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Soybean group highlights importance of student research

A state soybean group is recognizing the importance of student research.

Illinois Soybean Association Research Agronomist Jennifer Jones tells Brownfield they added a research poster contest to their annual Soybean Summit this year as a networking opportunity for farmers and students conducting research benefitting the soybean industry.    

“This allows students to hear grower’s opinions on their research and to communicate their research to growers. And we think it is a great opportunity for the farmers of Illinois to see how research is influencing their operation or how it could influence their operation.”

Southern Illinois University student Garrett Williams presented his research on double crop and cover crop systems during the event.

“My research looks at some of the economic and agronomic impacts that we see of implementing sustainable measures such as cover crops into our traditional cash crop systems, as well as looking at double cropping wheat and some alternative crops that we maybe have not considered before.”

Williams tells Brownfield opportunities like this help student determine the future of their research in both the academic and industrial realms.

“It helps us make decisions on research impacts and research implications far down the line that can be more valuable to the farmer in the future. If they see a change that needs made in a research protocol or even a new idea that can be brought to the table, this exchange is hopefully a provision for us to impact the future.”

Thirteen student researchers from Southern Illinois University, the University of Illinois and Illinois State University participated in the contest. Leonardo Rocha, a Postdoc student at Southern Illinois University won this year’s competition. His research focuses on exploring the suppression of soybean cyst nematode populations by wheat through a multi-omics approach. Cash awards were given to the top three participants.

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