Drain or Blame? Rethinking Tile’s Role in Water Quality & Nitrates

In this episode of the Farm4Profit Podcast, we’re joined by Dr. Vinayak Shedekar, a research scientist at the forefront of multifunctional drainage systems in agriculture. Drain tile has long been used to remove excess water from fields, but according to Dr. Shedekar, that’s just scratching the surface.

We explore how tile systems can now support irrigation, manage seasonal water needs, improve water quality, and even contribute to conservation efforts. Dr. Shedekar explains the concept of transitioning from "drain to de-rain"—a strategy that leverages tile infrastructure to retain or redistribute water based on the time of year and crop demand.

He also unpacks the potential of drainage water management and subirrigation in increasing yields, improving efficiency, and enhancing farm profitability—especially in places like Northwest Ohio, where traditional irrigation adoption has been limited.

Listeners will gain a deeper understanding of:

How to evaluate their current tile system

Whether water management upgrades make sense

How conservation practices like bioreactors and control structures play into the big picture

What technologies are emerging to help maximize return from these buried systems

If you’ve ever wondered whether your tile could be doing more for your crops, wallet, and the environment, this episode is for you.

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