Green fertilizers for urban spaces: use of human urine to generate high value fertilizers 

Dr. Utsav Shashvatt ‘s research aims to recover nutrients in human waste to form two types of high value fertilizers, controlled release and liquid, to offset the use of conventional fertilizers. The increased use of waste-derived fertilizers will help reduce dependence on conventional fertilizers, which are generated using non-renewable resources.

Dairy, Soil & Water Regeneration Grant Promotes Integrated Research to Support Dairy Industry Commitment to Sustainability 

Recycling nutrients for robust agricultural supply chains 

This research is developing a Manureshed Action Research Cycle to build regional and supply-chain resilience through systematic recycling of manure nutrients onto beef, dairy, poultry and swine feed crops. This research integrates social and biophysical science with stakeholder engagement to give animal producers, farmers and ranchers better capacity to connect with each other to redistribute manure nutrients from farms with manure surplus to fields and pastures that can use it sustainably.

Next-generation phenotyping and genomics for identifying, breeding, and managing more sustainable beef cattle 

The beef industry faces pressure to reduce its environmental footprint and help combat climate change but increasing sustainability presents a complex challenge. This research leverages machine learning, high throughput phenotyping, and genomics to measure and predict sustainability-related traits like water use, forage intake, and methane emission. Additionally, the project will use genomic approaches to identify genes and genetic networks affecting sustainability traits.

A Big Data Tool for Urban Tree Crop Selection Under Climate Change 

The impacts of climate change on urban tree crops and productions are largely unknown, posing a significant threat to urban farming efforts and their future resilience and sustainability. This research is leveraging big data to create novel scientific evidence on the climate suitability and vulnerability of dozens of urban tree crop species across the U.S.

Leveraging Phasic Environment and Nutrient Solution Management to Improve Resource Use Efficiency of Indoor Vertical Farming 

While previous plant physiology research has advanced our understanding of how individual factors influence plant growth and development, there has not been enough focus on how these factors work as a whole. This research aims to improve the whole-plant photosynthesis and nutritional quality of indoor crops by understanding and optimizing the interactions among key environmental factors such as light, air temperature, humidity and carbon dioxide and root-zone factors, such as fertilization, for each growth phase.