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Multilocation Corn Stover Harvest Effects on Crop Yields and Nutrient Removal

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Abstract

Corn (Zea mays L.) stover was identified as an important feedstock for cellulosic bioenergy production because of the extensive area upon which the crop is already grown. This report summarizes 239 site-years of field research examining effects of zero, moderate, and high stover removal rates at 36 sites in seven different states. Grain and stover yields from all sites as well as N, P, and K removal from 28 sites are summarized for nine longitude and six latitude bands, two tillage practices (conventional vs no tillage), two stover-harvest methods (machine vs calculated), and two crop rotations {continuous corn (maize) vs corn/soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.]}. Mean grain yields ranged from 5.0 to 12.0 Mg ha−1 (80 to 192 bu ac−1). Harvesting an average of 3.9 or 7.2 Mg ha−1 (1.7 or 3.2 tons ac−1) of the corn stover resulted in a slight increase in grain yield at 57 and 51 % of the sites, respectively. Average no-till grain yields were significantly lower than with conventional tillage when stover was not harvested, but not when it was collected. Plant samples collected between physiological maturity and combine harvest showed that compared to not harvesting stover, N, P, and K removal was increased by 24, 2.7, and 31 kg ha−1, respectively, with moderate (3.9 Mg ha−1) harvest and by 47, 5.5, and 62 kg ha−1, respectively, with high (7.2 Mg ha−1) removal. This data will be useful for verifying simulation models and available corn stover feedstock projections, but is too variable for planning site-specific stover harvest.

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  1. Mention of a trademark or proprietary product is for information only and does not represent an endorsement by the USDA Agricultural Research Service, Department of Energy, or any university partner associated with this project.

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Acknowledgement

The U.S. Department of Agriculture offers its programs to all eligible persons regardless of race, color, age, sex, or national origin and is an equal-opportunity employer. This research was funded by the USDA-Agricultural Research Service as part of the USDA-ARS Resilient Economic Agricultural Practices (REAP) project with additional funds from the North Central Regional Sun Grant Center at South Dakota State University through a grant provided by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)—Office of Biomass Programs [now known as the Bioenergy Technology Office (BETO)] under award number DE-FC36-05GO85041.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. USDA-Agricultural Research Service (ARS) National Laboratory for Agriculture and the Environment (NLAE), 2110 University Boulevard, Ames, IA, 50011, USA

    Douglas L. Karlen

  2. Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Iowa State University, 208 Davidson Hall, Ames, IA, 50011, USA

    Stuart J. Birrell

  3. USDA-ARS-North Central Soil Conservation Research Laboratory (NCSCRL), 803 Iowa Ave., Morris, MN, 56267, USA

    Jane M. F. Johnson

  4. USDA-ARS-North Central Agricultural Research Laboratory (NCARL), 2923 Medary Ave., Brookings, SD, 57006, USA

    Shannon L. Osborne

  5. Plant Science Department, South Dakota State University, Plant Science-Box 2140C, Brookings, SD, 57006, USA

    Thomas E. Schumacher

  6. USDA-ARS-Agroecosystem Management Research Unit (AMRU), 117 Keim Hall, Lincoln, NE, 68583-0938, USA

    Gary E. Varvel

  7. Department of Agronomy, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, 367 Keim Hall, Lincoln, NE, 68583, USA

    Richard B. Ferguson

  8. USDA-ARS-Costal Plains Soil, Water, & Plant Research Center (CPSWPRC), 2611 West Lucas St., Florence, SC, 29501, USA

    Jeff M. Novak

  9. Clemson University Pee Dee Research & Education Center (PDREC), 2200 Pocket Road, Florence, SC, 29501, USA

    James R. Fredrick

  10. USDA-ARS, Soil and Water Management Research Unit, 439 Borlaug Hall 1991 Upper Buford Circle, St. Paul, MN, 55108, USA

    John M. Baker

  11. Department of Soil, Water and Climate, University of Minnesota, S229 Soils Building, 1529 Gortner Avenue, St. Paul, MN, 55108, USA

    John A. Lamb

  12. USDA-ARS-Pasture Systems & Watershed Management Research Unit (PSWMRU), Building 3702 Curtin Road, University Park, PA, 16802, USA

    Paul R. Adler

  13. Department of Plant Science, Pennsylvania State University, 407 Agricultural Sciences and Industries Building, University Park, PA, 16802, USA

    Greg W. Roth

  14. Crop Science Department, University of Illinois, W-301 Turner Hall, 1102 S. Goodwin, Urbana, IL, 61820, USA

    Emerson D. Nafziger

Authors
  1. Douglas L. Karlen
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  2. Stuart J. Birrell
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  3. Jane M. F. Johnson
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  4. Shannon L. Osborne
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  5. Thomas E. Schumacher
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  6. Gary E. Varvel
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  7. Richard B. Ferguson
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  8. Jeff M. Novak
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  9. James R. Fredrick
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  10. John M. Baker
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  11. John A. Lamb
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  12. Paul R. Adler
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  13. Greg W. Roth
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  14. Emerson D. Nafziger
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Douglas L. Karlen.

Appendix

Appendix

Table 8 Soil classification (see Table 1 for soil management and other information associated with each experimental site) information for Sun Grant Corn Stover Regional Partnership sites
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Karlen, D.L., Birrell, S.J., Johnson, J.M.F. et al. Multilocation Corn Stover Harvest Effects on Crop Yields and Nutrient Removal. Bioenerg. Res. 7, 528–539 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12155-014-9419-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12155-014-9419-7

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