SAES-422 Multistate Research Activity Accomplishments Report
Sections
Status: Approved
Basic Information
- Project No. and Title: NC_old1178 : Impacts of Crop Residue Removal for Biofuel on Soils
- Period Covered: 10/01/2015 to 09/30/2016
- Date of Report: 10/11/2016
- Annual Meeting Dates: 06/27/2016 to 06/28/2016
Participants
Accomplishments
Results from these projects have been used with frequency in extension presentations in several member states. The work conducted by the members of this regional project has helped bring attention to the importance of soil health on crop productivity and the role of soil organic carbon. For example, multiple locations have been able to collected long-term data to determine the impact of corn stover harvest and tillage practices on soil properties (i.e. intensification in agricultural practices). Results generally show a decrease in soil health parameters with increasing corn stover harvest and with an increase in tillage intensity in the long-term, but this is not the case at every study site and years. Short-term, however, there is a lower tendency to detect changes in soil properties. Further, environmental impacts of these practices have also been quantified by several regional project members. Differences crop productivity vary between sites, years and studied management systems, which seems to indicate weather variability plays a significant role in productivity and also in the magnitude soil properties are affected by certain practices. Moreover, intensification of management practices sometimes resulted in greater yields. The complexity of these systems highlights the need for more research.
Impacts
- A total of 12 peer-reviewed journal publications, 2 book chapter, 5 presentations at professional conferences, 26 presentations at workshops/field days, and 4 popular press articles from data collected from projects associated with this regional project. In addition, 2 M.S. and 2 Ph.D. students working on these projects completed their degrees during this reporting period. Other graduate students are actively working and training on these projects. We estimate the total audience of oral presentations, including scientific and extension/outreach, that has benefited from data generated from projects associated with NC-1178 this reporting period to be approximately 4,000+ scientists, farmers, agricultural professionals and county/state/federal agency personnel. Although difficult to quantify, we feel these efforts have created changes in farmer behavior, as well as changing recommendations made to farmers by practicing professions (e.g. crop consultants and agency personnel).