Objective 1:
Crop Ecology & Management
Overview
We focus on developing and testing best management practices for integrating cash crops with perennial groundcover (PGC) and managing the transition from current cropping practices. Specifically, we aim to improve PGC economics by tuning and integrating ground cover and cash crop management, thereby reducing producer risk. Our work will clarify what the key mechanisms are related to:
- Cash crop and PGC interference
- Early cash crop growth and development in PGC systems
- Pest dynamics
Goals
Research Goals
- Develop and test best management practices for PGC-maize.
- Investigate mechanisms of shade avoidance response (SAR).
- Optimize cash crop planting conditions.
- Investigate seed characteristics associated with early-season cash crop growth and response to groundcover (Iowa).
- Investigate pest dynamics in PGC-Maize systems (KY).
Outreach & Education Goals
- Conduct participatory on-farm research.
- Identify and overcome practical barriers to PGC adoption.
- Develop educational modules for post-secondary education.
Crop Ecology and Management Team
Leadership
Scott Flynn
Corteva Agriscience
Erin Haramoto
University of Kentucky
Collaborators
Lucas Borras
Corteva Agriscience
Patrick Galland
Iowa State University
Susana Goggi
Iowa State University
Roger Hintz
Iowa State University
Ken Moore
Iowa State University
Jose Rotundo
Corteva Agriscience
Graduate Students
Rickiel Franklin
Iowa State University
Jack Moran
Iowa State University
Amina Moro
Iowa State University
Hallie Sandeen
University of Kentucky
Kiera Searcy
University of Kentucky
Commercial Partners
