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ARS Home » Plains Area » Sidney, Montana » Northern Plains Agricultural Research Laboratory » Agricultural Systems Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #410935
Research Project: Ecologically-Sound Pest, Water and Soil Management Practices for Northern Great Plains Cropping Systems

Location: Agricultural Systems Research

Title: Long-term continuous cropping reduces greenhouse gas emissions while sustaining crop yields

Author
item Sainju, Upendra
item Allen, Brett
item Jabro, Jalal - Jay

Submitted to: Journal of Environmental Quality
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/9/2024
Publication Date: 9/11/2024
Citation: Sainju, U.M., Allen, B.L., Jabro, J.D. 2024. Long-term continuous cropping reduces greenhouse gas emissions while sustaining crop yields. Journal of Environmental Quality. http://doi.org/10.1002/jeq2.20627.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/jeq2.20627

Interpretive Summary: Conventional till crop-fallow has been a traditional dryland cropping systems in the northern Great Plains. There is a lack of information about how the long-term conventional till crop-fallow system affects greenhouse gas emissions compared to no-till continuous cropping systems. Scientists at ARS, Sidney, MT studied the long-term effect of conventional till spring wheat-fallow, no-till continuous spring wheat, and a no-till spring wheat-pea rotation on greenhouse gas emissions from 2016 to 2018. They reported that no-till continuous spring wheat and the no-till spring wheat-pea reduced greenhouse gas emissions per unit area as well as per unit crop yield compared to conventional till spring wheat-fallow due to increased carbon sequestration. However, crop yields were lower for continuous spring wheat than for the spring wheat-pea rotation. They concluded that the no-till spring wheat-pea rotation can reduce greenhouse gas emissions while sustaining long-term crops yields in the northern Great Plains. Producers can enhance crop yields, increase C sequestration, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by adopting no-till legume-nonlegume rotations in dryland cropping systems in the northern Great Plains.

Technical Abstract: Information is needed on the effect of long-term cropping systems on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in dryland conditions. The effect of 34 years of dryland cropping system was examined on N2O and CH4 emissions, GHG balance (GHGB), crop yield, and yield-scaled GHG balance (YSGB) from 2016-2017 to 2017-2018 in the US northern Great Plains. Cropping systems were no-till continuous spring wheat (NTCW), no-till spring wheat-pea (NTWP), and conventional till spring wheat-fallow (CTWF). Gases were sampled twice a week to once a month throughout the year using a static chamber and flux determined. Soil C sequestration rate to a depth of 15 cm was determined from samples taken in 2012 and 2019. The N2O emissions occurred immediately after planting, fertilization, and intense rainfall from May to September in both years when the emissions was greater for NTCW and NTWP than CTWF. The CH4 emissions was minimal and mostly negative throughout the year. Carbon sequestration rate was greater for NTCW than NTWP and CTWF. As a result, GHGB was lower for NTCW than NTWP and CTWF. Crop yield was greater for NTWP than NTCW and CTWF in 2016-2017, but not different among cropping systems in 2017-2018. The YSGB was also lower for NTCW and CTWF in both years. Although NTCW reduced GHG emissions, increased infestation of weeds and pests and soil acidity reduced crop yield in this cropping system. Therefore, NTWP is recommended for reducing GHG emissions while sustaining long-term dryland crop yields in the northern Great Plains, USA.