The Rainfed Agriculture Innovation Network

Research

We are working to sustainably increase the productivity of rainfed cropping systems in the Southern Great Plains by increasing precipitation and nitrogen (N) use efficiency, reducing yield losses to environmental stresses and weed pressure, and restoring and enhancing soil health

Diversified Crop Rotations

We have developed a powerful tool for use in the identification and characterization of the processes in our model system. A major advantage of this development is its improved sensitivity, which allows it to detect subtle dynamic property changes in response to our experimentation.

Improved Soil Health

We still have only a very limited understanding of most aspects about our planet. Answering questions about this is essential for understanding the mechanistic role it plays on other scientific processes, and for developing tools to further explore this research avenue with more sensitive measurements and improved data collection.

Increased Water and Nitrogen Use Efficiency

In an effort to gain a better understanding of the world around us, we have recently begun to use a new technique to investigate the organization and functionality of the diverse parts of our experimental model. We are currently looking to expand this work by collaborating with other labs who have the facilities and prior experience to investigate this project further.

News & Resources

Soil Health Meets Global Food Challenges

December 9, 2019

Dr. Chuck Rice shares his thoughts on many facets of the complex agriculture system, new technologies, water policies and soil health.

Rainfed Ag and Rural Prosperity

December 11, 2019

Host Ron Hays talks with Dr. Tyson Ochsner, Dr. Brian Arnall and Dr. Beatrix Haggard about this multi million dollar research effort that focuses on improving southern plains agriculture in rainfed farm situations.

Contact Us

Kansas State Univeristy