Water management for Minnesota producers: A discussion with Vasudha Sharma Irrigation Specialist at the University of Minnesota

Vasudha Sharma, Irrigation Specialist at the University of Minnesota was a guest for the University of Minnesota Extension CropCast podcast. Vasu discusses and highlights her funded research projects at the University of Minnesota, which aim to understand the impact of water management strategies on crop yield and nitrate leaching. Vasu’s research projects include the following:·         Evaluating the performance of different irrigation scheduling methods and their impact on corn production and nitrate leaching in the central sands region of Minnesota.·         Development and expansion of a web-based intelligent agricultural irrigation management tool (Irrigation Management Assistant) for Minnesota.·         Evaluating and developing precision irrigation and nitrogen management strategies for enhancing water-nitrogen use efficiency.·         Understanding the impact of soil health management systems on infiltration, water holding capacity and leaching potential.Currently, Dr. Sharma is advising two Ph.D. students, one M.S. student, and one undergraduate student, in the Department of Soil, Water, and Climate