ISRC Celebrates Soy Foods Month with Student Brunch
In celebration of National Soy Foods Month in April, the ISRC hosted a free student omelet brunch on campus at ISU’s Student Innovation Center on April 6. This is the third year for the event, which continues to get bigger and better. More than 350 students participated. Sponsors of this year’s event included the Iowa Food & Family Project, Iowa Egg Council and North Central Poultry Association, and new this year…Vibe Nutrition.
ISU Dining Services made omelets on site and students learned that poultry feed contains soy and Vibe Nutrition uses soy protein in their smoothies. Students enjoyed a soy trivia game, soy recipes and giveaways offered by the Iowa Food & Family Project, Iowa Egg Council, North Central Poultry Association and the ISRC.
A big thank you to our sponsors and to ISU Dining Services, who continue to make this event a hit with ISU students and for helping us promote the many uses and benefits of soy!
ISRC Founding Director Greg Tylka Honored with Iowa Master Farmer Exceptional Service to Agriculture Award
Founding ISRC Director and Morrill Professor of Plant Pathology, Entomology and Microbiology Greg Tylka was honored at a March 25th awards ceremony with the 2026 Iowa Master Farmer Exceptional Service to Agriculture Award by Wallaces Farmer. Tylka, an ISU Extension and Outreach nematologist, was nominated by colleagues from the SCN Coalition, Iowa Soybean Research Center and Iowa State University for his decades of research into soybean cyst nematode (SCN). Specifically, he was nominated for sharing his knowledge and listening to the concerns of others as a tireless advocate for agriculture. Tylka has assisted farmers and industry in understanding and managing SCN for 36 years.
Additional award recipients with ties to the ISRC included Iowa Soybean Association CEO Kirk Leeds and Iowa farmers Morey and Rhonda Hill.
ISA & NCSRP Funding Proposal Deadlines
The Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) and the North Central Soybean Research Program (NCSRP) recently released requests for proposals. Below are links to each organization’s website and the required application forms.
ISA: The due date for submitting proposals to the ISA is 11:59pm central time on May 11, 2026.
NCSRP: The due date for NCSRP proposal submissions is 11:59pm central time on May 25, 2026.
ISRC Welcomes Spraytec as Newest Industry Partner
The Iowa Soybean Research Center welcomed Spraytec as its newest industry partner in February. Business Development Manager Erin Doran will serve as Spraytec’s representative on the ISRC’s Industry Advisory Council, which provides guidance on research needs and funding priorities for the center.
Final Report Provided for ISRC-funded Continuous Soybean Project
The “Optimizing Continuous Soybean Production” project funded by the ISRC and led by ISRC faculty research affiliate Sotirios Archontoulis has concluded, and a final report may be found on the ISRC’s website. Note, this project will continue with funding from the Iowa Soybean Association. Co-PIs on the project include PhD student Carolina Freitas and faculty research affiliates Mark Licht and Michael Castellano, agronomy.
Highlighting ISU Student Research Talent: Meet PhD Student Carolina Freitas
Carolina Pratas Glycerio de Freitas is a graduate research assistant working towards her PhD in Crop Production and Physiology at ISU under advising professor and ISRC faculty research affiliate Sotirios Archontoulis, agronomy. Freitas joined the Archontoulis Lab in May of 2023 to pursue her graduate studies and to work on the continuous soybean project funded by the ISRC, which has now gone on to receive additional funding from the Iowa Soybean Association.
Get to Know IAC Rep: Farmer Morey Hill
Morey Hill is one of three Iowa soybean farmer representatives on the ISRC’s Industry Advisory Council (IAC). The council identifies research needs in the areas of soybean production and protection for the center. Farmer representatives serve three-year terms on the council and provide valuable feedback on what research topics are of importance to soybean farmers.
ISRC Researcher Spotlight: Gustavo Macintosh
ISRC faculty research affiliate Gustavo MacIntosh is a professor in the Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology at Iowa State. His laboratory specializes primarily in plant molecular biology with a focus on plant-pest interactions, RNA metabolism and plant immunity.
ISRC Hosts Soybean Photo Contest
The ISRC recently hosted a photo contest among its ISU research affiliates, staff and students. After receiving 50 excellent entries, it was a daunting task to narrow down the winners. Six photos were selected as finalists. Featured at left is "Soy Storm" by Fernando Marcos, agronomy.
ISRC Faculty Research Affiliates Selected for Research and Innovation Roundtable Funding
Several ISRC faculty research affiliates were selected for funding from ISU’s fall 2025 Research and Innovation Roundtable, focused on Building Biosecurity: Protecting Plants from Pests and Pathogens.
Iowa State’s Pest-ID Team, Global Researchers, Work to Build an App to Help Farmers
Iowa State researchers are teaming up with international collaborators to develop a web tool that helps farmers identify and manage the insects, weeds and diseases that threaten their crops. The project is led by ISRC faculty research affiliate Arti Singh, agronomy.
The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) recently awarded a two-year, $400,000 grant to support the work of five ISU researchers teaming with international collaborators to develop the app.
ISRC/ISU Host Syngenta Spring Training Workshop
In March, the ISRC assisted in hosting a two-day spring agronomy training session for ISRC industry partner Syngenta at ISU’s Seed Science Center. While most of this year’s training session was conducted by Syngenta for their own research agronomists, ISRC faculty research affiliate and ISU Extension weed scientist Wes Everman was invited to provide an overview on the latest research and information regarding Waterhemp management and herbicide resistance concerns.
2026 ISU College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Awards
Several College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) faculty and staff were honored at the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Spring Awards Program on March 9, 2026. ISRC Co-director and Associate Professor of Agronomy Mark Licht received the Raymond and Mary Baker Agronomic Excellence Award and ISRC faculty research affiliate Richard Roth, agronomy, was the recipient of the Early Achievement in Extension and Outreach Award.
Upcoming Events
August 4, 2026: NCSRP Visit to ISU
Sept. 1-3, 2026: Farm Progress Show 2026, Boone, IA
Sept. 14, 2026: ISRC Workshop with Industry Advisory Council, Alumni Center
Sept. 15, 2026: ISRC Annual Industry Advisory Council Meeting, Reiman Gardens
Each Wednesday at Noon: Iowa Learning Farms Webinars
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