ARS | Publication request: RESIDUE OF CORN STOVER ETHANOL PRODUCTION AS A SOIL AMENDMENT

Submitted to: Agronomy Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: November 14, 2002
Publication Date: November 14, 2002
Citation: JOHNSON, J.M., REICOSKY, D.C., LINDSTROM, M.J., SHARRATT, B.S., VOORHEES, W.B. RESIDUE OF CORN STOVER ETHANOL PRODUCTION AS A SOIL AMENDMENT. CD-ROM. MADISON, WI: AGRONOMY ABSTRACTS. 2002.

Technical Abstract: Ethanol can be produced from fermented corn stover, leaving a by-product, which is about 70% lignin. It was hypothesized that the return and incorporation of the by-product may offset some of the negative impacts of stover removal. The by-product was dried and incorporated into either a non-eroded soil or a severely eroded soil from a Svea catena. The soil was incubated at ambient temperature for 123 d, water-filled pore space ranged from 35 to 60%. A non-amended soil (control) and a corn stover amended were incubated. Biological, chemical and physical characteristics were measured. There were significant responses of biological parameters (CO2 flux, soluble C and microbial biomass C) and chemical parameters (N mineralization and humic acid concentration), but no change in water holding capacity or bulk density due to the by-product. There were small improvements in aggregate stability and humic acid concentration only on the by-product-amended, severely eroded soils. Careful management of stover removal and selective placement of the by-product could contribute to a sustainable use of corn stover for ethanol production.