Vertical distribution of corn biomass as influenced by cover crop and stover harvest.

Published in Agron. J. 107:232–240 (2015) doi:10.2134/agronj14.0166 Available freely online through the author-supported open access option. Copyright © 2015 by the American Society of Agronomy, 5585 Guilford Road, Madison, WI 53711. All rights reserved. No part of this periodical may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. ABStRACt Corn (Zea mays L.) production for grain is important given its many uses for human food, animal feed, and other industrial products. Additionally, the abundance and potentially large biomass yield makes corn an attractive bioenergy feedstock. e objective of this study was to evaluate the e ect of in-season weather conditions, rye (Secale cereale L.) as a winter cover crop, and corn residue harvest on grain yield and biomass distribution across two soil types. Grain, as well as, total and partial stover yields (below the ear, above the ear excluding cobs, cobs alone, and above the ear including top and cobs) were measured from 2009 to 2011 at two sites with di erent soil types: loamy sand and silt loam, in central and northern Alabama, respectively. Signi cant di erences in grain and biomass yields were observed among individual years and locations. Grain yields were positively correlated with seasonal cumulative precipitation and negatively with seasonal average temperature at both locations. In central Alabama, the 3-yr use of a rye cover crop increased corn biomass yields compared to rye removal while there was no di erence compared to plots without a rye cover crop. e 3-yr corn residue management e ect was not signi cant at any location. Based on this study, harvesting the above-ear corn plant fraction could be an attractive option for partial biomass harvesting in southeastern United States.