RII Track-2 FEC: BioWRAP (Bioplastics With Regenerative Agricultural Properties): Spray-on bioplastics with growth synchronous decomposition and water, nutrient, and agrochemical m

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Modern farmers face an ever-growing list of challenges. Many of these issues, such as more severe weather, will require them to change how they farm. Creating a protective layer over soil when growing field crops could help farmers better manage many issues at once. Covering soil with sheet plastic prevents weed growth, erosion, and moisture loss. But, using large amounts plastic creates waste, is not eco-friendly, and too costly for field crops. New locally sourced types of bioplastics that fully break down into to safe by-products can be made. These new materials could provide farmers with a green way to control weeds, fertilize crops, protect soil and water resources, and work with nature to better manage their fields. This National Science Foundation Research Infrastructure Improvement Track-2 Focused EPSCoR Collaborations (NSF RII Track-2 FEC) award will be a new partnership called BioWRAP between Kansas State University, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, and University of Nebraska. This project will be focused on advancing farm use of bioplastics. Teams will do this by linking natural and man-made systems, stopping harmful weed-crop-till cycles, and helping build green rural industries. The team will use lab and field trials, novel analytics and products, and the links between people, farms, industries, and natural systems to help change how we grow field crops for the better. Our goal is to create an all-in-one system that can better manage weeds, nutrients, soils, and water resources. The project will provide support for five early career faculty and three post-docs. It will also provide learning resources to students of all ages and people on farms and in rural areas. This Research Infrastructure Improvement Track-2 Focused EPSCoR Collaborations (RII Track-2 FEC) award will be a new partnership focused on a project called BioWRAP (Bioplastics with Regenerative Agricultural Properties) between Kansas State University, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, and University of Nebraska. The overarching goal of this project is to reduce the use of conventional plastics, herbicides, and their associated environmental impacts in agricultural production. This goal will be accomplished through the following integrated thrust areas: (i) create a set of bio-based polymers that can be used in agricultural production; (ii) measure the agricultural effectiveness and associated environmental impacts of the technology; and (iii) estimate the potential social and economic impacts on communities and the agricultural economy of the proposed technology along with establishing a consortium for sustained collaborations among university partners in Kansas, South Dakota, and Nebraska in the field of spray-on biopolymer based films for agricultural production. The research will include: engineering biopolymers included functionalized PHA-based biopolymers, protein based sprayable biopolymers, and hybrid polymer systems; studying the impact of this technology on strengthening of agroecosystems by evaluation of biopolymer with respect to weed suppression and crop production efficiency, nutrient cycling, soil moisture retention and life cycle impacts along with environmental accounting; and assessing the broader impacts of the new BioWRAP technology using socio-economic analysis of product adoption and rural sustainability along with valuing ecosystem services provided by BioWRAP, ecosystem service market design and participation and its impact on socio-economics of participating EPSCoR states as well as overall sustainable data provision of the project. The research activities designed for the project enable industry engagement and potential career opportunities for students in industries. The program includes mentoring of five junior faculty and three post docs by senior faculty in advancing through their careers and guiding students at different stages of education (graduate, undergraduate, and high and middle school) and engaging with rural communities through field days, surveys, interviews, and educational outreach activities.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.