Contact: Vanessa Beeson

STARKVILLE, Miss.—Two Mississippi State scientists in the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station are being recognized nationally as researchers of the year.

Drew Gholson, assistant professor, and coordinator of the MSU USDA-ARS National Center for Alluvial Aquifer Research, or NCAAR, and Gurbir Singh, assistant research professor, were honored as Irrigation Researcher of the Year and Corn Researcher of the Year, respectively. The 25th Annual Conservation Systems Conferences event recently was held in Jonesboro, Arkansas. Both are scientists in MSU’s Department of Plant and Soil Sciences and stationed at Stoneville’s Delta Research and Extension Center, known as DREC.

The leading agriculture event features more than 100 presentations and encompasses conferences for National Conservation Systems Cotton and Rice, Southern Corn and Soybean, Delta States Irrigation and Southern Precision Ag.

Gholson began an on-farm research program that automates furrow irrigation. As the Mississippi State Extension irrigation specialist, he established a soil moisture monitoring showcase, where farmers can analyze costs, benefits and functionality of soil moisture sensors and accompany telemetry services.

He said he is grateful to the National Conservation Systems and his colleagues across the region.

“To be honored by your peers is incredibly rewarding,” he said. “This award is a result of a great team here at Mississippi State University and DREC and the many farmers that allow us to conduct research on their farm. There is not a better place for on-farm research,” he said.

Singh’s research focuses on agronomic management for optimum irrigation practices, soil fertility, and soil and water quality in row-crop production systems. At NCAAR, he led the design to establish a water and soil quality lab, while also helping to plan and design various irrigation systems.

Singh said the accolade illustrates the hard work of his entire team. “I am honored and thankful to receive this award. This means a lot to our team who have worked tirelessly in past years to carry out our conservation research programs,” he said.

Jeff Gore, DREC interim head, said both scientists are advancing irrigation management in meaningful ways that improve production systems and irrigation efficiency across the region and beyond.

“Dr. Singh, who is developing a national reputation in irrigation management, is very deserving of this award. Dr. Gholson has really stepped up as the lead scientist for Mississippi State University at NCAAR. He has developed an outstanding reputation among his colleagues and the growers in the Mississippi Delta for his research and Extension activities on irrigation management. Like Dr. Singh, Dr. Gholson is very deserving of this award,” he said.

For more information on NCAAR, visit www.ncaar.msstate.edu. Learn more about MAFES at www.mafes.msstate.edu.

MSU is Mississippi’s leading university, available online at www.msstate.edu.