The University of Idaho’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences is hosting a soft opening on May 29 for a new facility dedicated to deep soil research.

The Deep Soil Ecotron will facilitate deep soil analysis extending up to 3 meters, marking it as one of the deepest research facilities globally.

The community is invited to attend the soft opening from 10:30 am to 12:00 pm at the J.W. Martin Laboratory in Moscow.

Professor Michael Strickland from the University’s Department of Soil and Water Systems stated that the facility will allow for the examination of future climate scenarios and their impact on agricultural systems. The Ecotron aims to enhance understanding of plant contributions above ground, carbon sequestration, and root growth within deep soils.

The project is anticipated to be completed, tested, and operational by the fall of 2026.