Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

See attached Copy of Minutes file below for NC1178's June 2014 annual report.

An experiment in south-central Wisconsin assesses the impact of corn stover harvest and switchgrass biomass on water runoff, soil erosion, crop productivity, and soil quality parameters (e.g. soil organic carbon, infiltration, aggregate stability, nutrient content, etc.) on sloping land. Corn grain yields in 2012 varied between systems, but in general harvesting stover reduced yields. This trend was more marked in 2013. Corn stover production followed similar patterns to that of grain yield in 2012 and 2013, with stover harvest reducing biomass yields. Biomass production with switchgrass was greater than corn during both growing seasons. A severe drought during the 2012 growing season affected most of the Midwest, which impacted runoff production and crop yields at the study site. However, water runoff data shows a trend of greater runoff during the growing season when corn stover is harvested (Fig.1). Stover harvest increased runoff volumes by 38% when compared to leaving the corn stover residue on the soil surface. In general, runoff from Switchgrass was lower than any of the corn systems. A less consistent trend in runoff was observed during the 2012/13 winter and spring months (Fig. 2). During that period, runoff volumes between the stover management treatments were similar. Runoff from Switchgrass plots was 17% lower relative to stover not harvested treatment. (WI) At the Michigan State University, Kellogg Biological Station (KBS) a long term, 8-treatement experiment corresponding to a biodiversity/management intensity gradient was established in 2014. Treatments include continuous corn, with and without cover crops; and a corn-soybean rotation (every entry point each year) with cover crops. Each treatment is replicated in 5 randomized complete blocks, with 30m x 40m plots. All treatments host a fertilizer split-plot treatment and include a corn stover removal split-plot. The plots are on well-drained, moderate-fertility, typic hapludalf soil. We will evaluate these cropping systems for sustainability attributes including: soil C change, greenhouse gas fluxes, water balance, yields, as well as other properties needed to parameterize and test EPIC (our terrestrial ecosystem model) and evaluate C and water balances. (MI) In South Dakota an experiment is being conducted on a silty clay loam soil. The treatments include three different residue removal rates: low residue removal (LRR), medium residue removal (MRR), and high residue removal (HRR), and cover crop and no cover crop. Data from this study show that in general crop residue removal significantly impacted the soil properties, however, little differences were observed between cover crops and no cover crops. Corn residue removal and cover crop impacted soil properties such as SOC, microbial activity, water stable aggregates (WSA), and wettability of the soil for the 0-5 and 5-15 cm depths. Results from this study concluded that removal of high residue lead to SOC decomposition and affect soil properties and soil quality, therefore, maintaining LRR and using the cover crop can improve the soil quality. However, a long-term study needed to assess the impacts of cover crop and residue removal on soil quality. (SD) Two experiments are in progress in Nebraska. Light grazing, heavy grazing, and baling of corn stover in an irrigated no-till continuous corn for 5 yr in west central Nebraska had some mixed effects. Overall, after 5 years, corn residue grazing and baling appear to have little or no adverse effects on soil compaction, aggregation, or C and N cycling. Grazing residues had no effects on soil organic C concentration and corn yields. In the second experiment, the use of cover crops to offset crop residue removal, the residue removal (63%) from plots with cover crop or manure increased wind erosion potential compared with plots without removal, indicating that cover crops and manure did not offset stover removal effects. Overall, in the short term, cover crop or manure may not provide sufficient soil protection from wind erosion. (NE) Over a 5-year period, no-till showed the highest SOC levels while conventional tillage had the lowest SOC. Preliminary findings show that residue removal as well as soil disturbance from tillage increases the potential for net carbon dioxide emission to the atmosphere from disturbed agricultural fields hence provide conditions for reduces soil organic carbon content and overall reduction of carbon sequestration potential on these soils. (GU) After four years of corn residue removal in poorly and well-drained soil sites in Iowa, there were no significant decreases in grain yield. In addition, there were no significant decreases in total soil organic carbon (SOC) concentrations compared to baseline year. However, potential decreases in SOC sequestration were observed when residue was removed. Significant short term effects of residue removal on soil physical properties were observed. Increases of bulk density were observed with 100% residue removal regardless of tillage and increased N fertilization rate. Furthermore, decreases in soil aggregation were observed with residue removal, regardless of tillage and increased N fertilization rate. Subsequently, soil water infiltration rates were significantly reduced in the well-drained soil site. In general, the adoption of no-till over chisel plow and increased rates of N fertilization did offset some of the negative impacts of residue removal, but potential losses of SOC sequestration and deterioration of soil physical properties were still observed. (IA) Studies on long-term (25 year) tillage plots showed that cover crops did not affect corn or soybean plant populations over a 6 year period. Effects of combining cover crops with residue removal over 3 cropping years on corn and soybean yields were mixed and appear to be more related to tillage practice. (IL) Three North Dakota sites have been established to evaluate the effects of biomass removal on changes in soil organic C and soil properties in different cropping systems. For continuous corn, the wind erodible fraction (<0.84mm) increased with increased, and the field-moist water stable aggregate fraction and water infiltration decreased with increasing residue removal.For the corn phase of a corn-soybean rotation water infiltration rate decreased with increased residue removal, while for the soybean phase the air-dry water stable aggregates decreased with increased residue removal. (ND) Site-specific trends in corn grain yields were observed with regards to residue retention among three different sites in Ohio. The optimal residue retention was 75% at Coshocton corresponding with grain yield of 13.4 Mg/ha. In contrast, the grain yield had a declining trend with increase in residue retention at South Charleston and Hoytville. Corn grain yield declined linearly with increase in the rate of residue retention. With differential input of biomass-C, SOC concentration in the surface layers (0-5 cm and 5-10 cm) increased with increase in the rate of residue retention. The SOC concentration increased from 1.3% for 0% residue retention to 3.1% for 200% residue retention treatment for 0-5 cm, and 1.1% for 0% residue retention to 1.9% for 200% retention for 5-10 cm depth. The SOC concentration was expectedly unaffected by the residue retention treatments below 10-cm depth. (OH) Residue removal plots in eastern KS (Ottawa, rainfed) and western KS (Colby, irrigated) began in 2009 and are still in place as of 2014. Research was conducted at Hugoton under irrigation 2009-2011. After five years of corn residue removal at the Ottawa site in eastern Kansas, there were no decreases in yield with residue removal. At the irrigated Hugoton site, in three years there were no differences in yield with respect to residue removal levels. The Colby site, also irrigated, there were increased yields four out of five years when residue was removed at some level. (KS) Outputs: 10 refereed journal articles, 3 peer-reviewed extension publications, and 3 conference presentations directly related to residue management authored by the members of this committee published October 1, 2013 to September 30, 2014.

Peer-reviewed published manuscripts, including book chapters (10): Baumhardt, R.L. and H. Blanco-Canqui. 2013. Soil conservation practices. Encyclopedia of Agriculture and Food Systems (AGRI). Elsevier Inc. (in press). Blanco-Canqui, H., R.B. Ferguson, V.L. Jin, M.R. Schmer, B.J. Wienhold, and J. Tatarko. 2014. Can cover crop and manure maintain soil properties after stover removal from irrigated no-till corn? Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. (in press). Blanco-Canqui, H., C.A. Shapiro, C.S. Wortmann, R.A. Drijber, M. Mamo, T.M. Shaver, and R.B. Ferguson. 2013. Soil organic carbon: The value to soil properties. J. Soil Water Conserv. 68:129A-134A. Kahlon, M.S., R. Lal, M. Ann Varughese. 2013. Twenty-two years of tillage and mulching impacts on soil physical characteristics and carbon sequestration in Central Ohio. Soil & Tillage Res. 126:151-153. Lal, R. 2013. Soil carbon management and climate change. Carbon Management, 4:4, 439-462. Lal, R. 2013. Enhancing ecosystem services with no-till. Renewable Agric. & Food Syst. 28:2, 102-114. Liska, A.J., H. Yang, M. Milner, S. Goddard, H. Blanco-Canqui, M.P. Pelton et al. 2014. Biofuels from crop residue can reduce soil carbon and increase CO2 emissions. Nature Climate Change. 4:398–401. Olson, K.R, M.M Al-Kaisi., R. Lal and B. Lowery. 2014. Experimental consideration, treatments, and methods in determining soil organic carbon sequestration rates. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 2014. 78. http://doi:10.2136/sssaj2013.09.0412. (Note: This was based on research by the NC-1178 committee, and all authors are long-standing members of the committee). Osborne, S. L., Johnson, J. M. F., Jin, V. L., Hammerbeck, A. L., Varvel, G. E., and Schumacher, T. E. (2014). The impact of corn residue removal on soil aggregates and particulate organic matter. BioEnergy Research, 1-9. Palm, C., H. Blanco-Canqui, F. DeClerck, L. Gatere, and P. Grace. 2014. Conservation agriculture and ecosystem services: An overview. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment. 187:87-105. Peer-reviewed Extension publications (3): Al-Kaisi, M. and J. Guzman. 2014. Managing crop residue removal and soil quality. Iowa State University Extension PM3052A. Ames, IA. Al-Kaisi, M. and J. Guzman. 2014. Managing crop residue removal and soil organic matter. Iowa State University Extension PM3052B. Ames, IA. Presley, D.R., and C.R. Boyer. 2014. Crop Residues: Abundance and Considerations for Alternative Uses. Kansas State University Research and Extension. Manhattan, KS. http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/bookstore/pubs/MF3165.pdf Conference presentations (3): Cartier, J., and F.J. Arriaga. Runoff from corn and Switchgrass production fields grown as cellulosic bioenergy feedstocks. Wisconsin Section of the American Water Resources Association 37th Annual Meeting, March 7-8, 2013, Brookfield, WI. Dungait J, Beniston J, Lal R, Horrocks C, Collins A, Mariappen S, Quine T. 2014. Novel approaches to understanding carbon redistribution at multiple scales. European Geophysical Union. Vienna, Austria. Beniston J, Dungait J, Shipitalo M, Lal R, Jones FS, Dayton EA. 2012. Soil erosion and macronutrient fluxes under simulated rainfall: The effects of tillage and crop residue removal. Soil Science Society of America Annual Meeting. Cincinnati, OH