Irrigation Researcher Of The Year
Dr. L. Jason Krutz, Director of the Mississippi Water Resources Research Institute, Mississippi State University has been named the 2019 Irrigation Researcher of the Year at the 22nd Annual National Cotton & Rice Conference, Southern Corn & Soybean Conference, Southern Precision Ag Conference and the Delta States Irrigation Conference.
Prior to serving as Director, Krutz was the Environmental lead for the Crop Production Systems Unit, United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Stoneville, Mississippi. Dr. Krutz has authored over 100 scientific articles describing the effects of agricultural production practices and best management practices on water quantity and quality.
Krutz currently resides in Starkville, Mississippi with his wife and five children. He earned a Bachelor and Masters in Agronomy from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. Krutz earned a Doctorate in Agronomy from Texas A&M.
Of special note is Krutz’s Extension career and its impact on the region. “Most noteworthy was the implementation of his Extension programs RISER, PHAUCET and Pipe Planner. RISER is an original program for Dr. Krutz. The RISER program has improved the implementation of Computerized Hole Selection, Surge Irrigation and Soil Moisture Sensors as a comprehensive Irrigation Water Management (IWM) strategy in the region.”
Krutz’s efforts paid off, “increasing the adoption of CHS from nearly zero adoption to 40% of farmers in the four-state region have adopted the practice. The implementation of these three programs in Mississippi revolutionized water savings in the MS Delta and throughout Mississippi.”
“Additionally, his work with Alternated Wetting and Drying (AWD) for rice and furrow irrigated rice have brought new water management practices to producers. He has shown producers how to reduce their water use and improve their profitability through this comprehensive research and Extension program. His presentations are compelling and farmers that walk away from his presentations are truly inspired and motivated.”
Dr. Krutz has received numerous awards throughout his career. Most notably in 2016, he received the DAFVM Faculty Research Award, MAFES Faculty Research Award and the Gamma Sigma Delta Chapter Research Award of Merit. He was recognized as the Soybean Researcher of the Year by the Conservation Tillage Conference in 2015 and the Early Career Research Scientist of the Year by the USDA-ARS in 2008.
Krutz is a member and involved in several professional organizations and has served on several committees with each organization including the American Society of Agronomy; the Soil Science Society of America; the Crop Science Society of America; the American Chemical Society, Agrochemical Division; the American Chemical Society, Environmental Chemistry Division; the Weed Science Society of America; the Southern Weed Science Society of America; and the Mississippi Seedsman Association. ∆