Location: Agricultural Water Efficiency and Salinity Research Unit
Project Number: 2036-61000-018-007-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Sep 29, 2014
End Date: Sep 27, 2019
Objective:
(a) To study the impact of soil and environmental processes on agrochemical volatilization from variably saturated soil. Studies will include determining the effect of biochar additions to surface soil on volatilization of 1,3-dichloropropene and chloropicrin from soil columns. (b) Develop the capability to predict the effects of enhanced soil degradation (i.e., biochar) on the fate and transport of agrochemicals including volatile pesticides and soil fumigants. (c) Relate this information to agronomic production systems and the protection of atmospheric resources.
Approach:
Conduct laboratory, field and modeling research to obtain data and models that can be used to understand, predict and mitigate agricultural emissions as affected by soil, enviornmental and cultural factors. Laboratory experiments will investigate the effect of soil and cultural factors on emissions of volatile chemicals under highly controlled conditions. These experiments will obtain information on degradation, adsorption, soil diffusion and volatilization. Field and outdoor experiments will be used to study emissions under typical agricultural conditions and will investigate how environmental factors and on-farm managment affects emissions.