Regen CoPd Marshall McDaniel headlines seminar

McDaniel Seminar Flyer

RegenPGC CoPd Marshall McDaniel will be giving a talk, “Mapping Soil-Root Interactions to Advance Understanding of Perennial Groundcover Systems,” featuring the work of RegenPGC Postdoc Cole Dutter and graduate students Max Enness and Yusef Mbackes (Yusuf St Cyr) on the project next Wednesday, 10/21, at 4:25 in 1420 MOL BIO Bldg at Iowa State University.* For those of you not on campus, the seminar can be viewed via Microsoft Teams at:

https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/2842096024583117?p=fUI01WnSpuXTE4ZxYP
Meeting ID: 284 209 602 458 311 7
Passcode: jG3fF3RD

The talk is part of the Iowa State University Faculty Seminar Series – Interdepartmental Plant Biology Major 2026 Fall Seminar Series.

Abstract
Growing row crops in between perennial plants, also known as living mulch or perennial groundcover, shows much promise as a conservation practice but still faces many agronomic challenges. One of those challenges is the yield penalty that often occurs when having plants growing in close proximity competing for light, water, nutrients, or other resources. Marshall will talk about the RegenPGC project and some recent research looking into mapping belowground soil properties and root-to-root competition between maize and perennial groundcovers like bulbous bluegrass (Poa bulbosa) and Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis).

*McDaniel, Marshall. (2026, October 21). Mapping soil-root interactions to advance understanding of perennial groundcover systems [Seminar]. Iowa State University Faculty Seminar Series – Interdepartmental Plant Biology Major 2026 Fall Seminar Series. Ames, IA, United States.

Economists get their say…

Sagar Dahal Headshop

Yes, it’s true, we have another OPEN ACCESS publication for you. RegenPGC graduate student Sagar Dahal and RegenPGC CoPD Amani Elobeid, and Iowa State University colleague John Crespi collaborated on the article “Integrating Perennial Groundcover in Corn and Soybean Acres: Impacts on U.S. Agriculture.” The article was published in the  in the July 2026 issue of the journal Applied Economic Perspectives & Policy.

ABSTRACT

Sustainable agricultural practices such as cover cropping can improve soil health, water quality, and carbon sequestration, yet U.S. adoption remains limited due to economic and operational barriers. We evaluate market and economic impacts of integrating perennial groundcover into U.S. corn and soybean production under six yield and cost scenarios. Results show that impacts depend on whether yields are maintained and costs remain stable. Under the most optimistic scenario, long-term outcomes remain close to or slightly above baseline levels. In contrast, scenarios involving yield losses or sustained cost increases generate negative economic outcomes, highlighting the importance of agronomic performance and cost control.

We report, therefore we exist…

We believe in the adage that unless work is memorialized, it doesn’t really exist (except in the dark recesses of someone’s mind). This is why you can follow the investment made by our funder, USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, in our perennial groundcover research right here in our latest quarterly report, which you can find here.
Check it out. Visit our website. Send us questions to https://www.regenpgc.org/contact/. That way, we won’t think our work shot out into an unfathomable void!

Ralph Danquah-Acquah gets a presentation opportunity

Ralph and his poster

Great to see this opportunity for RegenPGC Graduate Education Community member Ralph Danquah-Acquah to present his poster, Green between the rows: modeling Corn-RhB perennial ground cover systems,” at th at the 2026 Iowa Water Environment Association Annual Conference in Des Moines.* Click here Ralph’s poster.

Ralph’s poster presentation shared his graduate research where, working with his advisor, RegenPGC CoPd Dr. Amy Kaleita, he uses the ALMANAC Simulation Model to evaluate corn-RHb perennial groundcover systems as part of the RegenPGC project. According to Ralph, “Perennial groundcover systems offer a promising way to reduce runoff and soil erosion while maintaining corn production. My work uses the ALMANAC model to compare PGC with conventional and strip tillage systems, with a focus on soil water dynamics, surface runoff, soil erosion, and corn yield performance under different rainfall conditions.”

Overall, Ralph’s work focuses on soil water dynamics, surface runoff, soil erosion, and corn yield performance under perennial groundcover systems.

*Danquah-Acquah, Ralph, & Kaleita, Amy. (2026, June 17). Green Between the Rows: Modeling Corn-RHb Perennial Groundcover Systems [Poster presentation]. 2026 Iowa Water Environment Association Annual Conference, Des Moines, IA, United States. https://www.regenpgc.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IAWEA_Poster_Ralph.pdf.

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.

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 grad student Prathyusha Cheguri honored at CANVAS annual meeting

Prathyusha Cheguri at Tri Societies 2025

Congratulations to RegenPGC graduate student Prathyusha Cheguri. Her presentation, Unlocking Sexual Reproduction in Poa Bulbosa received a 1st place award in the “5-minute Rapid Crop Breeding and Genetics” oral competition at the recent 2025 CANVAS (formerly Tri Societies) Annual Meeting in Salt Lake City.

The meeting, now known as CANVAS and jointly hosted by the American Society of Agronomy, the Crop Science Society of America, and the Soil Science Society of America, is the premier meeting across the field of environmental sciences. According to the organizers, “CANVAS is equal parts science, networking, collaboration, and camaraderie.”  Every year, members of the RegenPGC team attend this meeting. We accept as many graduate students as possible.

You can learn more about Prathyusha’s award-winning presentation at https://www.regenpgc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/2025-11-11-Tri-Societies-Cheguri-Award-Winner.pdf

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

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/

Another honor for the RegenPGC grad student community

Yes, we are a research project, but we never forget that we are in the business of educating the next generation. In the summer, we mentor prospective STEM Education school teachers [See more at: https://www.regenpgc.org/theme-3-education/2023-ret-reu-programs-copy/]. But, all year round, our team mentors a talented group of graduate students in our Graduate Education Community.

Today, we celebrate Memiş Bilgici from our Breeding & Genetics Objective[See more at: https://www.regenpgc.org/objective-2-plant-breeding-and-genetics/], who presented this poster and was awarded a travel grant to Hawai’i: (Bilgici Memiş, Yu-Ru Chen, & Thomas Lübberstedt. (2025, May 19–23). Do we need dedicated maize varieties for perennial groundcover systems? [Poster]. 2025 National Association of Plant Breeders Annual Meeting, Kona, Hawa’i, United States).

Learn more by reading Memiş’ Poster Abstract at https://napbannualmeeting.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/NAPB_2025_Booklet_Digital_VF2.pdf, Poster #50.