Mizzou researchers sowing the seeds of agricultural and economic security

A University of Missouri researcher is developing a solution to improve soil health and meet the challenges posed by changing environmental and market conditions.

Caixia “Ellen” Wan, an associate professor in the College of Engineering, is hoping to make it easier for farmers to adjust as extreme weather events such as record-setting temperatures, flooding and prolonged drought threaten the productivity of conventional agriculture operations.

Currently, as a hedge against these threats, some farmers are turning to organic production. The number of certified organic operations has roughly doubled in the last 15 years, with more than 3.5 million acres of cropland certified organic, according to the Department of Agriculture (USDA).

To be certified organic, farmers must follow stringent — and expensive — production rules. They gamble they will earn dividends in the premium prices organic products command and in a growing market. More than 80% of U.S. households purchase organic food, according to the USDA.

Wan wants to even the odds and help farmers achieve profitability as they reduce reliance on synthetic fertilizers and enhance soil fertility.

“We want to help small- and medium-sized farms transition land that is not currently ready for organic farming into productive organic systems,” Wan said.

The key to the transition is biochar, a carbon-rich material produced by heating organic waste such as wood or crop residues in low-oxygen environments. Biochar has a high surface area and porosity, which helps it retain nutrients, improve soil structure, boost microbial activity and build stable soil.

Supported by a $960,000 grant from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Wan will combine biochar with compost and beneficial microbes to improve soil health and fertility in organic farming systems.

Wan is leading an interdisciplinary project team with co-PIs from Xiaoping Xin, assistant profession in Mizzou’s College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources and Timothy Reinbott from University of Missouri Extension, as well as researchers from Lincoln University and the USDA Forest Service Forest Products Laboratory.

For now, the team is focused on vegetable production rather than row crops such as corn or soybeans.

“We hope to extend the approach to other crops in the future,” she said. “We want to first demonstrate that our proposed technology and concept can be implemented effectively.”

Wan anticipates that the biochar-based soil amendment strategies will improve soil health, increase crop yields and profitability for farmers. She will work with MU Extension on outreach activities, including field days and grower conferences.

“I’m excited about the practical applications and the collaborative nature of this work,” Wan said. “It brings together experts from different fields to pursue integrated solutions and allows me to combine engineering with agricultural systems in a meaningful way.”