Corn Stover Removal Effects on Irrigated Sandy Outwash Soils in North Dakota

Abstract

Recent interest in utilizing corn (Zea Mays L.) stover for cellulosic ethanol and supplements for distillers' grain in livestock rations has increased corn stover demand. A study was established to evaluate corn stover removal on selected soil properties in irrigated sandy outwash soils under no-tillage management including continuous corn and corn-soybean (glycine max) rotations. For continuous corn, increasing stover removal rates (0 to 100%) increased the wind erodible soil fraction (25.4 to 36.6%), decreased the field-moist water stable soil aggregates (58.78 to 48.3%) and water infiltration rates (22.4 to 8.6 cm/hr). Water infiltration rates decreased in the corn phase of the corn-soybean rotation (16.8 to 10.8 cm/hr) and air-dry water stable aggregates decreased in the soybean phase of the corn soybean rotation (88.1% to 77.7%) for 100% removal when compared to 0% removal. Longer-term evaluation of stover removal is needed to fully evaluate stover removal effects on soil properties.