Daily Pioneer News

UWP soil and crop professor Chris Baxter and UW-Madison graduate student Nancy Bohl prepare simulated run-off plots in a cornfield at Pioneer Farm. Researchers there will monitor water run-off levels and measure phosphorous concentrations in a research project funded by a state agriculture consortium.

PLATTEVILLE - The University of Wisconsin-Platteville School of Agriculture has received a grant for more than $31,000 to study phosphorous levels at Pioneer Farm.

The University of Wisconsin Consortium for Extension and Research in Agriculture and Natural Resources (CERANR) awarded the $31,000 grant in response to a proposal drafted by UW-Extension soil specialist Larry Bundy and UWP soil and crop professor Chris Baxter, "Phosphorous Concentrations in Runoff from Plot and Sub-Watershed Scales in Wisconsin Cropping Systems."

While plants need phosphorous to grow, too much of the naturally occurring element can damage fields. UW researchers are interested in knowing how much phosphorous is lost from water run-off.

"The primary application is going to be for farmers that have to do nutrition management at their farms," Baxter said. "We'll provide a more accurate estimation of phosphorous loss from fields."

The two-year experiment will be performed at Pioneer Farm, where existing tools can be used to measure water run-off and test phosphorous levels in watersheds.

"We decided to set up some small plots within these watersheds that are monitored," Baxter said. "We have a technician and student help will be hired to collect samples from small plots we've set up."

Many farmers have problems with phosphorous levels due to the amount of manure they put in their fields, and large amounts of phosphorous concentrations can have negative consequences in larger waterways, resulting in the growth of weeds and algae blooms in lakes or streams.

"Here at our farm, we're typical of many livestock farms in that we've seen increasing phosphorous value in our fields," Baxter said. "We want to manage it to reduce the amount of phosphorous, at least to a point that's optimal for the plants."

UW researchers have already conducted similar water run-off tests at smaller plots, but are interested to see if their findings translate to larger watersheds. They're findings will be used to modify a phosphorous index UW researchers are implementing in a software program designed to help farmers with nutrition management.

Researchers began work on the project at Pioneer Farm in April, soon after they were notified that their grant had been approved by the CERANR.

"It shows that the folks at Madison who are concerned about doing research feel this is an important issue to be looking at," Baxter said. "They wanted to make sure that this research gets done."

Researchers will continue to collect data over the summer, and so far the weather has been cooperating.

"We've had plenty of rain this summer, so on the watershed scale we'll get plenty of data," Baxter said. "If it keeps raining we'll probably have more data than we'll actually want."

The project will continue through June 2006.