RAINFED AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS IN THE SOUTHERN GREAT PLAINS (SGP) ARE PLAGUED BY PERSISTENTLY LOW YIELDS AND WATER USE, DUE TO THE COMBINED EFFECT OF DROUGHTS, MONOCULTURE, AND SOIL HEALTH DEGRADATION. THIS ENVIRONMENT AMPLIFIES YIELD VARIABILITY POSING A RISK TO THE FOOD SUPPLY AND PRODUCER'S INCOME. NOVEL CROPLAND OBSERVATION NODES (CRONOS) WILL DELIVER REAL-TIME SOIL MOISTURE INFORMATION TO PRODUCERS AND EXTENSION AGENTS. DATA FROM FIELD EXPERIMENTS WILL CONSTRUCT DETAILED WATER AND NUTRIENT BUDGETS OF EXISTING AND IMPROVED CROPPING SYSTEMS. INTEGRATED MODELING, REMOTE SENSING, AND GROUND-BASED MONITORING WILL SIMULATE INNOVATIVE CROP-LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION SYSTEMS AND GENERATE EFFECTIVE DECISION SUPPORT TOOLS. ON-FARM SITES WILL EVALUATE PRODUCTION PRACTICES FOR SUCCESSFUL ADOPTION OF INTENSIFIED/DIVERSIFIED SYSTEMS FOR ENHANCED WATER AND N USE. THIS PROJECT WILL PROVIDE TRAINING TO UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE STUDENTS, WHO WILL GAIN HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE REGARDING SUSTAINABILITY OFRAINFED AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS.