MECHANICAL STRAW MULCHING TO REDUCE PHOSPHORUS POLLUTION IN IRRIGATION RUNOFF WATER

POLLUTION AND WATER QUALITY ARE TWO OF THE MAJOR CONCERNS OFOUR NATION. WHILE MOST INDUSTRIES ARE MAKING CONCERTED EFFORTS TO REDUCE POLLUTION AND TO CLEAN-UP AND IMPROVE WATER QUALITY, MUCH REMAINS TO BE DONE. MANY OF THE SOLUTIONS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE HAVE NEGATIVE ECONOMIC IMPACTSAND, AS A RESULT, ARE SLOW TO BE IMPLEMENTED BY THE NATION'SBUSINESSES. THIS PROJECT WILL TIE A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF EXISTING RESEARCH TOGETHER TO DETERMINE AND DEMONSTRATE THATSTRAW MULCHING BY MECHANICAL MEANS CAN REDUCE INPUT COSTS, INCREASE YIELDS, REDUCE PHOSPHATE AND POTENTIALLY OTHER CHEMICAL POLLUTION AND IMPROVE WATER QUALITY BY REDUCING SOIL EROSION DUE TO RUNOFF IRRIGATION WATER. ANTICIPATED RESULTS/POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATION OF RES.1. DEMONSTRATE HOW MECHANICAL MULCHING MACHINE CAN IMPROVE WATER QUALITY AND AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY WHILE INCREASINGNET FARM INCOME. 2. IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT THE RESEARCH PROJECT WILL RESULT IN DOCUMENTATION OF THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE USE OF STRAW MULCHING AS AN IMPROVED AGRICULTURAL PRACTICE FOR COMMERCIALAGRICULTURE AND A REDUCTIONOF NON-POINT SOURCE POLLUTION ASSOCIATED WITH PHOSPHATE FERTILIZER COMPOUNDS IN IRRIGATIONRUN-OFF WATER 3. THE PROJECT SHOULD ESTABLISH THAT STRAW MULCHING WOULD IMPROVE WATER QUALITY WHILE INCREASING AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY AND CROP QUALITY. 4. THE RESULTS OF THIS RESEARCH PROJECT WILL MAKE IT POSSIBLE TO USE UP EXCESS GRAIN AND GRASS SEED STRAW.