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 pennycress 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

  • M.Scott Wells, University of Minnesota (Co-PI)

Collaborators, Graduate Students, and Undergraduate Research  Interns

  • Chris Aulbach, CoverCress, Inc.
  • Jeff Bender, Western Illinois University
  • Mark Bernards, Western Illinois University
  • Claire Biel, IPS-URE Intern (University of Minnesota)
  • Jason Bond, Southern Illinois University
  • Senyu Chen, University of Minnesota
  • Russ Gesch, USDA-ARS
  • Brad Glenn, CoverCress, Inc.
  • Alex Hard, University of Minnesota
  • Nicholas Heller, Illinois State University
  • Cody A. Hoerning, University of Minnesota (Grad. Student)
  • Gregg Johnson, University of Minnesota
  • Nasib Koirala, The Ohio State University
  • Jackie Kraft, McLean County Soil and Water Conservation District
  • Corie Lee, Ohio State University (IPS-URE Research Fellow)
  • Jason Lindbom, Illinois State University
  • Alexander (Alex) Lindsey, The Ohio State University
  • Ethan Morales, USDA-ARS
  • Yesuf Muhammed, USDA-ARS
  • Pamela Tas, University of Wisconsin-Platteville
  • Tad Wesley, Western Illinois University
  • Randy Wright, Illinois State University