Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
Freshwater scarcity is a threat to agricultural production. In many freshwater-scarce regions, saline water sources can be used for irrigation; however, increased soil salinization constrains their use. We can grow salt-tolerant crops sustainably with appropriate desalination techniques and effective management water use, nutrient application, and salinity. We will develop an integrated hydroponic Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) platform with pre-breeding and screening of mustard greens, cucumber, and tomato germplasm for salt tolerance and technologies for desalination to provide tailored-quality irrigation water. We will include university and K-12 education activities as well as extension training and outreach of stakeholders. Major impact of this project will be increased and sustainable use of naturally occurring saline water in food crop production without salinizing soils. Salt-tolerant mustard greens, cucumber, and tomato varieties will be available for further improvement and commercial production.
Animal Health Component
0%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
60%
Applied
40%
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
Our overall goal is to develop an integrated hydroponics CEA platform for cultivation of salt-tolerant food crops using saline irrigation water by enhancing crop salt tolerance, developing new concepts in agricultural-sector desalting technologies, and optimizing salinity management. Specific objectives of this multi- disciplinary, state, and institutional coordinated agricultural project (CAP) are as follows:Research:(1) Pre-breeding and physiological phenotyping for salt acclimation in mustard greens, cucumber, and tomato through germplasm screening, genome-wide association studies (GWAS), and marker development;(2) Desalting technologies and salinity management processes;(3) Hydroponic CEA platform evaluation of salt-tolerant mustard greens, cucumber, and tomato varieties using treated and/or blended saline waters; (4) Techno-economic analysis (TEA) and life cycle assessment (LCA);Education:(5) Develop and deliver an effective education program to foster general and technical awareness of sustainable saline agriculture; andExtension:(6) Stakeholder outreach - training and technology transfer of sustainable saline agriculture.
Project Methods
RESEARCH: We will implement a hydroponic CEA platform, using saline waters for irrigation, selecting mustard greens, cucumber, and tomato varieties for enhanced salt tolerance, and managing salinity to better align with crop physiological responses acclimating to high salinity. As an alternative to single use of saline water in irrigation, we will investigate the cascading use of saline water within the platform for cultivation of multiple crops in series, ranging from lower salt tolerance to higher salt tolerance (with return flows from each cycle reflecting build-up of salts due to evapotranspiration). Partial and/or complete desalting technologies (latter with saline-source blending) will be operated to provide tailored-quality irrigation waters and a novel salinity management process will be used to manage desalting brines and return flows while also providing low-grade heat to drive a thermal desalting process. Design and operation of the hydroponic systems will be based on appropriate platforms. We will develop new approaches for desalination applicable to the agricultural sector, including modified-operation partial desalination technologies and/or complete desalination technologies with saline-source blending to produce tailored water quality for selected crops, each with a defined salt tolerance. A novel salinity management process will be articulated to handle agricultural desalination brines and return flows. We will assess tradeoffs between desalting/brine management costs and crop value along the continuum of crop yield versus salinity as well as addressing environmental impacts including carbon footprint through an integrated Techno-Economic Analysis (TEA) and Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) framework. EDUCATION: We will provide experiential learning opportunities for undergraduates by training them on Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) and hydroponics as well as desalination and brine management. We will also develop educational materials customizable for use at various levels of instruction for teachers of middle and high school students on salt tolerant crops, saline agriculture, and role of water in sustainable agriculture. EXTENSION: We will provide outreach to stakeholders: extension agents, farmers/growers, hydroponic enterprises, policy-/decision-makers, and consumers. The extension component targets stakeholder engagement and potential users. Our outreach focus includes activities ranging from creation of a Stakeholders Advisory Group (SAG), new technology implementation and adoption, and hands-on training of extension agents, growers, and students to conducting stakeholder analysis and needs assessment and demonstration projects in cooperation with extension specialists and educators. Findings from our research will be made available to farmers to protect food sources and promote agricultural resiliency in terms of climate change, sea level rise, crop improvement, and water usability. Key extension focus topics will include salt-tolerant crops, hydroponics, CEA, saline water sources, desalting processes, and brine management.