Quantifying Dust Mitigation in Resilient and Sustainable Cropping Systems

In the High Plains of Texas, regenerative practices (cover cropping, crop rotations, and reduced tillage) in cropping systems can be used to prevent further depletion of topsoil due to wind erosion. With conventional tillage being the most common practice, dust events occurred 22 times in 2021 and 39 times in 2022, therefore cultural practices must be changed to mitigate wind erosion that will impact human health and agricultural sustainability. This loss of topsoil can cause a decrease in agricultural productivity and form dust storms that can be detrimental to human health causing a rise in hospitalizations of chronic lung damage, cardiovascular disorders, and diseases contracted by inhalation. Using regenerative farming practices, both the number and size of dust storms may be mitigated to sustain agricultural productivity and improve human health in this semi-arid environment. We seek to provide a full range assessment of dust properties to enhance human health and agricultural productivity. We will focus samplings in the semi-arid High Plains region of Texas, by obtaining bioaerosol and soil samples across 7 counties. These samples will provide a full assessment of: dust aggregate fractions, quantification of sediment deposition flux, soil moisture and health parameters, meteorological data, and canopy coverage.