Agronomy / Crop Management

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.

Research Goal: Robust Pennycress Agronomic Practices

  • 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

Team

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.
  • Stephanie Castillo (Univ of Texas, San Antonio) 2023 Integrated Plant Systems – Undergraduate Research Experience (Mentor: Win Phippen)
  • 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.
  • Ariana Gonch (Castleton Univ.), 2023 Integrated Plant Systems – Undergraduate Research Experience (Mentor: Samantha Wells)
  • Alex Hard, Univ. of Minnesota
  • Nicholas Heller, Illinois State Univ.
  • Kaveh Javanshirjavid, Southern Illinois Univ. (Grad. Student)
  • Gregg Johnson, Univ. of Minnesota
  • Ann Kennedy (Hamilton College), 2023 Integrated Plant Systems – Undergraduate Research Experience (Mentor: Alex Lindsey, OSU)
  • Jason Lindbom, Illinois State Univ.
  • Alexander (Alex) Lindsey, The Ohio State Univ.
  • Caleb Mahr (Western Illinois Univ.), 2023 Integrated Plant Systems – Undergraduate Research Experience (Mentor: Win Phippen, WIU)
  • Yesuf Mohammed, USDA-ARS (PostDoc Associate)
  • Ethan Morales, USDA-ARS
  • Jayleen Perez (Univ. of Central Florida), 2023 Integrated Plant Systems – Undergraduate Research Experience (Mentor:
  • Samantha Wells, Univ. of MN – Twin Cities)
  • Nadia Renae Phillips (Univ of MN – Twin Cities), 2023 Integrated Plant Systems – Undergraduate Research Experience (Mentor: Samantha Wells, Univ. of MN – Twin Cities)
  • Leonardo Rocha, Southern Illinois Univ. (Grad. Student)
  • Pamela Tas, Univ. of Wisconsin-Platteville
  • Audrianna Torrey (Lindenwood Univ.), 2023 Integrated Plant Systems – Undergraduate Research Experience (Mentor: Win Phippen)
  • 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)