ABE

Prasanta K. Kalita, professor of agricultural and biological engineering in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences with a joint appointment in The Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, died on July 5. 

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign student Xylia Greeson is a recipient of the prestigious National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship.

“I didn’t initially believe it,” Greeson said about when she first received the announcement. “It was a very pleasant surprise, and it will open so many more doors in the field. Being at Illinois, and now receiving this fellowship, has been a dream come true. I’m so thankful and blessed.” 

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign research professor John Reid, also executive director of the Center for Digital Agriculture, received the prestigious 2026 Cyrus Hall McCormick-Jerome Increase Case Gold Medal. 

 The aviation industry accounts for a large portion of global greenhouse gas emissions. Biobased, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) can mitigate climate impacts, but transitioning to SAF faces critical supply chain constraints.

Soils that are exposed to prolonged drought often develop desiccation cracks, which impact soil properties and exacerbate moisture loss through evapotranspiration. A new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign examines the evolution of soil cracking and how cracks interact with storage and movement of water in the soil. The findings can help improve hydrological models essential for water management. 

The Illini Pullers from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign secured first place in the 2026 American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) International Quarter-Scale Tractor Student Design Competition on May 28th through 31st where teams design ¼ scale tractors throughout the year that are put to the test by a panel of industry experts at the competition.

Tile drainage is common in U.S. Midwest agricultural fields, helping to remove excess water and aerate the soil. While the practice enhances crop productivity, it can cause phosphorus to leak into nearby waterways, where it contributes to harmful algal blooms. Directing tile-drain runoff through a structure filled with biochar – a form of charcoal produced from organic waste – provides a potential remedy for phosphorus pollution, but the method is novel and not fully explored.

Eggs and poultry provide important sources of protein globally, driving a major industry with large economic impacts. Challenges to hatchery operations include embryo mortality, fertility, sex determination, and eggshell characteristics. These features have a substantial impact on production, but they are difficult and time-consuming to estimate.

URBANA, Ill. — The agricultural and biological engineering graduate program at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is once again ranked No. 4 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. With its undergraduate program ranked No.

Hydrological models represent water movement in natural systems, and they are important for water resource planning and management. But the models depend on reliable input data for weather factors, and precipitation can be very difficult to measure and represent accurately.

A new study from an international research team describes a novel method to better represent precipitation uncertainty in hydrological models, thereby improving their performance.