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Walker’s grant proposal earns top spot with Regents

Dr. C. Reuben Walker led a Southern University research team that is the recipient of a research grant from the Louisiana Board of Regents Support Fund within the Industrial Ties Research Subprogram.

 

The proposal was ranked first among 33 grant proposals submitted in the category from public colleges in Louisiana. The grant was funded for $135,000. Walker was the principal investigator. Drs. Patricia McLean-Meyinsse, Kit Chin, Aloyce Kaliba, Yemane T. Ghebreyesus and Ghirmay Ghebreyesus were co-investigators.

 

The proposal is titled, “Production of Niche Marketing Assessment of Aquaculture Waste in Organic Production.” The proposed research is collaboration involving SU-Baton Rouge, SU Agricultural Research and Extension Center (SUAREC), and several industry partners, including Agromen, Inc. of St. Landry Parish, First Harvest Community Gardens of Opelousas, Sancofa Earth Farm of Lafayette, and the United State Department of Agriculture (USDA).

 

The goal of the research project is to explore the solar drying of raw aquaculture waste of crawfish and crab into meal products. Walker and his team view these products as having a great potential for use as a feed and fertilizer in sustainable, organic, and conventional production systems.

 

Walker said that it expands upon the research efforts of Dr. Samuel Myers (retired professor at LSU). “Finding viable uses of aquaculture waste have a potential to impact Louisiana economy,” he said.

 

Several years ago, Walker patented an aquaculture waste process. It was SUBR’s and SUAREC’s first patent.  

 

(From left to right, those included in the photograph on the webpage are Dr. Patricia McLean-Meyinsse, Dr. Kit Chin, Dr. Aloyce Kaliba, and Dr. C. Reuben Walker. Photo by John Oubre.)