Jeff Volenec

Department:

Agronomy

Research:

Dr. Volenec’s research resides at the intersection of agriculture and the environment. His work aims to understand how crop plants adapt to stress, including climate change, and to explore how genotype x environment x management interactions might be used to enhance plant productivity and resilience.

Current Projects:

Crop Ecology and Input Use Efficiencies. Devising cropping systems with the diverse phenologies and the broad adaptation necessary to exploit underutilized temporal and spatial niches is critical to enhancing the health and sustainability of the Midwest cornbelt. Volenec and collaborators are working to develop novel management systems for Midwestern US crop system intensification and diversification that will increase the output or value of multiple ecosystem services (ES) when compared to conventional management. This includes strategic inclusion of mulch and cover crop systems that will provide significant economic income for farmers without displacing or reducing yields of existing crops. Performance metrics include enhancing profit and efficient use of water, nutrients, and radiation, while reducing production of greenhouse gases and loss of nutrients to surface waters.

Contact:

Email: jvolenec@purdue.edu
Link: Website/profile of Jeff Volenec