CLIMATE MATTERS: New soil treatments tackle central Arizona's dust problem

PHOENIX (KVOA) — Arizona public university researchers have developed new methods to control dust pollution from unused farmland that could reduce reliance on water trucks while improving soil health across central Arizona, according to the Arizona Board of Regents.

The project, funded through a Regents’ Grant and led by ASU faculty, tested affordable methods to reduce windblown dust from fallow agricultural fields in Pinal County. Unused farmland represents a significant contributor to airborne particles in central Arizona, raising air quality and public health issues while posing regulatory hurdles for property owners and agencies tasked with controlling dust, ABOR said.

Rather than depending on repeated watering, researchers worked to stabilize the ground directly to keep dust from lifting into the air. “The project examined two approaches: enzyme-induced carbonate precipitation for rapid, short-term chemical crust formation and engineered biocrust restoration for long-term, self-sustaining stabilization,” ABOR stated. 

Testing in the field demonstrated the methods cut dust emissions while maintaining topsoil nutrients and boosting overall soil health. Enzyme-induced carbonate precipitation offers flexibility to rapidly secure soil during inactive farming periods, especially in locations most vulnerable to dust events.

Researchers also created a focused management strategy to assist land managers and regulators in identifying which fields need direct intervention and which can be handled through less intensive practices, according to ABOR. That distinction can reduce unnecessary interventions and ease the operational burden on landowners.

“When fields go idle, dust becomes everyone’s problem,” principal investigator Dr. Ferran Garcia-Pichel said. “We now have evidence-based strategies to distinguish where land needs intervention, where it does not and how to manage both responsibly and effectively.”

The work happened through a partnership with the Pinal County Air Quality Division and collaboration with key regional land partners, which assisted in locating test sites and supporting field monitoring, ABOR said. Researchers set up continuous air quality sensors and tracked particulate matter during high-wind events, enabling the team to evaluate real-world performance.

Supported by the Technology and Research Initiative Fund, Regents’ Grants connect Arizona’s public university researchers and state government agencies to address urgent challenges of greatest need and interest to Arizonans, according to ABOR.