Matt Ryan

Associate Professor, School of Integrative Plant Science, Soil and Crop Sciences Section

I am an agroecologist and conducts research on sustainable cropping systems. Over the next several decades, farmers need to adapt to increased climate variability, decrease their environmental impact, and feed billions of more people. Despite these challenges, it is an exciting time to be involved in agriculture, as more consumers want to know about the practices used to produce their food and new farmers are increasingly from non-farm backgrounds.

Interests

Sustainable cropping systems and agroecology

Cover crops and ecological weed management

Organic production

Recent Research

I conduct research on agroecology and sustainable cropping systems. I work with farmers, extension educators, researchers, and others to develop solutions to problems in agriculture.

Replacing external inputs with ecological processes and more fully utilizing biotic interactions is a central theme. I explore the use of crop rotation, cover crops, and intercropping to diversify cropping systems, regenerate soil health, enhance biodiversity, suppress weeds and other pests, and increase resilience to climate change. I also conduct research on perennial grain crop production and market development. In addition to applied agronomic field research, I am interested in digital agriculture, theoretical ecology, social ecological systems, and sustainability assessment.

Selected Publications

Google Scholar profile and publications.

Wallace, J. M., Curran, W. S., Mirsky, S. B., & Ryan, M. (2017). Tolerance of Interseeded Annual Ryegrass and Red Clover Cover Crops to Residual Herbicides in Mid-Atlantic Corn Cropping Systems. Weed Technology. 31:641-650.
Ann Bybee-Finley, K., Mirsky, S. B., & Ryan, M. (2017). Crop biomass not species richness drives weed suppression in warm-season annual grass-legume intercrops in the northeast. Weed Science. 65:669-680.
Jernigan, A. B., Caldwell, B. A., Cordeau, S., DiTommaso, A., Drinkwater, L. E., Mohler, C. L., & Ryan, M. (2017). Weed abundance and community composition following a long-Term organic vegetable cropping systems experiment. Weed Science. 65:639-649.
Liebert, J. A., & Ryan, M. (2017). High Planting Rates Improve Weed Suppression, Yield, and Profitability in Organically-Managed, No-till Planted Soybean. Weed Technology. 31:536-549.
Liebert, J. A., DiTommaso, A., & Ryan, M. (2017). Rolled Mixtures of Barley and Cereal Rye for Weed Suppression in Cover Crop-based Organic No-Till Planted Soybean. Weed Science. 65:426-439.
Mirsky, S. B., Ackroyd, V. J., Cordeau, S., Curran, W. S., Hashemi, M., Reberg-Horton, S. C., Ryan, M., & Spargo, J. T. (2017). Hairy Vetch Biomass across the Eastern United States: Effects of Latitude, Seeding Rate and Date, and Termination Timing. Agronomy Journal. 109:1510-1519.
DeHaan, L. R., Van Tassel, D. L., Anderson, J. A., Asselin, S. R., Barnes, R., Baute, G. J., Cattani, D. J., Culman, S. W., Dorn, K. M., Hulke, B. S., Kantar, M., Larson, S., Marks, M. D., Miller, A. J., Poland, J., Ravetta, D. A., Rude, E., Ryan, M., Wyse, D., & Zhang, X. (2016). A pipeline strategy for grain crop domestication. Crop Science. 56:917-930.
Bybee-Finley, K., Mirsky, S. B., & Ryan, M. (2016). Functional Diversity in Summer Annual Grass and Legume Intercrops in the Northeastern United States. Crop Science. 56:2775-2790.
Giuliano, S., Ryan, M., Véricel, G., Rametti, G., Perdrieux, F., Justes, E., & Alletto, L. (2016). Low-input cropping systems to reduce input dependency and environmental impacts in maize production: A multi-criteria assessment. European Journal of Agronomy. 76:160-175.
Schipanski, M., Barbercheck, M., Douglas, M., Finney, D., Haider, K., Kaye, J., Kemanian, A., Mortensen, D., Ryan, M., Tooker, J., & White, C. (2014). A conceptual framework for evaluating multifunctionality of cover crops in agroecosystems. Agricultural Systems. 125:231-237.

Presentations and Activities

Corn, soybean, and wheat yields in an organic rotational no-till system during the 3-year transition. 2015. Weed Science Society of America.
Evaluating tolerance of inter-seeded cover crops to pre-emergent herbicides for corn production in the mid-Atlantic. 2015. Northeastern Weed Science Society.
Evaluation of different cover crops in interseeded corn. 2015. ASA, CSSA, and SSSA International Annual Meeting. ASA Section: Agronomic Production Systems.
Farmer perspectives on cover crop breeding. 2015. ASA, CSSA, and SSSA International Annual Meeting. ASA Section: Agronomic Production Systems.
Higher soybean planting rates increase weed suppression, yields, and profitability in cover crop-based, organic, no-till soybean. 2015. ASA, CSSA, and SSSA International Annual Meeting. ASA Section: Agronomic Production Systems.
Influence of cover crop termination timing and high-residue cultivation on weed communities in a reduced-till organic grain system. 2015. Proceedings of the Weed Science Society of America .
Interseeding cover crops in corn: Impacts on corn yield and cover crop biomass production in the Mid Atlantic. 2015. ASA, CSSA, and SSSA International Annual Meeting. ASA Section: Agronomic Production Systems.
Traits that matter: Meeting farmers needs through improved cover crop performance. 2015. ASA, CSSA, and SSSA International Annual Meeting. ASA Section: Land Management & Conservation.
Weed-soybean competition in a long term organic cropping systems experiment. 2015. Northeastern Weed Science Society.
Strategies for Success with Organic Weed Management. Growing PA Organic Farms. December 2015. PA Farm Link. Harrisburg, PA.

Courses Taught

PLSCI 1900: Sustainable Agriculture: Food, Farming, and the Future
PLSCI 3800: Principles and Practices in Certified Organic Agriculture

Contact Information

1113 Bradfield Hall
Ithaca, NY 14853

(607) 255-4964

mrr232 [at] cornell.edu

Graduate Fields
- Soil and Crop Sciences
More information
Education
- Doctorate
  The Pennsylvania State University
  2010
- Master of Science
  The Pennsylvania State University
  2007
- Bachelor of Science
  Kutztown University
  2001

Matt in the news

A man stands in a green field with two root vegetables in his hand.

News

September 20, 2023

Incentive programs doubled cover crop use by farmers

A survey of farmers in four Northeast states, including New York, found that incentive payments encouraged participants to plant twice as many acres of cover crops as they did prior to receiving funds – a change that can both improve their farms...

School of Integrative Plant Science
Soil and Crop Sciences Section
Agriculture

field day attendees viewing solar panels corn crop and researcher with poster

News

August 9, 2023

Field day showcases latest crop research

More than 140 farmers, educators, consultants and researchers viewed the latest Cornell grain and forage crop research at 2023 Musgrave Research Farm Field Day in Aurora, N.Y., August 3. “As leaders in agriculture research, it’s really important...

Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Station
Musgrave Research Farm
PRO-DAIRY

Matt Ryan

Contact Information

Graduate Fields

More information

Education

Matt in the news