Impacts of corn residue grazing and baling on wind erosion potential in a semiarid environment

Authors: BLANCO-CANQUI, HUMBERTO - University Of Nebraska; Tatarko, John; STALKER, AARON - University Of Nebraska; SHAVER, TIM - University Of Nebraska; VAN DONK, SIMON - Iteris, Inc

Submitted to: Soil Science Society of America Journal
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/9/2016
Publication Date: 8/19/2016
Citation: Blanco-Canqui, H., Tatarko, J., Stalker, A.L., Shaver, T.M., Van Donk, S.J. 2016. Impacts of corn residue grazing and baling on wind erosion potential in a semiarid environment. Soil Science Society of America Journal. 80:1027-1037.

Interpretive Summary: Implications grazing and baling of corn residue (stalks) on wind erosion in integrated crop-livestock systems are not well understood. We studied: 1) soil properties affecting wind erosion potential including dry aggregate-size distribution, geometric mean diameter (GMDA), geometric standard deviation (GSDA) of dry aggregates, and wind erodible fraction (WEF), 2) correlated these properties with soil organic carbon (SOC) and particulate organic matter (POM), and 3) simulated soil loss using the Single-event Wind Erosion Evaluation Program after 7 and 8 years of irrigated no-till corn residue management in western central Nebraska. Treatments were: control (no residue removal), light residue grazing, heavy residue grazing, and residue baling. We simulated soil loss for a windstorm with 13 m s-1 wind speed for 3 hours. Soil properties differed in spring but not in fall. Baling reduced large size (6.3-45 mm) aggregates by 37% and GMDA by 80%; and increased WEF by 25% compared to the control. Grazing, after 8 years, significantly reduced medium size (6.3-14 mm) aggregates by 45%, and also tended to reduce GMDA and increase WEF although not statistically significant. As residue cover decreased, the GMDA decreased and WEF increased. Residue removal did not reduce SOC and POM concentrations, but soil erodibility decreased as POM increased. Simulated soil loss showed that soil erodibility increases when less residue is present over winter and that baling increases wind erosion risks if residue cover <30%. Overall, residue baling increases wind erosion potential but grazing has smaller effects in this semiarid environment.

Technical Abstract: Implications of corn (Zea mays L.) residue grazing and baling on wind erosion in integrated crop-livestock systems are not well understood. We studied: 1) soil properties affecting wind erosion potential including dry aggregate-size distribution, geometric mean diameter (GMDA), geometric standard deviation (GSDA) of dry aggregates, and wind erodible fraction (WEF), 2) correlated these properties with soil organic C (SOC) and particulate organic matter (POM), and 3) simulated soil loss using the Single-event Wind Erosion Evaluation Program (SWEEP) after 7 and 8 yr of irrigated no-till corn residue management in western central Nebraska. Treatments were: control (no residue removal), light residue grazing [2.5 animal unit month (AUM) ha-1], heavy residue grazing (5.0 AUM ha-1), and residue baling. We simulated soil loss for a windstorm with 13 m s-1 velocity for 3 h. Soil properties differed in spring but not in fall. Baling reduced 6.3-45 mm macroaggregates by 37% and GMDA by 80%; and increased WEF by 25% relative to control. Grazing, after 8 yr, significantly reduced 6.3-14 mm macroaggregates by 45%, and also tended to reduce GMDA and increase WEF although not statistically significant. As residue cover decreased, the GMDA decreased and WEF increased. Residue removal did not reduce SOC and POM concentrations, but soil erodibility decreased as POM increased. Simulated soil loss showed that soil erodibility increases when less residue is present over winter and that baling increases wind erosion risks if residue cover <30%. Overall, residue baling increases wind erosion potential but grazing has smaller effects in this semiarid environment.