Laxmi Prasad has joined North Dakota State University Extension as an assistant professor and Extension water engineer in the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering. 

Prasad’s NDSU Extension work will focus on irrigation systems management, tile drainage management, maintaining water table conditions for better crop productivity and maintaining water quality. 

Prasad also will focus on agricultural water management and water quality related to manure management, nutrient losses and other factors. 

“Prasad is engaged and ready to apply his research to assist farmers and ranchers to improve their production efforts,” says Leon Schumacher, NDSU department chair for agricultural and biosystems engineering. 

Since joining the department in August, Prasad has been meeting with NDSU Extension county agents and Research Extension Center staff to assess water-related needs across the state. 

He is also currently compiling relevant information from past issues of the Water Spouts newsletter into user-friendly digital formats. 

“I'm really looking forward to learning from the work that has been done in the region and at the same time developing an Extension program with my expertise,” Prasad says. “I’m looking forward to seeing how I can play a role and contribute to the needs of the state and the region.” 

He welcomes questions or information about new practices from producers. 

With a childhood connection to farming, Prasad obtained his bachelor’s degree in agricultural engineering from Acharya N. G. Ranga Agricultural University in India and his master’s degree in land and water resources engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology-Kharagpur.

While conducting research related to thermodynamics of frozen soil and how the freeze-thaw cycle impacts soil health, nutrient transformation and transportation, Prasad connected with the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he obtained his Ph.D. in biological systems engineering and soil science in 2021.

NDSU Agriculture Communication – Nov. 26, 2024 

Source: Laxmi Prasad, 701-231-4190, laxmi.prasad@ndsu.edu

Editor: Dominic Erickson, 701-231-7881, dominic.erickson@ndsu.edu