**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** OVERUSE OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY ALLUVIAL AQUIFER FOR RICE PRODUCTION HAS CAUSED DECLINE OFGROUND AND SURFACE WATER, INCREASED PUMPING COSTS, THE DRYING OF WELLS, AND THE PRESUMPTION THATSUSTAINABLE IRRIGATED AGRICULTURE IS NOT ATTAINABLE IN THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI RIVER BASIN. THECENTRAL HYPOTHESIS FOR THIS INTEGRATED RESEARCH AND EXTENSION PROJECT IS THAT INCORPORATINGAUTOMATED, IOT- IRRIGATION TECHNOLOGIES INTO A LOW-WATER-USE RICE PRODUCTION SYSTEM WILL DECREASEWATER USE WHILE MAINTAINING OR IMPROVING RICE GRAIN YIELD, SEED QUALITY, AND NET RETURNS ACROSS ARANGE OF CLIMATIC CONDITIONS, SOIL TEXTURES, AND FARM MANAGEMENT PHILOSOPHIES. WE WILL TEST OURWORKING HYPOTHESIS BY EVALUATING CONVENTIONAL AND LOW-WATER-USE SYSTEMS ON PAIRED FIELDS INARKANSAS AND MISSISSIPPI WITH THE SAME CULTIVAR, SOIL TEXTURE, PLANTING DATE, AND MANAGEMENTPRACTICES. THIS APPROACH IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE AN ALTERNATIVE RICE PRODUCTION SYSTEM THAT REDUCESWATER USE, AND MAINTAINS OR IMPROVES YIELDS, SEED QUALITY AND NET RETURNS ACROSS A RANGE OFENVIRONMENTS. OUR EXTENSION PROGRAM WILL DEMONSTRATE ACROSS MULTIPLE PLATFORMS THAT OUR NOVEL RICEPRODUCTION SYSTEM IMPROVES AQUIFER SUSTAINABILITY, CROP PRODUCTIVITY, AND ON-FARM PROFITABILITY,AND THUS REDUCES PRODUCER APPREHENSION ABOUT LOW-WATER-USE RICE PRODUCTION SYSTEMS. WE EXPECT THISINTEGRATED PROJECT TO ACHIEVE THE PROGRAM AREA PRIORITY CODE A1102 GOALS OF INCREASED ADOPTION OFAN INNOVATIVE SUSTAINABLE SOLUTION TO CHALLENGES LIMITING PRODUCTIVITY, PROFITABILITY, AND GOODSTEWARDSHIP OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND THE ENVIRONMENT.