South Dakota has long been a hub for pioneering agricultural advancements, and a recent effort led by the state’s institutions is setting the stage for the future of sustainable farming. At the heart of this initiative is Zach Karg, a mechanical engineering doctoral student at South Dakota Mines. Raised on a family farm near Sterling, Colorado, Karg’s early experiences with agriculture have fueled his drive to enhance farming techniques and resource utilization.
In partnership with Carson Daly, Stirling Wallace, and Associate Professor Prasoon Diwakar from the Leslie A. Rose Department of Mechanical Engineering, Karg is part of a dynamic research team. The group is spearheading efforts under the banner of the National Science Foundation-funded Advancement of Microbial Technologies for Sustainable Agriculture (AMiTSA) project.
Stirling Wallace in the field
This significant project, spearheaded by South Dakota State University (SDSU), combines expertise from South Dakota Mines, North Dakota State University, and Sitting Bull College to explore microbial-based fertilizers. These fertilizers promise a more sustainable alternative to traditional synthetic compounds. South Dakota’s role as a leader in agricultural research is showcased here, uniting academic brilliance and practical insights.
The primary thrust of AMiTSA is precision agriculture. As Diwakar articulates, “The core of this project is precision agriculture. If we can help farmers know exactly which parts of a field need attention, farmers can reduce fertilizer use, lower costs, and minimize the adverse effects on the soil.” This sentiment underscores the multifaceted approach the team is taking, combining technology with in-field expertise garnered from farming near Philip, S.D., courtesy of Daly.
Harnessing technology is central to this endeavor. The research team is introducing advanced sensors alongside custom-made drones to assist in precisely mapping soil nutrition and health parameters. Relying on machine learning tools, these drones, equipped with multispectral cameras, are adept at identifying nutrient deficiencies, water stress, and even early indications of plant diseases.
The team’s recent incorporation of cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS) marks a technological leap by enabling the detection and quantification of trace gases within the soil. “We want to have a complete picture of the ecosystem – the plant health from the drone, the soil respiration as well as the ground truth detection, what is actually in the soil,” Karg explains.
Zach Karg
South Dakota’s tradition of agriculture is matched by its innovative spirit, a fact borne out by the tangible contributions Karg and Daly make from their agricultural backgrounds. By bridging the technological advancements from academia with the realities faced by local farmers, they are key to ensuring these research products have practical impacts.
The collaboration takes another layer with Rajesh Sani, Ph.D., and Tanvi Govil, Ph.D., from the Karen M. Swindler Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at Mines, who focus on crafting the effective microbial consortia meant to convert latent soil nutrients into forms readily absorbable by plants.
The goal remains the development of comprehensive tools that will lend farmers better insights into soil health, while concurrently optimizing resources to sustain agriculture. “Carson and Zach help bridge the gap because they understand both the technology and the farming community,” Diwakar states, praising the team’s pivotal role.
The upcoming year’s objectives focus significantly on farmer feedback, allowing technological adoption tailored to specific farmer needs. “Having the three of us on the project is instrumental,” Karg states. “We can actually go out and talk with the farmers and ask them if they would adopt this technology and what changes we would need to make.”
As summer progresses, the research team is dedicated to validating their models and sensors as accurate. This groundwork sets the stage for future experiments introducing microbial fertilizers into test fields, aiming to establish new benchmarks in farm management efficiency.
@2023 South Dakota Mines stands at agriculture’s vanguard, propelling the state forward through innovations poised to reimagine sustainable farming. For inquiries, email Zach Karg at zach.karg@sdmines.edu.
Carson Daly
As Karg and his colleagues exemplify, South Dakota is infusing traditional farming wisdom with cutting-edge scientific inquiry to not only meet today’s agricultural challenges but to triumph over them.