We are focused on creating and deploying a suite of agronomic management projects across the region that will result in pennycress being incorporated into the predominant corn and soybean rotation and in a range of high-valued rotational crops. We will:

• Develop regionally-based agronomic management practices for establishing pennycress in grain corn systems.
• Quantify soybean and pennycress yield trade-offs across soybean maturity group (MG) and cropping systems.
• Establish weed and pest best management strategies that support pennycress integration in corn and soybean production systems.

• Develop regionally-based agronomic management practices for establishing pennycress in grain corn systems
• Yield Trade-offs levering CRM and desiccants
• Corn Residue Management
• Novel Seed Treatment for Improve Pennycress Performance
• Quantify soybean and pennycress yield trade-offs across soybean maturity group and cropping systems
• Establish weed and pest best management strategies that support pennycress integration in corn and soybean production systems
• Tools for Integrated Weed Management
• Monitor Soybean Cyst Nematode (Heterodera Glycines, SCN) in the cropping rotation

Leadership

• Samantha S. Wells, Univ. of Minnesota (Co-PI)

Collaborators & Graduate Students

• Chris Aulbach, CoverCress, Inc.
• Mark Bernards, Western Illinois Univ. (Lead: Weed Science)
• Jason Bond, Southern Illinois Univ.
• Senyu Chen, Univ. of Minnesota
• Rashmi Dangol,  Illinois State Univ. (Grad. Student)
• Ahmad M. Fakhoury, Southern Illinois Univ.
• Russ Gesch, USDA-ARS (Lead: Northern CRM)
• Brad Glenn, CoverCress, Inc.
• Alex Hard, Univ. of Minnesota
• Nicholas Heller, Illinois State Univ.
• Kaveh Javanshirjavid, Southern Illinois Univ. (Grad. Student)
• Gregg Johnson, Univ. of Minnesota
• Jackie Kraft, McLean County Soil and Water Conservation District (Watershed Coordinator)
• Jason Lindbom, Illinois State Univ.
• Alexander (Alex) Lindsey, The Ohio State Univ.
• Yesuf Mohammed, USDA-ARS (PostDoc Associate)
• Ethan Morales, USDA-ARS
• Leonardo Rocha, Southern Illinois Univ. (Grad. Student)
• Pamela Tas, Univ. of Wisconsin-Platteville
• Tad Wesley, Western Illinois Univ.
• Randy Wright, Illinois State Univ.

2020, 2021 & 2022 Integrated Plant Systems – Undergraduate Research Experience

• Jack Kelly, 2022 Integrated Plant Systems – Undergraduate Research Experience,  Notre Dame Univ.
• Cori Lee, 2020 Integrated Plant Systems – Undergraduate Research Experience, The Ohio State Univ.
• Ross Sousa, 2021 Integrated Plant Systems – Undergraduate Research Experience, Western Illinois Univ.
• Kyle Verhoff, 2021 Integrated Plant Systems – Undergraduate Research Experience, Ohio State Univ.
• Raymond Wilmes, 2021 Integrated Plant Systems – Undergraduate Research Experience, Iowa State Univ.
• Bethany Wohrley, Illinois State Univ. (Grad. Student)
• Tommy Wood, 2021 Integrated Plant Systems – Undergraduate Research Experience, Western Illinois Univ.

Alumni

• Jeff Bender, CoverCress (2019-2021)
• Cody A. Hoerning, Univ. of Minnesota (Grad. Student 2019-2021)
• Nasib Koirala, The Ohio State Univ. (Grad. Student 2020-2022)
• Bethany Wohrley, Illinois State University (Grad. Student 2020-2022)