Harvesting cover crops for biofuel and livestock production: Another ecosystem service?. (17th May 2020)
- Record Type:
- Journal Article
- Title:
- Harvesting cover crops for biofuel and livestock production: Another ecosystem service?. (17th May 2020)
- Main Title:
- Harvesting cover crops for biofuel and livestock production: Another ecosystem service?
- Authors:
- Blanco‐Canqui, Humberto
Ruis, Sabrina J.
Proctor, Christopher A.
Creech, Cody F.
Drewnoski, Mary E.
Redfearn, Daren D. - Abstract:
- Abstract: Harvesting cover crops (CCs) for livestock and biofuel production can be an important ecosystem service from CCs, but this potential service has not been widely discussed. We reviewed the potential use of CCs for livestock or biofuel production, impacts of CC harvesting on soils and crops, the amount of harvestable CC biomass, and strategies to enhance CC biomass production. We searched literature in Web of Science using terms such as "cover crops, " "harvesting, " "soil properties, " and "crop yield, " among others, and found about 30 papers. The literature indicates that CC harvesting does not generally affect soil properties, crop yields, and weed suppression, although the studies are relatively few. Leaving 7.5‐10 cm of CC stubble after harvest could maintain soil ecosystem services. Cover crops produce 3.37 ± 2.96 Mg ha −1 (mean ± SD) of aboveground biomass and 1.33 ± 0.98 Mg ha −1 of belowground (root) biomass. Root biomass input, representing about 30% of the total CC biomass production, could be critical to the maintenance of soil services after CC harvest. The amount of harvestable biomass while maintaining soil services ranges from 1‐3 Mg ha −1 in semiarid regions and from 1‐6 Mg ha −1 in humid regions for high‐biomass‐producing CCs. Strategies to increase CC biomass production include planting CCs early and terminating late, adapting cropping systems by using earlier‐maturity group varieties, and using flexible cropping systems. Overall, CC harvestingAbstract: Harvesting cover crops (CCs) for livestock and biofuel production can be an important ecosystem service from CCs, but this potential service has not been widely discussed. We reviewed the potential use of CCs for livestock or biofuel production, impacts of CC harvesting on soils and crops, the amount of harvestable CC biomass, and strategies to enhance CC biomass production. We searched literature in Web of Science using terms such as "cover crops, " "harvesting, " "soil properties, " and "crop yield, " among others, and found about 30 papers. The literature indicates that CC harvesting does not generally affect soil properties, crop yields, and weed suppression, although the studies are relatively few. Leaving 7.5‐10 cm of CC stubble after harvest could maintain soil ecosystem services. Cover crops produce 3.37 ± 2.96 Mg ha −1 (mean ± SD) of aboveground biomass and 1.33 ± 0.98 Mg ha −1 of belowground (root) biomass. Root biomass input, representing about 30% of the total CC biomass production, could be critical to the maintenance of soil services after CC harvest. The amount of harvestable biomass while maintaining soil services ranges from 1‐3 Mg ha −1 in semiarid regions and from 1‐6 Mg ha −1 in humid regions for high‐biomass‐producing CCs. Strategies to increase CC biomass production include planting CCs early and terminating late, adapting cropping systems by using earlier‐maturity group varieties, and using flexible cropping systems. Overall, CC harvesting appears feasible, but additional research on CC management and harvesting effects on ecosystem services is needed before harvesting CCs at large scales. … (more)
- Is Part Of:
- Agronomy Journal. Volume 112:Number 4(2020)
- Journal:
- Agronomy Journal
- Issue:
- Volume 112:Number 4(2020)
- Issue Display:
- Volume 112, Issue 4 (2020)
- Year:
- 2020
- Volume:
- 112
- Issue:
- 4
- Issue Sort Value:
- 2020-0112-0004-0000
- Page Start:
- 2373
- Page End:
- 2400
- Publication Date:
- 2020-05-17
- Subjects:
- Agronomy -- Periodicals
630 - Journal URLs:
- http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/ ↗
- DOI:
- 10.1002/agj2.20165 ↗
- Languages:
- English
- ISSNs:
- 0002-1962
- Deposit Type:
- Legaldeposit
- View Content:
- Available online (eLD content is only available in our Reading Rooms) ↗
- Physical Locations:
- British Library DSC - BLDSS-3PM
British Library HMNTS - ELD Digital store - Ingest File:
- 23791.xml