The Yuma Center of Excellence for Desert Agriculture (YCEDA) worked with Durum producers and University of Arizona researchers on two projects funded by Barilla: Tools for Nitrogen Management of Wheat by Dr. Mike Ottman and Dr. Pedro Andrade-Sanchez, and Improving Water Footprint Calculations Using Local Agronomic and Environmental Data by Dr. George Frisvold.

Field trials will be conducted in Yuma, AZ to test and calibrate new Nitrogen management tools and validate their economic sustainability for farmers. Additionally, the water footprint of Durum wheat production in the Desert Southwest will be calculated using more accurate meteorological, hydrological, and agronomic data from local data sources to more accurately reflect local production conditions. Wheat water footprint calculations often do not account for the fact that some wheat produced in non-irrigated systems is of low quality and is ultimately used as animal feed instead of being used for grain production.

YCEDA and UArizona Cooperative Extension hosted a Durum wheat-focused seminar to share current knowledge from researchers and industry experts. If you missed the Pre-season Wheat Meeting, you can watch the following video of the presentations and panel discussions.