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The LSU AgCenter is dedicated to providing innovative research, information a education to improve people’s lives. Working in a statewide network of parish offices, research stations and academic departments, the LSU AgCenter helps citizens make the best use of natural resources, protect the environment, enhance agricultural enterprises and develop human and community resources.
A constructed wetland and a tailwater recycling system have demonstrated a 20-50% reduction in N, P, and total suspended solids in effluent from production fields. Irrigation research has provided information on the use of skip-row irrigation on different textures and the beneficial effects of cover crops to improve soil moisture. Demonstrations have also shown the benefits of surge values and soil moisture sensors to improve irrigation efficiency.
Fertility research demonstrated the ability of N-stabilizer compounds, which are used with urea and UAN, to improve nitrogen availability from poultry litter to plants; identified the optimum combination of poultry litter and inorganic N-fertilizers for corn; and N-management strategies for conservation tillage. The soybean breeding program has identified soybeans with increased tolerance to Cercospora leaf blight disease, tolerance to flooding and drought, and high protein content. These traits are being incorporated into improved soybean lines.
On selected sites, particularly some bottom lands, tall fescue varieties with the non-toxin-producing endophytes can provide cool-season forage, an improved dallisgrass variety can increase plant diversity and ecosystem benefits, and the native legume, herbaceous mimosa, is a grazing tolerant native species with potential value to contribute increased forage quality and biological nitrogen fixation, particularly for low-input pasture systems.
Recent work has centered on improving plant performance and production efficiency. the landscape trial beds, multiple ornamental and annual species have been evaluated for adaptability and aesthetic value under local conditions. Greenhouse research continues to assess tomato varieties for yield and quality performance. Findings indicate that recycled planting media can lead to salt accumulation, reducing yields in some varieties, though certain cultivars show promising salt tolerance.
Data from the Louisiana Ag Summary website: LSUAgCenter.com/agsummary
The identification of best management practices to improve water and nutrient use efficiency and to reduce the impact of production practices on nonpoint source pollution. Crop irrigation research will focus on improving the irrigation/water use efficiency through determining the irrigation needs based on the crop, soil health and texture, production practices, and weather. Research will also explore the estimation of reference evapotranspiration and crop coefficient needs for irrigation scheduling.
Research focuses on rate, source and time of fertilizer application of plant nutrients; integration of animal wastes and inorganic fertilizers to improve soil fertility and health with minimal environmental impact; integration of winter cover crops to improve soil health and main-crop yields; and impact of various nutrient management practices on nutrient leaching, volatilization and greenhouse gas emissions. The soybean breeding program will continue to develop high yielding germplasm with emphasis on the incorporation Cercospora leaf blight resistance, and flood and drought tolerance. Variety trials for cotton, feed grain and soybean will be conducted.
Continuing research with forage legumes to address environmental benefits of diverse mixtures of plant species in pastures. Responses of forage varieties, including bermudagrass varieties, on different sites of production will be assessed to determine effects of soil type on adaptation of useful species to identify superior forage genotype and environment combinations for enhanced production responses.
Landscape evaluations will expand to include new ornamental selections and annuals for the Louisiana Super Plants program. Greenhouse trials will continue to focus on tomato variety performance, with an emphasis on heirloom and cherry types. Future research will also investigate strategies to mitigate salt buildup in recycled media, aiming to enhance fertility management and maintain crop productivity.
Louisiana’s unique combination of crops — ranging from corn, cotton, rice and sugarcane to extensive forestry, poultry, cattle and fisheries industries — presents challenges for providing research-based information to ensure sustainable agricultural production systems.
To address the needs of these industries, the Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station operates 14 academic departments/schools and specialized units shared by the LSU AgCenter and the LSU College of Agriculture, as well as 14 research stations located across the state. To fund the basic and applied research, scientists compete for federal and state grants and checkoff dollars provided by some farmers’ groups, along with state and federal dollars. Many of the facilities also sustain their research operations through the sale of agricultural commodities produced on the stations.
The LSU AgCenter has the most successful record of commercialization of intellectual property in the LSU System. Since 2000, 21 new companies have been started based on licensed technology from the LSU AgCenter. The income is distributed among the LSU System, the inventors and more research.
Red River Research Station Profile January 2026pdf / 13.83MB