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Subtropical Soil Health Initiative

The Subtropical Soil Health Initiative is a research partnership between the National Center for Appropriate Technology and UTRGV to address soil health challenges in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. The project, funded by a USDA NRCS Conservation Innovation Grant, examines the effectiveness, practicality, and profitability of cover crops and reduced tillage practices through on-farm trials conducted with several local farm partners. Over the past 3 years, the project has trialed 17 cover crop species, determined promising candidates for cover cropping in the semiarid subtropics, and has shared the lessons learned with the local agricultural community through field days, workshops, and videos.

 

Drone Research: Experiential training in use of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) technology for agriculture applications – USDA-NIFA-HIS

This project will include formal and "hands-on" educational and field (research)-based development of underrepresented Hispanic students towards their career objectives in agriculture or the biological sciences, a key function of the program. It is anticipated that knowledge and familiarity with bench and field-based UAS concepts and applications towards plant science/precision farming will be in high demand by the USDA, research institutions and the private sector in the near future. Because UAS applications will be highly diverse, students having completed this educational training will contribute strongly to the workforce. This project will also strongly enhance student opportunities for public speaking, technical writing, and professional growth and development through attendance and participation at research symposiums and/or regional/national professional conferences.

 

Tree Campus USA

Previous Project Leader: Jorge Cantu

As a graduate student at the University of Texas Pan-American, Jorge led a campus-wide research project, which has granted UTRGV a place with the Tree Campus USA Initiative.

Cantu's findings contributed largely to UTRGV earning its first ever Tree Campus USA designation for the Edinburg campus.