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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Auburn, Alabama » Soil Dynamics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #309171
Title: Vertical distribution of corn biomass as influenced by cover crop and stover harvest

Author
item MOURTZINIS, SPYRIDON - University Of Wisconsin
item ARRIAGA, FRANCISCO - University Of Wisconsin
item Balkcom, Kipling
item Price, Andrew

Submitted to: Agronomy Journal
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/31/2014
Publication Date: 1/15/2015
Publication URL: http://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/62829
Citation: Mourtzinis, S., Arriaga, F., Balkcom, K.S., Price, A.J. 2015. Vertical distribution of corn biomass as influenced by cover crop and stover harvest. Agronomy Journal. 107:232-240.

Interpretive Summary: Corn grain production is important given its many uses for human food, animal feed and other industrial products, but the abundance and potentially large biomass yield also makes corn an attractive bioenergy feedstock. ARS researchers at the National Soil Dynamics Laboratory in Auburn, AL in cooperation with scientists from Auburn University conducted experiments to evaluate the effect of in-season weather conditions, rye as a winter cover crop, and corn residue harvest on grain yield and biomass distribution across a loamy sand and silt loam soil types. Grain yield ranged from 5,328-9,251 kg ha-1 for the loamy sand and 5,404-7,733 kg ha-1 for the silt loam. Total stover dry weight ranged from 3,486-5,482 kg ha-1 and 3,732-6,706 kg ha-1 for the same soils. In central Alabama, the 3-yr use of a rye cover crop increased corn biomass yields compared to rye removal while there was no difference compared to plots without a rye cover crop. However, the 3-yr corn residue management effect was not significant at any location. These results indicate that harvesting the above-ear corn plant fraction could be an attractive option for partial biomass harvesting in southeastern US.

Technical Abstract: Corn (Zea mays L.) production for grain is important given its many uses for human food, animal feed and other industrial products. Additionally, the abundance and potentially large biomass yield makes corn an attractive bioenergy feedstock. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of in-season weather conditions, rye (Secale cereale L.) as a winter cover crop, and corn residue harvest on grain yield and biomass distribution across two soil types. Grain, as well as, total and partial stover yields (below the ear, above the ear excluding cobs, cobs alone, and above the ear including top and cobs) were measured from 2009-2011 at two sites with different soil types: loamy sand and silt loam, in central and north Alabama, respectively. Grain yield ranged from 5,328-9,251 kg ha-1 for the loamy sand and 5,404-7,733 kg ha-1 for the silt loam. Total stover dry weight ranged from 3,486-5,482 kg ha-1 and 3,732-6,706 kg ha-1 for the same soils. Significant differences in grain and biomass yields were observed among individual years and locations. Grain yields were positively correlated with seasonal cumulative precipitation and negatively with seasonal average temperature at both locations. In central Alabama, the 3-yr use of a rye cover crop increased corn biomass yields compared to rye removal while there was no difference compared to plots without a rye cover crop. The 3-yr corn residue management effect was not significant at any location. Based on this study, harvesting the above-ear corn plant fraction could be an attractive option for partial biomass harvesting in southeastern US.