Malcolm Yusuf St Cyr completes his Master’s degree

Malcolm Yusef St Cyr Headshot

Today, we congratulate RegenPGC Graduate Education Community member Malcolm Yusuf St Cyr for his successful thesis defense and completion of his Master’s studies at Iowa State University under the mentorship of RegenPGC CoPd Dr. Marshall McDaniel. Learn more about Malcolm’s thesis, Perennial ground covers: A mitigation strategy to nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions for maize cropping systems, at www.regenpgc.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/2026-05-19-StCyr-OFFICIAL-THESIS.pdf

ABSTRACT
Agricultural intensification in the U.S. Midwest has led to widespread of nitrogen (N) losses through nitrate (NO₃⁻) leaching and nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions, two processes that threaten water and atmospheric quality. Traditional winter cover crops (WCCs) have proven to be effective in reducing NO₃⁻ leaching but remain limited in adoption due to economic and management challenges. Perennial ground cover (PGC) systems integrate non-leguminous perennial grasses in between annual row crops offering a potentially optimized alternative that maintains continuous soil cover without requiring annual replanting. However, their influence on soil nitrous oxide emissions and soil nitrogen and carbon pools remain poorly explored. In this study we used three PGC treatments: 1) Zea mays L. without PGC (Maize Control), 2) maize with Poa bulbosa, a summer-dormant grass commonly called bulbous bluegrass (Maize+BBG), and 3) maize with Poa pratensis, or Kentucky bluegrass (Maize+KBG) to analyze the impact of PGC on N₂O emissions and soil N and C pools. Both PGC treatments reduced interrow cumulative N₂O emissions by 38–81% relative to the control in both years (p < 0.01), although row-position emissions were more variable and influenced by fertilizer placement. Despite these consistent interrow reductions, field-level cumulative N₂O emissions were not significantly different among treatments in either year. Overall, our results indicate that PGC does not affect field-level soil N₂O emissions, while maintaining similar levels of plant-available N, and had no effect on maize yield.

New RegenPGC publication hits the “Streamosphere”

Chart

RegenPGC Ph.D. student Memiş Bilgici, joined by RegenPGC colleagues Sara Lira, Lucas Borras, Ken Moore & Thomas Lübberstedt, has authored a new academic publication for the academic journal Frontiers in Plant Science.

The article, Trends in stomatal density and size in maize hybrids representing 100 years of long-term breeding for yield* highlights four main research findings:

  • Modern hybrids had higher stomatal density but lower total stomatal pore area than historical hybrids.
  • Across 27 Pioneer hybrids, stomatal density was negatively correlated with stomatal size, length, width, and leaf area.
  • Over the past 100 years, the total stomatal pore area on leaves decreased, while stomatal density increased as leaf area declined, revealing a connection between these two patterns.
  • Total stomatal pore area was negatively correlated with release-year atmospheric CO2 concentration and temperature anomaly (°C) over the past century.

According to Memiş, “To the best of our knowledge, this is the first crop-focused study to show century-scale changes in stomatal traits associated with long-term maize breeding for yield.”

*Bilgici, Memiş, Ebrahimi, Elnaz, Prada de Miranda, Leticia, Lira, Sara, Borras, Lucas, Young, Thomas, Yavuz, Recep, Moore, Kenneth J., Dixon, Philip, & Lübberstedt, Thomas. (2026). Trends in stomatal density and size in maize hybrids spanning 100 years of long-term yield breeding. Front. Plant Sci., 17:1829321. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2026.1829321

It’s raining awards!

Memis Bilgici Award

They keep coming! Here is another award for a member of our RegenPGC Graduate Education Community. This time, it’s Memiş Bilgici who received an Iowa State University Research Excellence Award (REX).

Per the University, the award’s purpose is to “[…] recognize outstanding research accomplishments as documented in their dissertations. These students are also expected to be academically superior and able not only to do research but also to develop a well-written product. The intent of REX program is to recognize “the best of the best” graduating students who have submitted theses and dissertations.”

Congratulations to Memiş and his supervisor, Prof. Thomas Lübberstedt this significant achievement and recognition.

From Memiş: “I am deeply grateful to my supervisor, Prof Thomas LübbLübberstedtd to the RegenPGC community, with whom I have had the privilege to collaborate. I am proud of what we have accomplished together and excited to continue learning, building, and contributing to sustainable maize breeding, perennial ground cover systems, and controlled environment phenotyping.”

Meet new grad student Zoe Gray

Zoe Gray headshot

Meet RegenPGC’s newest graduate stuent Zoe Gray. Zoe is a master’s student in soil science at the University of Missouri, where RegenPGC CoPd Morgan Davis serves as her advisor. Zoe previously obtained her bachelor’s in environmental science from the University of Missouri.

As an undergrad, Zoe joined the soil judging team, where I competed in numerous competitions that focused on soil chemistry, biology, morphology, physics, and genesis. During her time with the team, Zoe found a desire to learn more about soils and decided to pursue her master’s degree.

As a new member of the RegenPGC team (April 2026), Zoe’s research will focus on the hydraulic conductivity of soils within a perennial groundcover system compared to a system with no ground cover. She will be focusing on hydraulic conductivity as well as water retention curves.

Career Aspirations
After completing her Master’s, Zoe hopes to stay within the research realm and continue working in a lab space that strives to enhance agricultural methods with the integrity of the soil in mind.

Graduate Advisor
Dr. Morgan Davis (RegenPGC CoPd)

RegenPGC research team releases latest progress report

Great news! Our RegenPGC research team has just shared our latest progress report. This report, which highlights our research, education, and extension efforts from August to October 2025, is designed to be easy to follow.

This report keeps our agency funder, USDA-NIFA, in the loop, and it’s also a way for the public, who supports our work, to stay informed.

You can find the report on our website at https://www.regenpgc.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/2026-01-30-RegenPGC-YR-5-Q1-FINAL.pdf

Contact: Dr. Raj Raman, Iowa State University Dept. of Agriculture & BioSystems Engineering rajraman@iastate.edu

Hallie Sandeen graduates from the University of KY

Hallie Sandeen graduation photo standing in corn

This holiday season, we celebrate the graduation of another member of our Graduate Education Community, Hallie Sandeen. Hallie has earned her Master’s degree from the University of Kentucky, where she was mentored by Dr. Erin Haramoto, Co-Project Director of RegenPGC. Hallie’s thesis, “Evaluation of Poaceae Species and Suppression Application Methods for Perennial Groundcover in Corn,” will contribute to the perennial ground cover research portfolio that our project is developing.

Hallie is the fifth graduate student to complete their degree with support from RegenPGC.

Hallie Sandeen, December 2025, Crop Ecology & Management (Master’s, University of Kentucky) – Dr. Erin Haramoto

Jack Moran, June 2025, Crop Ecology & Management (Master’s, Iowa State University) –  Drs. Susana Goggi & Ken Moore

Oluwatuyi (“Tuyi”) Olowoyeye, June 2025, Ecosystem Services and Modeling (Ph.D, Iowa State University) – Dr. Amy Kaleita

Max Eness, May 2025, Soil Health & Nutrient Management (Master’s, Iowa State University) – Dr. Marshall McDaniel

Kaila Topping, 2023 May, Ecosystem Services & Modelling (Master’s, University of Wisconsin, Madison) – Dr. Rob Anex

RegenPGC Team releases Year 4 Q 4 progress report

RegenPGC Yr 4 Q 4 Progress Report Cover

If it’s not documented … is it really complete? Who knows. However, here is our RegenPGC Year 4 Q4 Progress Report, and there is no doubt that we are learning more every day about perennial cover crops. You can access the report at https://www.regenpgc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/RegenPGC-Yr-4-Q4-Progress-Report.pdf.

The report is written in a bulleted, friendly format and divided by topics so you can find your perennial cover crop passion right away! Check out our Research Objectives and Themes:

Objectives: Obj. 1. Crop Ecology & Management, Obj. 2. Plant Breeding & Genetics, Obj. 3. Soil Health & Nutrient Management, Obj. 4. Ecosystem Services, Modeling, Obj. 5. Socioeconomic Impacts & Policy and Project Evaluation

Themes:  Research and Development, Extension, Education, and Commercialization

Dr. Cyndi Bartel featured in farm podcast

SARE podcast Flyer

RegenPGC CoPD Dr. Cynthia Bartel got the chance to explain the RegenPGC perennial ground cover vision in the Midwest Farm Report – Madison podcast.

Dr. Bartel tells it like it is when she says, “What we really want to achieve is land use sufficiency off the land, and doing that profitably. We want continuous living cover with year-round roots in a way that makes sense for farms.”

Check out the full story in this six-minute podcast, SARE Grants Turn Ideas Into Action At Hurtgenlea Holsteins” at https://omny.fm/shows/mid-west-farm-report-madison/sare-grants-turn-ideas-into-action-at-hurtgenlea-holsteins.

Learn more about Dr. Cynthia Bartel, RegenPGC policy specialist and dairy farmer

RegenPGC's Dr. Cyndi bartel on the farm

Cynthia Bartel is the ag policy specialist on our project, and yes, she knows policy, but that’s not all she knows about.

Hint… It’s also about the cows and a lot more. Dr. Bartel qualifies as an all-around Ag-Renaissance woman.  Learn more about Dr. Bartel in Wisconsin dairy farm embraces robots, health monitoring and intercropping (https://www.farmprogress.com/dairy-cattle/wisconsin-dairy-farm-embraces-robots-health-monitoring-boluses-and-intercropping)

SeedWorld names RegenPGC CoPD Dr. Susana Goggi a top 50 woman

Susan Goggi award flyer

RegenPGC CoPd Dr. Susana Goggi was recently recognized by SeedWorld magazine as one of thirty “high-impact women” in the US seed industry. According to SeedWorld, Dr. Goggi and her distinguished peers have “carved out space in a field long dominated by others, proving that grit, skill, and collaboration are the true markers of excellence. From the lab to the boardroom, from seed physiology to supply chain, they are rewriting what impactful leadership looks like in our industry.”

Having Dr. Goggi on our team, we could not agree more with this assessment! Learn more about Dr. Goggi and the SeedWorld high-impact women’s group at: Nielson, Aimee (2025, September 23). A league of her own: 30 high-impact women. SeedWorld. https://www.seedworld.com/us/2025/09/23/shes-in-a-league-of-her-own-3/