Achievement

Tabitha Brown has investigated the role of Precision Agroecology for optimizing Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE) for Pacific Northwest wheat cropping systems. The objectives were to evaluate yield-water-NUE relationships among diverse landscape environments; to investigate the impact of seasonal and landscape-level changes in water availability on N flow and cycling; and to use identified field patterns of biophysical characteristics for studying process controls to develop the concept of Precision Agroecology for sustainable agroecosystems and incentive-based N policy. Measurements at the WSU Cook Farm for a matrix of treatments and conditions showed that precision N management resulted in applying 62% less (64 kg ha-1) N while improving yield by 794 kg ha-1 compared to conventional uniform N management (103 kg N ha-1). Trends in the data indicated that seeding rate reductions could maintain or increase yield.