KBS-based project funded by new program focused on climate resiliency in agriculture

A W.K. Kellogg Biological Station faculty member has secured funding for an upcoming research project, one of four studies funded by the new Agricultural Climate Resiliency Program.

Dr. Christine Sprunger, an assistant professor in the Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences and resident KBS faculty, is the principal investigator for a project that will provide Michigan field crop farmers the information they need to build climate-resilient cropping systems. Using an innovative and multidisciplinary approach that engages field crop farmers as partners, the research team will assess factors influencing climate adaptation and mitigation of major commodity crops in Michigan. Researchers will explore how regenerative agriculture practices enhance soil health and yield stability, evaluate the relationship between soil health and greenhouse gas emissions, and identify factors that influence farmer adoption of climate-smart practices.

Each funded project will be supported at some $1.25 million over three years. The other three funded projects involve:

• Increasing resiliency of tree fruit production to climate change through a holistic approach to water, nutrient and soil management.
• Creating a decision-support system that promotes sustainable farming by providing insights into climate-smart approaches.
• Addressing specific pest management concerns regarding the effects of erratic weather on early season management, bloom prediction and late-season management in apple, blueberry, cherry and grape production systems.

The Agricultural Climate Resiliency Program, created in 2024 and administered by MSU AgBioResearch and MSU Extension, is a partnership among Michigan State University, the Michigan Plant Coalition, and the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. It was created to address long-term climate- and water-related challenges in plant agriculture.

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