Corn stover harvest reduces soil CO<sub>2</sub> fluxes but increases overall C losses

O’Brien, Peter; Archontoulis, Sotirios; Karlen, Douglas L.; Laird, David A.

doi:10.1111/gcbb.12742

Cited by 7 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 83 publications

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Another recent Iowa study, with similar climate (same average mean annual temperature and precipitation) and soil (Mollisol) conditions, showed that grain yield response to maize stover removal was dependent on tillage system (O'Brien et al., 2020). Similar to our study, they found that for conventional tillage systems, stover removal increased yield compared to a no removal treatment from 2010 to 2012, while for no‐till systems, removing maize stover increased yields only in the wettest year (O'Brien et al., 2020). Overall, those results suggest moderate stover harvest will likely have a neutral or even positive effect for this midwestern U.S. area, and is consistent with several prior studies conducted under similar climate soil conditions (Birrell et al., 2014; Karlen et al., 2014).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Science‐based maize stover removal can be sustainable

Nunes

McDaniel

et al. 2021

Agronomy Journal

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Maize (Zea mays L.) stover can be harvested for multiple uses or left in the field to sustain soil organic carbon (SOC), cycle essential plant nutrients, and protect soil health. This 13-year field study quantified effects of no (0 Mg ha -1 y -1 ), low (1.0 to 1.4 Mg ha -1 y -1 ), moderate (3.5 to 4.0 Mg ha -1 y -1 ), or high rates (4.7 to 5.4 Mg ha -1 y -1 ) of stover harvest from either continuous maize or maizesoybean [Glycine max. (L.) Merr.] rotation on grain yield, plant nutrient concentrations, and multiple soil properties at two sites in Iowa, USA. Stover harvest increased plant macro-and micro-nutrient removal, but did not affect average grain yields of either crops. Soil inorganic carbon (IC), SOC, bulk density, pH, and cation exchange capacity (CEC) showed no significant differences due to stover harvest. Plant tissue and soil-test nutrient concentration effects were also minor and site-specific.Stover harvest significantly (p<0.05) decreased exchangeable K and Ca concentrations by 8.3 to 23.8% and 0.3 to 22.5% but overall soil health indicator effects were minimal. Overall, based on crop yields, plant nutrient and soil-test concentrations, soil health indicators, and carbon sequestration estimates, maize stover harvest can be sustainable provided: (i) grain yields consistently exceed 11 Mg ha -1 , (ii) stover removal does not exceed 40% of the above-ground biomass (i.e., 3.5 to 4.0 Mg ha -1 y -1 ), and (iii) plant nutrients (especially K) are closely monitored.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Science‐based maize stover removal can be sustainable

Nunes

McDaniel

et al. 2021

Agronomy Journal

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“…A long‐term experiment was conducted from 2008 to 2021 at the Iowa State University Agricultural Engineering and Agronomy Research Farm (42.017584°, −93.76448°) to assess the effects of corn stover removal on soil health, SOC content, and crop yields (O'Brien et al., 2020; Obrycki et al., 2018). The site is located within a Webster–Clarion soil complex, with poorly‐drained Webster soils on 0%–2% slopes and moderately well‐drained Clarion soils on 2%–5% slopes.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Experimental plots (85.3 m × 12.2 m each) with continuous corn production had three levels of corn stover removal: none, a moderate level, and a high level, equating to approximately 0%, 35%, and 60% of the stover biomass and to 0%, 50%, and 100% of what was mechanically feasible to harvest (O'Brien et al., 2020; Obrycki et al., 2018). Actual stover yields averaged over 2008–2020 were 3.5 ± 1.1 and 5.0 ± 1.7 Mg ha −1 for the moderate and high removal levels, respectively.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Thirteen‐year stover harvest and tillage effects on soil compaction in Iowa

Phillips¹,

Tekeste

Ebrahimi

et al. 2023

Agrosystems Geosci & Env

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Corn (Zea mays L.) stover is an abundant biomass source with multiple end‐uses including cellulosic biofuel production. However, stover removal may increase soil compaction by reducing organic matter inputs and increasing vehicle loads during harvest. While numerous studies have reported stover removal impacts on soil physical quality, few have assessed the role played by traffic compaction. Our objective was to quantify subsurface soil compaction after 13 years of chisel plow versus no‐till management and no, moderate (3.5 ± 1.1 Mg ha−1 year−1), or high (5.0 ± 1.7 Mg ha−1 year−1) stover harvest rates. Penetration resistance was measured in most‐ and least‐trafficked interrow spaces. Chisel plowed plots with moderate and high levels of stover removal had higher penetration resistance in trafficked areas relative to least‐trafficked areas, whereas there was no evidence of traffic compaction when stover was retained. Traffic compaction did not negatively impact yields, which were greater with high levels of stover removal compared to no removal. The no‐till practice led to very small increases in penetration resistance with wheel traffic and had no evidence of increased compaction with residue removal. This lack of traffic compaction indicated soils under no‐till practice have a higher load‐bearing capacity than soils under chisel plow practice. Overall, there were no yield‐limiting effects of tillage practice or stover removal, and no evidence of soil compaction below the plow layer, suggesting stover removal with both tillage practices can be effectively employed without detrimental effects on plant or soil health.

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“…Soil hydrolases such as β-1,4-glucosidase (BG) and cellobiohydrolase (CBH) mainly acquire labile carbon [20]. Research shows that the combined application of different crop straw or biochar can improve the activity of soil carbon-degrading enzymes and increase soil organic carbon content [21,22] while increasing soil carbon emissions [23,24]. Therefore, clarifying the dynamic changes of soil enzymes is key to understanding the changes in the carbon pool caused by different straws being returned to the field.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Impact of Combining Robinia pseudoacacia Leaves and Corn Straw on Soil Carbon Content and Corn Yield in Loess Plateau

Liu,

Zhang

et al. 2024

Agronomy

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In the agroforestry system, the organic matter in the farmland and natural ecosystem enters the farmland soil in a mixed form to improve soil fertility and carbon pool quality. However, it is unclear how soil microbial carbon-degrading enzyme activity responds to carbon dynamics in this process. Therefore, we took farmland in the Loess Plateau as the research object, combining the application of corn straw and Robinia pseudoacacia leaves in a mass ratio of 4:0, 3:1, 2:2, 1:3, and 0:4 for returning to the field. We measured corn grain yield, carbon emission, organic carbon pool component content, and carbon-degrading enzyme activity of the farmland. The results showed that combining corn straw and Robinia pseudoacacia leaves had a significant impact on soil organic carbon components (readily oxidizable organic carbon and recalcitrant organic carbon), carbon-degrading enzymes (polyphenol oxidase, peroxidase, and cellobiohydrolase), and cumulative carbon emissions. The trend of different indicators in different treatments during the corn growth period was similar. We found that soil carbon emissions were closely related to ROC and soil oxidase activity, while soil carbon content was closely related to soil hydrolase activity. Compared to not returning straw to the field, the corn straw and Robinia pseudoacacia leaves returned to the field in a mass ratio of 1:3(Y1C3) can increase corn grain yield by 32.04%. The Y1C3 treatment has the highest soil carbon content and the lowest crop carbon emission efficiency. Soil water content plays a crucial role in the process of carbon pool transformation driven by soil carbon-degrading enzymes. In conclusion, soil carbon dynamics are closely related to the activity of soil carbon-degrading enzymes. Combining the application of corn straw and Robinia pseudoacacia leaves may be a more suitable farming measure for fragile habitats in the Loess Plateau than other solutions.

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Corn stover harvest reduces soil CO₂ fluxes but increases overall C losses

Abstract: This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Cited by 7 publications

References 83 publications

Science‐based maize stover removal can be sustainable

Science‐based maize stover removal can be sustainable

Thirteen‐year stover harvest and tillage effects on soil compaction in Iowa

The Impact of Combining Robinia pseudoacacia Leaves and Corn Straw on Soil Carbon Content and Corn Yield in Loess Plateau

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Corn stover harvest reduces soil CO2 fluxes but increases overall C losses

Abstract: This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Cited by 7 publications

References 83 publications

Science‐based maize stover removal can be sustainable

Science‐based maize stover removal can be sustainable

Thirteen‐year stover harvest and tillage effects on soil compaction in Iowa

The Impact of Combining Robinia pseudoacacia Leaves and Corn Straw on Soil Carbon Content and Corn Yield in Loess Plateau

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About

Corn stover harvest reduces soil CO₂ fluxes but increases overall C losses