Webinar series unlocks potential of perennial ground cover

AMES — A five-week lunch-and-learn webinar series starting in January will explore the innovative use of perennial ground cover in corn and corn-soybean production systems as a cover crop.

This series, sponsored by Iowa State University and RegenPCG, will be held on consecutive Tuesdays (Jan. 14, 21, 28 and Feb. 4 and 11) from 12-1 p.m. CST.

As sustainable agriculture continues to grow in importance, perennial ground cover used within corn and soybean production systems offers a promising solution, noted Daniel Andersen, associate professor in agriculture and biosystems engineering at Iowa State University.

“Perennial ground covers are plants that are established and maintained within the row crop production system without needing to be replanted annually. They can help suppress weeds, provide habitat for beneficial insects and offer environmental benefits for erosion and nitrogen control,” Andersen said.

“However, they increase complexity in our cropping system so require careful management to ensure competitive yields with traditional methods of crop production.”

This webinar series will focus on providing information on what perennial ground cover agriculture is, the potential benefits it offers, insight into how to effectively manage these systems and work that is being undertaken to make them more robust for widespread adoption and implementation.

The presentations are tailored for farmers, crop advisers, technical service providers, government agencies such as NRCSsand DNR and other agricultural scientists eager to understand the possibilities and challenges of integrating perennial ground cover into their row crop agriculture.

Register now

The series provides an opportunity to deepen your knowledge and join the conversation on the future of sustainable agriculture, Andersen said. Register for the webinar series today and stay tuned for the video series release.

For more information about the series, contact Daniel Andersen at dsa@iastate.edu or 515-294-4210. For registration inquiries, please contact Melissa McEnany at mmcenany@iastate.edu or 515-294-9075.

Webinar schedule

Jan. 14 — Perennial Ground Cover Integration into Corn and Soybean Production: System Basics and Potential Benefits; all speakers are from Iowa State University.

Raj Raman — A visionary overview of the potential and scalability of perennial ground cover in corn and soybean production systems

Ken Moore and Roger Hintz — An operational guide to implementing a perennial ground cover in corn and soybean production systems

Philip Rockson — A comparative analysis of time and labor demands across conventional, cereal rye and perennial ground cover in corn and soybean production systems

Cyndi Bartel — Comparisons of costs for conventional, cover cropping and perennial ground cover in corn and soybean production systems

Jan. 21 — Perennial Ground Cover Suppression and Weed Management within Corn and Soybean Production Systems

Amina Moro, Iowa State University — Crop Zone Requirements

Sara Lira and Brent Wilson, Corteva Agriscience — Techniques for maintaining a crop growth zone in corn and soybean production systems

Erin Haramoto, University of Kentucky — Chemical weed control options for perennial ground cover systems. Experiences and options

Jan. 28 — Selecting Perennial Groundcovers for Corn and Soybean Production Systems and Their Ideal Characteristics

Shuizhang Fei, Iowa State University — Choices for perennial ground cover in corn and soybean production systems

Patrick Galland, Iowa State University — Research of unsuppressed production systems with perennial ground cover in corn production

Brandon Schlautman, The Land Institute, and Philip Rockson, Iowa State University — Experiences from partnering farms using perennial ground cover in corn and soy production systems

Feb. 4 — Corn Hybrid Performance within Perennial Groundcover Systems

Raj Raman, Iowa State University — Types of perennial ground cover production systems and how this influences brittleness

Thomas Lubberstedt and Memis Bilgici, Iowa State University — Should we breed corn for use in perennial ground cover production systems?

Sara Lira, Corteva Agriscience — Evaluating hybrid performance in well suppressed perennial ground cover systems

Feb. 11 — Quantifying and Valorizing Ecosystem Service Benefits for Perennial Groundcover in Corn and Soybean Production; all speakers are from Iowa State University

Marshall McDaniel — Soil moisture results and water competition for nitrogen in perennial ground cover systems

Oluwatuyi Olowoyeye — Research on grass cover and erosion control

Philip Rockson — Findings on nitrogen leaching reduction

Cyndi Bartel — Federal farm bill programs and valorizing ecosystem services