The Impact of Corn Residue Removal on Soil Aggregates and Particulate Organic Matter

Osborne, Shannon L.; Johnson, Jane M. F.; Jin, Virginia L.; Hammerbeck, Amber L.; Varvel, Gary E.; Schumacher, Thomas E.

doi:10.1007/s12155-014-9413-0

Cited by 57 publications

(48 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…Residue baling reduced the amount of large dry aggregates in springtime. The decreased dry soil aggregate size after residue baling agrees with results from the few studies in the western Corn Belt (Blanco-Canqui et al, 2014;Osborne et al, 2014;Jin et al, 2015), which have found reduced soil dry aggregate size when corn residue was mechanically removed at high rates from no-till continuous corn systems under rainfed (Osborne et al, 2014;Jin et al, 2015) and irrigated (BlancoCanqui et al, 2014) conditions.…”

Section: Geometric Mean Diameter and Wind-erodible Fractionsupporting

confidence: 85%

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Impacts of Corn Residue Grazing and Baling on Wind Erosion Potential in a Semiarid Environment

Blanco‐Canqui

Tatarko²,

Stalker³

et al. 2016

Soil Science Soc of Amer J

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Implications of corn (Zea mays l.) residue grazing and baling on wind erosion in integrated crop-livestock systems are not well understood. This study (i) determined soil properties affecting wind erosion potential including dry aggregate-size distribution, geometric mean diameter (GMD), geometric standard deviation of dry aggregates, and wind-erodible fraction (WEF), (ii) correlated these properties with soil organic C (SOC) and particulate organic matter (POM), and (iii) simulated soil loss using the Single-event Wind Erosion Evaluation Program (SWEEP) model after 7 and 8 yr of irrigated no-till corn residue management in a semiarid region in west-central Nebraska. residue treatments were: control (no residue removal), light grazing (2.5 animal unit months [AUM] ha −1 ), heavy grazing (5.0 AUM ha −1 ), and baling. We simulated soil loss for a 3-h windstorm with a wind velocity of 13 m s −1 . Soil properties differed in spring but not in fall. Baling reduced 6.3-to 45-mm macroaggregates by 37% and GMD by 80% and increased WEF by 25% relative to the control. light and heavy grazing, after 8 yr, significantly reduced 6.3-to 14-mm macroaggregates 43% compared with the control and tended to reduce GMD and increase WEF, although not statistically significant. As residue cover decreased, GMD decreased and WEF increased. residue removal did not reduce SOC and POM concentrations, but soil erodibility decreased as POM increased. Simulation showed that soil erodibility increased as residue cover decreased in spring, and baling increased the wind erosion potential. Overall, residue baling increases the wind erosion potential but residue grazing has smaller effects in this semiarid environment.Abbreviations: AUM, animal unit month; GMD, geometric mean diameter of dry aggregates; GSD, geometric standard deviation; SOC, soil organic carbon; POM, particulate organic matter; WEF, wind-erodible fraction. C orn residues provide numerous services for crop and livestock production, biofuel production, protection of soil, and environmental quality. For example, corn residues are considered an inexpensive cattle feed source in times when the availability of forage is limited. Residues are grazed by livestock, baled as animal feed, and mixed with ethanol co-products (i.e., distillers grains) for cattle feed. Corn residues are also potential feedstocks for the production of secondgeneration biofuels. The long-term impacts of grazing and baling of corn residues on soil services have not yet been fully investigated (Nelson et al., 2015).One of the services that should be further considered prior to residue removal is wind erosion control. Particularly in semiarid regions such as the central Great Plains, the presence of abundant crop residue cover is essential for controlling wind erosion. Recent estimates have shown that removal of corn residues at rates as low as 10 to 30% could increase the risks of wind erosion in semiarid regions, depending on the amount of residue produced (Miner et al., 2013 Core Ideas• Corn residue baling incre...

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Section: Geometric Mean Diameter and Wind-erodible Fractionsupporting

confidence: 85%

“…Recent studies have evaluated changes in WEF under mechanical removal of corn residues (Osborne et al, 2014;Jin et al, 2015). However, information on the effects of residue grazing on the wind erosion potential is extremely limited.…”

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confidence: 99%

Impacts of Corn Residue Grazing and Baling on Wind Erosion Potential in a Semiarid Environment

Blanco‐Canqui

Tatarko²,

Stalker³

et al. 2016

Soil Science Soc of Amer J

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“…Based on REAP stover removal sites, estimated minimum stover retention rates of 6.4 ± 2.2 Mg stover ha −1 year −1 are required to maintain SOC, but residue retention rates should be considered site and management specific [79]. Reduced particulate organic matter stocks, an early indicator of management effects impacts, have been reported on stover removal sites [80] even when SOC stocks have increased over time [64]. A universal, stover harvest amount recommendation is not possible since management, landscape, and soil type influences stover retention requirements at the field level.…”

Section: Corn Stover Removalmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Stover removal decreased, increased, or did not affect the ratio of soil fungi to bacteria, with variability in responses attributed to differences in specific site characteristics (i.e., soils, management history) and climate [102]. Stover removal, however, consistently degraded soil physical quality at all sites, resulting in decreased soil stocks of particulate organic matter, break down of larger soil aggregates, and increased erosion potential [64,80]. Companion management practices that enhanced system biomass inputs (e.g., increased fertilizer N rates, cover crop use) tended to ameliorate negative soil impacts of stover removal.…”

Section: System Sustainability and Climate Change Mitigation Potentialmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dedicated Energy Crops and Crop Residues for Bioenergy Feedstocks in the Central and Eastern USA

Mitchell¹,

et al. 2016

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Dedicated energy crops and crop residues will meet herbaceous feedstock demands for the new bioeconomy in the Central and Eastern USA. Perennial warm-season grasses and corn stover are well-suited to the eastern half of the USA and provide opportunities for expanding agricultural operations in the region. A suite of warm-season grasses and associated management practices have been developed by researchers from the Agricultural Research Service of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and collaborators associated with USDA Regional Biomass Research Centers. Second generation biofuel feedstocks provide an opportunity to increase the production of transportation fuels from recently fixed plant carbon rather than from fossil fuels. Although there is no "one-size-fitsall" bioenergy feedstock, crop residues like corn (Zea mays L.) stover are the most readily available bioenergy feedstocks. However, on marginally productive cropland, perennial grasses provide a feedstock supply while enhancing ecosystem services. Twenty-five years of research has demonstrated that perennial grasses like switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) are profitable and environmentally sustainable on marginally productive cropland in the western Corn Belt and Southeastern USA.

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“…A major concern associated with harvesting crop residues as bioenergy feedstock is potential negative impact of biomass removal on overall soil quality and long-term productivity due to a decrease in C inputs to soil [17][18][19]. Incorporating cover crops in a crop rotation is a prospective management strategy to offset potential negative consequences from residue harvest [20].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Distribution of Structural Carbohydrates in Corn Plants Across the Southeastern USA

et al. 2014

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Quantifying lignin and carbohydrate composition of corn (Zea mays L.) is important to support the emerging cellulosic biofuels industry. Therefore, field studies with 0 or 100 % stover removal were established in Alabama and South Carolina as part of the Sun Grant Regional Partnership Corn Stover Project. In Alabama, cereal rye (Secale cereale L.) was also included as an additional experimental factor, serving as a winter cover crop. Plots were located on major soil types representative of their respective states: Compass and Decatur soils in Alabama and a Coxville/Rains-Goldsboro-Lynchburg soil association in South Carolina. Lignin and structural carbohydrate concentrations in the whole (above-ground) plant, cobs, vegetation excluding cobs above the primary ear (top), vegetation below the primary ear (bottom), and vegetation from above the primary ear including cobs (above-ear fraction) were determined using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). The distribution of lignin, ash, and structural carbohydrates varied among plant fractions, but neither inclusion of a rye cover crop nor the stover harvest treatments consistently affected carbohydrate concentrations within locations. Total precipitation and average air temperature during the growing season were strongly correlated with stover composition indicating that weather conditions may have multiple effects on potential biofuel production (i.e., not only yield but also stover quality). When compared to the above-ear fractions, bottom plant partitions contained greater lignin concentrations. Holocellulose concentration was consistently greater in the above-ear fractions at all three locations. Data from this study suggests that the above-ear plant portions have the most desirable characteristics for cellulosic ethanol production via fermentation in the southeastern USA.

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The Impact of Corn Residue Removal on Soil Aggregates and Particulate Organic Matter

Cited by 57 publications

References 23 publications

Impacts of Corn Residue Grazing and Baling on Wind Erosion Potential in a Semiarid Environment

Impacts of Corn Residue Grazing and Baling on Wind Erosion Potential in a Semiarid Environment

Dedicated Energy Crops and Crop Residues for Bioenergy Feedstocks in the Central and Eastern USA

Distribution of Structural Carbohydrates in Corn Plants Across the Southeastern USA

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