| Oakes Irrigation Research Site |
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| Carrington Research Extension Center
* North Dakota State University |
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| P.O. Box 531, Oakes, ND 58474-0531, Phone:
(701) 742-2744, FAX: (701) 742-2700, E-mail: |
Kelly.c.Cooper@ndsu.edu |
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| Optimum Corn
Stover Removal for Biofuels and the Environment |
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| K. Cooper, L.
Besemann and H. Eslinger |
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| The 2007 U.S.
energy bill calls for 36 billion gallons of ethanol to be produced by
2020. In 2007 the U.S. produced 6.5
billion gallons of ethanol. If corn
grain was able to supply 15 billion gallons of ethanol, 21 billion gallons of
ethanol would have to come from cellulosic material (biomass) to meet the
2020 mandate. The production of 21 billion gallons of cellulosic ethanol will
require 350 million tons of dry biomass.
Presently, perennial grasses and corn stover are the most
available. About 194 million tons of
biomass is produced in U.S. production agriculture annually, with 75 million
tons coming from corn stover.
Therefore corn stover is being looked at to play a major role in
cellulosic ethanol production. |
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| Before we commit
ourselves to using corn stover for fuel we need to study the environmental
and economic consequences of this action.
What effect will stover removal have on soil organic matter, soil
erosion and ultimately sustainability of the land resource? |
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| The objective of
this study is to determine what rates of stover removal within different
cropping systems are conducive to maintaining and possibly improving the
productive capacity of the land while providing a renewable energy
source. |
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| MATERIALS AND
METHODS |
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| Rotations: |
Block I: 2017 - field corn, 2016 - field corn, 2015 – field
corn, 2014 - field corn, 2013 - field corn, 2012 - field corn, 2011 - field
corn, 2010 - field corn, 2009 field
corn, 2008 – field corn, 2007 - field corn. |
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| Block II: 2017 - field corn, 2016 - soybean, 2015
– field corn, 2014 - soybean, 2013 - field corn, 2012 - soybean, 2011 - field
corn, 2010 soybean, 2009 field corn, 2008 - soybean, 2007 - field
corn. |
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| Block III: 2017 - soybean, 2016- field corn, 2015
– soybean, 2014 - field corn, 2013 - soybean, 2012 - field corn, 2011 -
soybean, 2010 field corn, 2009 -
soybean, 2008 - field corn, 2007 - onion. |
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| Soil: |
Embden sandy
loam, Hecla sandy loam and Maddock sandy loam. |
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| Block I: pH = 6.7; 3.1% organic matter; soil N 32 lbs/acre;
soil P was very high; soil K was medium; soil S was very low. |
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| Block II: pH = 6.6; 2.9% organic matter; soil N 20 lbs/acre;
soil P was very high: soil K was high; soil S was very low. |
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| Block III: pH = 7.0; 1.9% organic matter; soil N 21 lbs/acre;
soil P was very high: soil K was high; soil S was low. |
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| Seedbed preparation: |
Strip-till
May 5 with an Orthman strip-till machine. |
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| Hybrid: |
Corn:
Pioneer 9929 AMXT. |
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| Variety: |
Soybean:
Pioneer P11T22R2. |
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| Planting: |
Block
I: Corn, May 9 in 30-inch rows @
33,000 seeds/acre. |
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| Block II: Corn, May 9 in 30-inch rows @ 33,000
seeds/acre. |
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| Block III: Soybean, May
10 in 30-inch rows @ 158,200 seeds/acre. |
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| Fertilizer: |
Block I: Stream-bar 12
lbs N/acre and 40 lbs P2O5/acre as 10-34-0; 15 lbs N/acre and 20 lbs S/acre as 15-0-0-20
May 22. Stream-bar 65 lbs N/acre as
28-0-0 May 23. Sidedress 134 lbs
N/acre as 28-0-0 June 15. |
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| Block II:
Stream-bar 12 lbs N/acre and 40 lbs P2O5/acre as 10-34-0; 15 lbs N/acre and 20 lbs S/acre as 15-0-0-20
May 22. Stream-bar 65 lbs N/acre as
28-0-0 May 23. Sidedress 134 lbs
N/acre as 28-0-0 June 15. |
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| Block III:
Stream-bar 12 lbs N/acre and 40 lbs P2O5/acre as 10-34-0 May 22. |
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| Irrigation: |
Overhead
sprinkler irrigation as needed. |
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| Pest control: |
Block I: Roundup (32
oz/acre) + AMS (10 lb/100 gal.) + Laudis (3 oz/acre) + Attrex 9 0 (0.5 lb
ai/acre) May 26. |
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| Block II:
Roundup (32 oz/acre) + AMS (10 lb/100 gal.) + Laudis (3 oz/acre) +
Attrex 9 0 (0.5 lb ai/acre) May 26. |
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| Block III:
Authority (19 oz/acre) + Interlock (6 oz/acre) May 12; Roundup (32
oz/acre) + AMS (10 lb/100 gal) + NIS (1 pt/100 gal) + Interlock (4 oz/acre)
May 31 and Roundup (48 oz/acre) + NIS (1 pt/100 gal) + AMS (1 lb/10 gal) +
Interlock (4 oz/acre) July 14. |
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| Remote sensing: |
Remote
sensing was achieved with an Opti-Sciences CCM 200 Plus chlorophyll
meter |
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| Harvest: |
Block
I: Hand harvested 26 feet from rows 6
and 7 from each plot on October 30. |
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| Block II: Hand
harvested 26 feet from rows 6 and 7 from each plot on October 30. |
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| Block III: Harvested
four rows (two two-row passes) 107 ft in length September 29 with an Almaco
plot combine. |
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| RESULTS BLOCK I
(Corn/Corn) - 2017 |
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| Corn stover was removed at the 33, 67 and 100 percent removal
rates in block I (corn/corn rotation). Stover removal had no significant
effect on grain yield, moisture and test weight at the 95 percent confidence
level. Stover removal had no effect on chlorophyll readings (Opti-Science CCM
200), Normalized Difference Red Edge (NDRE) indice (Holland Crop Circle ACS
430) and stalk nitrate-N (Table 1) at the 95 percent confidence level. Longer
term data from 2009 to 2017 is presented in Table 2. The effect on revenue
for the higher yield of the 100 percent removal rate compared to the 0
percent removal rate when the cost of N, P and K are accounted for is shown
in Figure 1. |
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| RESULTS BLOCK II
(Corn/Soybean) - 2017 |
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| Stover removal rates of 33, 67, and 100 had no effect on grain
yield, moisture or test weight (Table 3). |
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| RESULTS BLOCK III
(Soybean/Corn) - 2017 |
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| The soybean yield was 60.6 bu/acre at 13.0% moisture with a test
weight of 58.1 lbs/bu. The soybeans
had some white mold present but looked good overall considering there were no
fungicide applications. |
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Figure 1.
The net return when the fertility cost leaving the field is subtracted
from the yield |
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advantage in 100 percent removal plots compared to
0 percent removal plots for corn on corn |
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2008 to 2016 (Mean) at the Oakes Irrigation
Research Site. |
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| Table 1. The
affect of corn stover removal from 0 to 100% on grain yield and other
agronomic parameters for corn on corn plots in 2017. |
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Grain |
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Stalk DM |
Chlorophyll |
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| Stover |
Grain |
Yield |
Harvest |
Test |
Stalk DM |
Removal |
Meter |
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Stalk |
Fall soil |
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| Removal |
Yield1 |
2009-17 |
Moisture |
Weight |
Removal2 |
2008-16 |
Reading3 |
Population |
Nitrate-N |
Nitrate-N |
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| % |
bu/ac |
bu/ac |
% |
lb/bu |
------ ton/ac ------ |
3-Aug |
plants/ac |
ppm |
lbs |
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| 0 |
261.0 |
220.7 |
17.9 |
56.7 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
59.1 |
34848 |
1299 |
26 |
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| 33 |
273.4 |
226.8 |
18.1 |
56.5 |
1.0 |
1.9 |
60.6 |
35494 |
813 |
32 |
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| 67 |
272.8 |
228.7 |
18.0 |
56.6 |
1.2 |
2.8 |
60.6 |
35171 |
587 |
16 |
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| 100 |
269.3 |
229.9 |
17.9 |
56.3 |
1.8 |
4.3 |
60.4 |
35413 |
800 |
29 |
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| Mean |
269.1 |
-- |
18.0 |
56.5 |
1.0 |
-- |
60.2 |
35231 |
875 |
26 |
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| C.V. (%) |
6.3 |
-- |
2.9 |
0.5 |
10.5 |
-- |
5.5 |
2.4 |
68.0 |
40.9 |
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| LSD 0.10 |
NS |
-- |
NS |
0.4 |
0.1 |
-- |
NS |
1094 |
NS |
15 |
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| LSD 0.05 |
NS |
-- |
NS |
NS |
0.2 |
-- |
NS |
1350 |
NS |
NS |
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| Table 1. The
affect of corn stover removal from 0 to 100% on grain yield and other
agronomic parameters for corn on corn plots in 2017 (continued). |
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| Stover |
Seed |
Emerge |
Silk |
Nutrients in stover2 |
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Nutrient Value |
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| Removal |
Oil |
Protein |
Starch |
Date |
Date |
N |
P |
K |
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20172 |
2008-2016 |
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--------------%---------------- |
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------------ lb/acre ------------ |
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------ $/ac
------ |
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| 0 |
3.1 |
8.8 |
72.7 |
25-May |
22-Jul |
0 |
0 |
0 |
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0 |
0 |
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| 33 |
3.0 |
8.6 |
73.0 |
25-May |
20-Jul |
9 |
0.6 |
8 |
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6 |
29 |
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| 67 |
3.0 |
8.5 |
73.1 |
25-May |
20-Jul |
12 |
0.6 |
8 |
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40 |
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| 100 |
2.8 |
8.6 |
73.5 |
25-May |
19-Jul |
18 |
1.1 |
10 |
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9 |
59 |
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| Mean |
3.0 |
8.6 |
73.1 |
25-May |
20-Jul |
10 |
0.6 |
7 |
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5 |
-- |
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3.8 |
2.0 |
0.3 |
0 |
0 |
15.8 |
19.7 |
48.8 |
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15.5 |
-- |
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| LSD 0.10 |
0.1 |
0.2 |
0.3 |
NS |
0.9 |
2 |
0.1 |
4 |
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-- |
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| LSD 0.05 |
0.2 |
0.3 |
0.4 |
NS |
1.1 |
3 |
0.2 |
5 |
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1 |
-- |
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| Planting date =
May 9; Harvest date = October 30; Previous crop = Field corn. |
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| Fertilizer Rate
lbs/acre = 226 N, 40 P2O5, 20 S; Irrigation = 14.0 inches. |
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| 1Yield adjusted to 15.5% moisture. |
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| 2Corn stover removed spring of 2017 from 2016 corn crop. |
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| 3Opti-Science CCM 200. |
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Table 2. Corn on Corn Stover Removal - NDSU Oakes
Irrigation Research Site 2009-2017. |
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Stover |
Grain |
Harvest |
Test |
Chlorophyll |
Reading |
Stalk |
Grain |
Silk |
Mature |
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Removal |
Yield |
Moisture |
Weight |
Reading |
NDRE1 |
Nitrate-N |
Protein |
Date |
Date2 |
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% |
bu/ac |
% |
lb/bu |
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ppm |
% |
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0 |
220.7 |
20.2 |
54.8 |
54.5 |
0.3545 |
2183 |
8.7 |
23-Jul |
29-Sep |
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33 |
226.8 |
19.7 |
55.2 |
55.7 |
0.3566 |
2369 |
8.6 |
21-Jul |
28-Sep |
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67 |
228.7 |
19.7 |
55.0 |
57.3 |
0.3570 |
2314 |
8.6 |
21-Jul |
27-Sep |
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100 |
229.9 |
19.3 |
55.2 |
56.6 |
0.3525 |
2474 |
8.6 |
20-Jul |
27-Sep |
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Mean |
226.5 |
19.7 |
55.0 |
56.0 |
0.3551 |
2335 |
8.6 |
21-Jul |
28-Sep |
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1Data only
available from 2010-2015. |
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2Maturity dates
from 2009-2014 |
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| Table 3. The
affect of corn stover removal from 0 to 100% on grain yield and other
agronomic parameters for corn on soybean plots 2017. |
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Grain |
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Chlorophyll |
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| Stover |
Grain |
Yield |
Harvest |
Test |
Meter |
Stalk |
Fall soil |
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Seed |
Emerge |
Silk |
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| Removal |
Yield1 |
2009-16 |
Moisture |
Weight |
Reading2 |
Nitrate-N |
Nitrate-N |
Population |
Oil |
Protein |
Starch |
Date |
Date |
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bu/ac |
bu/ac |
% |
lb/bu |
7-Aug |
ppm |
lbs |
plants/ac |
--------------%-------------- |
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| 0 |
288.5 |
237.4 |
18.7 |
56.7 |
54.3 |
868 |
53 |
36058 |
3.2 |
8.9 |
72.4 |
25-May |
19-Jul |
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| 33 |
305.0 |
233.8 |
18.2 |
56.4 |
58.4 |
697 |
62 |
35897 |
3.2 |
8.8 |
72.6 |
25-May |
18-Jul |
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| 67 |
271.4 |
230.6 |
18.4 |
56.6 |
58.7 |
764 |
59 |
35332 |
3.1 |
8.7 |
72.8 |
25-May |
19-Jul |
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| 100 |
275.3 |
233.7 |
18.2 |
56.5 |
59.6 |
572 |
59 |
35735 |
3.0 |
8.7 |
72.9 |
25-May |
19-Jul |
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| Mean |
285.0 |
-- |
18.4 |
56.5 |
57.8 |
725 |
58 |
35756 |
3.1 |
8.8 |
72.7 |
25-May |
19-Jul |
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| C.V. (%) |
9.1 |
-- |
1.5 |
0.6 |
4.9 |
40.3 |
58.3 |
3.2 |
3.3 |
1.1 |
0.2 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
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| LSD 0.10 |
NS |
-- |
0.4 |
NS |
3.7 |
NS |
NS |
NS |
0.13 |
0.13 |
0.19 |
NS |
NS |
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| LSD 0.05 |
NS |
-- |
0.5 |
NS |
4.5 |
NS |
NS |
NS |
0.16 |
0.16 |
0.24 |
NS |
NS |
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| Planting date =
May 9; Harvest date = October 30; Previous crop = Soybean. |
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| Fertilizer Rate
lbs/acre = 226 N, 40 P2O5, 20 S; Irrigation = 14.0 inches. |
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| 1Yield adjusted to 15.5% moisture. |
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| 2Opti-Science CCM 200. |
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| Oakes Irrigation
Research Site |
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Other corn Studies |
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| Variety
trials |
Crop
index |
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Home
page |
Report 2017 |
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Corn hybrid performance trial –
irrigated |
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Corn
hybrid performance trial – dryland |
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Strip-tilled
corn N rate; corn corn rotation |
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Strip-tilled
corn N rate; corn soybean rotation |
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