Ranjan R. Sri Ranjan is a professor and associate head (graduate) in the U of M department of biosystems engineering. Sri Ranjan believes that water management is at the centre of sustainable agriculture on the prairies. Hence, his research focuses on soil and water engineering, with particular attention to irrigation and drainage systems on farms. His work combines long-term field research, computer modelling and applied engineering to help farmers improve crop yield and quality while preserving water and nutrients.
Much of Sri Ranjan’s research is conducted directly in farmers’ fields. Using fully instrumented field plots, his team has studied how water management affects crops such as potatoes, corn, canola, soybeans and wheat. That data is then used to develop computer models of fields growing specific crops.
Once these models are calibrated and validated, Sri Ranjan explained, they can be used to simulate how crops respond to different weather patterns and water management scenarios. “The idea is to develop best management practices that conserve water and nutrients within the field while maintaining long-term sustainability,” he said. By running simulations across multiple years of weather data, the research helps predict outcomes under increasingly variable climate conditions.
One of the issues that first drew Sri Ranjan into this field of research was potato quality. For potatoes destined for the processing industry, visual and chemical quality matters as much as yield. When potato plants experience water stress, poor root and canopy development can cause sugars to accumulate in the tuber. When those potatoes are fried, the sugars caramelize, creating what are known as “sugar ends,” or brown tips on french fries. Potatoes with sugar ends are often rejected, resulting in lost income for farmers.
According to Sri Ranjan, theoretically, irrigation and proper drainage could reduce this problem by creating better soil conditions for plant growth. To prove this, Sri Ranjan’s team conducted replicated field experiments to test different water management strategies. The research was funded by the Canadian and Manitoban governments, along with support from industry and producer groups. The results of the research were significant. Fields with improved irrigation and drainage showed yield increases of up to 30 per cent compared to plots with no water management, while potato quality was also far superior.
The research did not stop with potatoes. Because tile drainage systems are expensive to install, Sri Ranjan said it was important to evaluate their benefits across crop rotations that include corn, soybeans, canola and wheat. Traditional drainage systems allow excess water to leave the field freely, often carrying valuable nutrients with it. By contrast, drainage control structures can limit water outflow, helping retain both water and nutrients in the soil.
In clay soils near Arborg, Manitoba, Sri Ranjan’s team has conducted extensive drainage research that has resulted in significant yield increases for canola and soybeans. The work explored a less conventional approach, using tile drains not only to remove excess water, but also to add water back into the soil through subirrigation. During dry periods in 2023 and 2025, applying water through the tile drainage system helped plants grow more effectively, leading to higher soybean yields than in plots without drains.
Alongside field research, Sri Ranjan has also developed a patented irrigation decision-support device. The technology is designed to tell farmers exactly how much water to apply during their next irrigation, he explained. The device, which is currently being refined for field testing, will connect to a smartphone app. Before irrigating, farmers will be able to check the app to see the recommended water depth, helping them avoid overwatering or wasting scarce resources.
Sri Ranjan emphasized that this work is increasingly important in the context of climate change. Extreme and unpredictable weather is becoming more common on the prairies, making effective water management essential for sustaining crop yields. Tile drainage and controlled irrigation, he said, will play a critical role in adapting to these conditions and ensuring food security for a growing population.
According to Sri Ranjan, the research also has major implications for Manitoba’s agricultural economy. Manitoba is currently the second-largest potato producer in Canada, contributing roughly $2 billion in economic benefits and supporting more than 4,700 jobs. There is now a push to expand potato production by 5,000 acres to meet processing capacity. Because potatoes must be rotated with other crops, this expansion would require developing roughly 15,000 acres with adequate irrigation and drainage infrastructure.
To Sri Ranjan, tools like the irrigation decision-making app will help farmers manage limited water supplies more precisely as production expands. At the same time, his work plays a key role in training the next generation of biosystems engineers. Students involved in his research gain hands-on experience designing and evaluating irrigation and drainage systems that will “sustainably grow crops, increase agricultural production, and boost Manitoba’s GDP.”
For students interested in this field, Sri Ranjan advised that students can work on research projects, earn funding and explore whether graduate studies are a good fit through summer research internships. “Summer research internships are a great way to explore your passion,” he said.
