Research Project: Managing Nutrient, Carbon, and Water Fluxes to Provide Sustainable and Resilient Cropping Systems for Midwestern Landscapes

Location: Agroecosystems Management Research

Publications (Clicking on the reprint icon will take you to the publication reprint.)

Long-term field study on corn response to sulfur fertilization in Iowa, USA - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Crespo, C., Kovar, J.L., Hart, C.E., Roth, R.T., O'Brien, P.L., Ruis, S.J. 2025. Long-term field study on corn response to sulfur fertilization in Iowa, USA. Field Crops Research. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109990.

Cool season grass cover crops - (Book / Chapter)

Breeding for high maize yields indirectly boosting root carbon in the US Corn Belt since the 1980s - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Sciarresi, C., Thies, A., Topp, C., Eudy, D., Kovar, J.L., Trifunovic, S., Dixon, P.M., Archontoulis, S.V. 2025. Breeding for high maize yields indirectly boosting root carbon in the US Corn Belt since the 1980s. Field Crops Research. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109774.

Interseeding cover crop into an irrigated sandy loam for 6 years: Soil, crop, and economic response - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Blanco-Canqui, H., Ruis, S.J., Mamo, M., Shapiro, C.A., Proctor, C., Parsons, J., Thompson, L. 2025. Interseeding cover crop into an irrigated sandy loam for 6 years: Soil, crop, and economic response. Agronomy Journal. 117(1). https://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.70013.

Interrelationships of plant, soil, and water quality C and N components in an organic vs a conventional system in a mollisol of the U.S. Midwest - (Abstract Only)
Ruis, S.J., Kovar, J.L., Wacha, K.M., O'Brien, P.L., Delate, K. 2024. Interrelationships of plant, soil, and water quality C and N components in an organic vs a conventional system in a mollisol of the U.S. Midwest [abstract]. ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting.

Organic cropping systems enhance soil health indicators in a Mollisol of the US Corn Belt - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Ruis, S.J., Kovar, J.L., Wacha, K.M., Carney, D., O'Brien, P.L., Delate, K., Cambardella, C.A. 2024. Organic cropping systems enhance soil health indicators in a Mollisol of the U.S. Corn Belt. Soil Science Society of America Journal. 89(1). https://doi.org/10.1002/saj2.20795.

The LTAR Cropland Common Experiment at Upper Mississippi River Basin-Ames - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Kovar, J.L., Papanicolaou, A.N., Busch, D., Chatterjee, A., Cole, K.J., Dalzell, B.J., Emmett, B.D., Johnson, J.M., Malone, R.W., Morrow, A.J., Nowatzke, L.W., O'Brien, P.L., Prueger, J.H., Rogovska, N.P., Ruis, S.J., Todey, D.P., Wacha, K.M. 2024. The LTAR Croplands Common Experiment at Upper Mississippi River Basin - Ames. Journal of Environmental Quality. 53(6):978-988. https://doi.org/10.1002/jeq2.20646.

USDA LTAR Common Experiment measurement: Concentration of phosphorus, potassium, and sulfur in aboveground biomass - (Research Notes)
Kovar, J.L., Fortuna, A. 2024. USDA LTAR Common Experiment measurement: Concentration of phosphorus, potassium, and sulfur in aboveground biomass. Protocols.io. https://doi.org/10.17504/protocols.io.14egn6bnql5d/v1.

Thermal time and precipitation dictate cereal rye shoot biomass production - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Crespo, C., O'Brien, P.L., Ruis, S.J., Kovar, J.L., Kaspar, T.C. 2024. Thermal time and precipitation dictate cereal rye shoot biomass production. Field Crops Research. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2024.109473.

How does no-till affect soil-profile distribution of roots? - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Ruis, S.J., Blanco-Canqui, H. 2024. How does no-till affect soil-profile distribution of roots? Canadian Journal of Soil Science. 104(4):350-361. https://doi.org/10.1139/cjss-2023-0099.

Contribution of eroding streambanks to phosphorus export from Iowa, USA - (Abstract Only)
Kovar, J.L., Schilling, K.E., Isenhart, T.M., Wolter, C.F., Streeter, M.T. 2024. Contribution of eroding streambanks to phosphorus export from Iowa, USA. [abstract]. 10th International Phosphorus Workshop. August 26-30, 2024. Dundee, Scotland.

How does winter cover crop harvest impact soils? - (Abstract Only)
Ruis, S.J. 2023. How does winter cover crop harvest impact soils?[abstract]. Anaerobic Digestion on the Farm Conference.

Winter camelina as an alternative cover crop for central Iowa corn-soybean systems - (Abstract Only)
Kovar, J.L., O'Brien, P.L., Ruis, S.J., Emmett, B.D., Malone, R.W., Rogovska, N.P. 2023. Winter camelina as an alternative cover crop for central Iowa corn-soybean systems [abstract]. ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting.