1-3): a. STA- PTA-EGA will be used to determine the potential of GHG emission in soil samples and the kinetics of thermal GHG release from soils. The instrument (STA 449 F3 Jupiter; Netzsch) components are a simulated thermal analysis (STA), pulse thermal analysis (PTA), and evolved gas analysis (EGA). This system is equipped with a furnace atmosphere control to model inert (N2g), pure air, or mixed gas environment over a soil sampled place inside the STA. Inside the STA, thermogravimetric (T.G.) mass change and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) are recorded. A pulse thermal analysis (PTA) attachment is used to measure NH3, CH3, and CO2 release from the soil with I.R. absorption calibration.b. Gas Chromatography Analysis of soil CH4 and total VOC content in gas samples will be done with a gas chromatographer (G.C.; Agilent, 6890)c. Chemiluminescence CO, CO2, NO, N2O39 readers (Thermo Fisher 49i, 48i, 42i, 410i)d.Soil characterization Standard soil lab methods, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), Scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDX).Task 1.a: Pot trial model to evaluate the impact of soil nutrients, till, and inoculation on GHG emission A model soil experiment will compare GHG emission flux rates for isolated components of soil management treatments: till (T.L.), no-till (NTL); nutrition management; conventional (CONV), organic (ORG), livestock manure (MNR), plants compost (CMP); inoculation (INC) / no inoculation (NO-INC). For each soil treatment, a crop rotation cycle of corn, soybean, rye, and fallow will be applied over a 12-month period. For crop nutrition, an equivalent nutrient amount for N-P-K, liming, and micronutrients will meet growing recommendations for corn, rye, and soy using readily available fertilizers. A complete blank (No nutrients; No inoculations), as well as a baseline GHG estimator (Free air samples), will be used as the experimental control. In addition to insight on the effect of farming practices on Soil GHG emission, results will also provide method validation to the soil-GHG reader (Task 3).One day prior to the pot GHG sampling, a soil GHG flux static chamber(PVC frame with 6-mil nylon film) will be placed over the pots and sealed with band clamps. Overhead air samples (60 mL) will be then taken through a designated seal membrane with a collection syringe, stored in vials, and transferred for GHG analysis (G.C., Chemiluminescence). Following this, a 10 mL (~25 g) undisturbed soil sample will be taken from each pot with a portable 10 mm core-sampler for STM thermal analysis using STA-PTA-EGA and standard soil composition analysis (Task 2).Task 1.b: Field trial at Rodale FST The 6.1 ha farming system trial (FST) at Rodale Institute is the longest-running side-by-side comparison of organic and conventional agricultural systems in North America (1981-current). This trial includes a Conventional (CONV) chemical-based system, an Organic Legume (LGM), a low-input system that relies on leguminous green manures for fertility, and an organic Manure (MNR) system that includes forage crops and composted dairy manure as sources of fertility. Each design is split between tilled and no-till treatments. All treatment placements are randomized in blocks. Soil GHG sampling to compare these treatments will be collected from the four sub-plots in each of the six treatments that apply soy/ corn/ rye rotation at the time (n sub-plots = 4, N plots = 24). Sampling of soil GHG will take place monthly over 12 months in a similar manner to task 1.a, using 24 units of 5-gallon static chamber collectors placed at the field site. Three pilot soil-GHG readers will be placed at the site for field-scale evaluation as outlined in task 3.Task 2: Soil simulated thermal model (STM)Soil samples collected from Task 1 will be analyzed with STM using STA-PTA-EGA, comparing the overall potential GHG emission from substrates in the soil to the actual GHG emission measurements from soil-GHG reader and gas analyses. Soil STM analysis will determine the concentration of GHG substrates; overall thermal stability of volatile components (TG+DSC); emission energy (J g-1) of GHG substrates. The STM analysis will use STA sample holders (Netzsch) designated for soil samples.Task 3: an open-source approach for soil GHG readingSoil GHG reader will use Raspberry Pi microcontroller (raspberry Pi 3 B+) with MyCodo software. Soil-GHG readers will be evaluated by acquiring a short-term reading at pot trial (Task 1.a) and continuous reading at FST field site for a 30-d sampling period during July, October 2022, and March 2023 (Task 1.b). These will be compared to analytical GHG analyses for quality assurance. For continuous field placement, the microcontroller will start an air pump to fill the sample chamber and activate sensors once daily. Protocol for GHG measurements will be established and validated. The optimized soil GHG reading sequence will include sensors warm-up time (2-10 min), sequences of NDIR readings (CO2 CH4 total VOC and relative humidity), and chamber flushing. The concentration of GHG can be derived from: [reading (ppm)] x [pressure in the chamber (mbar)] x [atmospheric pressure (mbar)] -1. The microcontroller also records soil temperature, soil moisture, and ambient air temperature (Atlas scientific). A battery pack is used for powering the reader.?Task 4: farmer training programs 1. Open source GHG reader A farmer-oriented training program based on the principles of adult learning for farmers will disseminate the use of the soil-GHG reader method. Based on a previously executed training program developed by the fellow (Farm-IT), such open-source automation can be taught with a 6-12 h training program2. Best management practice (BMP) for GHG reduction Training will involve farm tours at study sites and/ or at selected field sites of participants in the soil GHG management program. Outcomes will include technical papers, videos, peer networks.