My research program encompasses several aspects of weed biology, ecology, and management. One of my goals is to improve our understanding of plant interactions in crop-weed communities. Current research focuses on both light quantity and quality effects on early-season plant growth, development, and canopy structure, and associated late-season competitive outcomes. This research includes development of a relatively simple mechanistic model for the prediction of plant height growth and biomass accumulation in these communities.
My research also focuses on the long-term effects of cropping system factors on weed community dynamics. I'm interested particularly in the effects of crop rotation, tillage, and weed management practices on weed community composition, weed abundance, and weed species diversity, in both plant and seed bank communities. One of our goals is to develop a demographic model that encompasses the effects of these cropping system factors on the dominant weed species in such a manner that may confer long-term predictive capability to current decision support systems. A related area of research that has received much emphasis in my program is weed resistance to herbicides. In this area, my goal is to improve our understanding of the biology and ecology of herbicide-resistant weeds, such that we can better assess the risk that they present to our cropping systems.
My teaching program centers on Agronomy 300 - Cropping Systems, an intermediate-level, 3-credit course intended for students interested in crop production systems, the environmental impacts of crop production, agroecology, and sustainable agriculture. Topics include agricultural intensification, agroecosystem structure and function, aspects of technology adoption, soil erosion and conservation, tillage systems, weed ecology and management, nutrient management, groundwater and surface water quality, precision agriculture, crop rotation, cropping system diversification, multiple cropping systems, and alternative crops. An agroecological approach, the application of ecological concepts and principles for the improvement of cropping systems, is emphasized.
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