U.S. flagAn official website of the United States government
                    Here's how you know **Official websites use .gov**
                            
                            A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
 **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
                            
                            A **lock** (                            
                              A locked padlock                                                      
                            
                            ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.


Menu Agricultural Research Service
						
                    U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
 close



Research
                Research Home
                            National Programs
                            Research Projects
                            Scientific Manuscripts
                            International Engagement
                            Scientific Software/Models
                            Databases and Datasets
                            Office of Scientific Quality Review
            Media
                News & Features
                            Multimedia
                            Briefing Room
                            Down on the Farm
                            Press Room
                            Science in Your Shopping Cart
                            Scientific Discoveries
                            Tellus
                            Under the Microscope
            About ARS
                About ARS Home
                            Staff Directory
                            Labs and Research Centers (Map)
                            Headquarter Offices
                            Organizational Chart
                            Employee Services (REE Employees Only)
                            Office of Outreach, Diversity, and Equal Opportunity
            Work With Us
                Work With Us Home
                            ARS Vacancies at USAJOBS
                            Careers at ARS Information
                            Scientific Collaborations
                            Extramural Agreements
                            1890 Faculty Research Sabbatical ProgramSearch small
                    Search
            
            ARS Home
                                About ARS
                                Contact Us




ARS Home News & Events News Articles Research News 2023





- ARS@Work
- Blog
- Down on the Farm
- Image Gallery
- News Archive
- Podcasts
- Press Room
- Science in Your Shopping Cart
- Scientific Discoveries
- Tellus
- Under the Microscope
- YouTube Channel

Training Modules Available to Help Producers Better Manage Phosphorus Losses Contact: Jan Suszkiw Email: Jan.Suszkiw@usda.gov August 14, 2023 A series of online training modules is now freely available to farmers, engineers, environmental consultants and others interested in designing on-farm systems to remove phosphorus from field runoff or subsurface drainage. Available on the Internet, the modules comprise seven narrated videos, starting with a basic overview of the need for phosphorus removal systems followed by how to design, build and install them, as well as how to properly dispose of or recycle the absorbent materials used to help capture the nutrient in drainage water and runoff. “These videos explain the basics, and then get into all the details necessary for designing and constructing phosphorus removal structures,” said Chad Penn, an Agricultural Research Service (ARS) agricultural engineer who coordinated the modules’ development. “The goal is to disseminate this conservation practice throughout the country and world”—helping producers strike an optimal balance between crop productivity and environmental stewardship. Phosphorus is a critical nutrient for optimal plant growth, health and yield, added Penn, with the ARS National Soil Erosion Research Laboratory in West Lafayette, Indiana. However, phosphorus that leaves agricultural fields in runoff or drainage water can accumulate in bodies of surface water, like rivers and lakes, compromising their quality and triggering the growth and decay of algal blooms that can imperil aquatic life and recreational activities. Management practices and engineered systems that prevent phosphorus loss are vital to maintaining environmental quality. A phosphorus-removing structureA series of training modules is available to help users build phosphorus-removing structures like this one. (Photo by Chad Penn, ARS) However, deciding which system is best for a specific farm operation or crop field configuration can be challenging. Fortunately, the modules can help users navigate their way through the process, as well as provide “lessons learned” from the field, said Penn, who has conducted extensive field research on phosphorus removal systems. The modules include lessons on using the P-Trap ("Phosphorus Transport Reduction"), a software program that Penn and collaborators developed to help users calculate specifications for building the structure based on the data that’s entered, including expected water-flow rates, annual volume, dissolved phosphorus concentration, drainage ditch depth and slope, pipe diameter and target removal goals. Penn noted that regardless of design, phosphorus removal structures are intended for use on fields with a legacy, or long history, of phosphorus application in fertilizers or animal manures that has resulted in an accumulation of soil phosphorus to concentrations greater than crops need. The structures’ uses are not a replacement for nutrient management practices but rather a complement to them, he added. In addition to creating the P-Trap software, Penn also designs, installs and field tests phosphorus removal systems in collaboration with Kevin King of ARS's Soil Drainage Research Unit in Columbus, Ohio; Jay Martin of The Ohio State University, Jessica D'Ambrosio of the Nature Conservancy, Jeremy Freund of Outagamie County Conservation and Santina Wortman of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The team lent their technical expertise to the American Society of Agronomy (ASA) and the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE), which developed the training modules with support from USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service. *The Agricultural Research Service is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief scientific in-house research agency. Daily, ARS focuses on solutions to agricultural problems affecting America. Each dollar invested in U.S. agricultural research results in $20 of economic impact.*


Return to top


Research
                            Media
                            About ARS
                            Work With Us


Connect with ARS Sign up


ARS Home
                            USDA.gov
                            Plain Writing
                            Policies & Links
                            Civil Rights Statements
                            FOIA
                            Accessibility Statement
                            Privacy Policy
                            Non-Discrimination Statement
                            Quality of Information
                            USA.gov
                            WhiteHouse.gov