Location: Genetics and Sustainable Agriculture Research
Project Number: 6064-21600-001-011-I
Project Type: Interagency Reimbursable Agreement
Start Date: Apr 3, 2024
End Date: Aug 31, 2031
Objective:
Contribute to the Inflation Reduction Act Measurement Monitoring Reporting and Verification Action Area 2-Cropland through measurement of cropland methane and nitrous oxide emissions.
Approach:
To maximize the number of conservation practices addressed, greenhouse gas (GHG) measurements will be conducted in two separate experiments conducted at Mississippi State University Plant Science Center. Both build on current field experiments conducted from 2023 to 2028 in the parent project. The 1st experiment will use a long-term chamber method (N2O/CH4/CO2/H2O trace gas analyzers with a 12-chamber multiplexer, Li-Cor Inc., Lincoln, NE) to measure high temporal resolution soil GHG fluxes. The system will be set up in a cotton-corn rotation system to determine cover crop and fertilizer effects on GHG fluxes. This project builds on a previous 5-year cycle of corn, cotton rotation with GHG survey measurements. The soil type is a Marietta Silt-Loam soil managed without irrigation. Plots are 4 rows wide by 140 ft in length with four replications. In the fall of each year, the experimental area is amended with 4.5 Mg ha-1 of poultry manure. The proposed research will use 12 automated chambers in 4 plots under different cover crop treatments with triplicate chambers for each, measuring GHG fluxes continuously. Cover crop treatments include a no cover crop control and three treatments planted with Vetch, Cereal rye, or a mixture of Rye, Vetch, and Radish. Soil samples, taken before planting the cash crop and after harvest each year, will be analyzed for water content, cation exchange capacity, total C, macro- and micronutrients.
The 2nd experiment includes biweekly survey GHG measurements (Li-Cor N2O&CO2 portable trace gas analyzer, smart chamber system) to evaluate synergistic fertilizer and carbon-based amendment impacts on GHG in a corn, soybean rotation. The experimental design includes three replications of cover crop (Elbon rye) vs no cover crop. The treatments will consist of a full-factorial arrangement of amendments and fertilization types in a completely randomized design. Soil amendments include biochar, coal char, or none applied once at the beginning of the experiment in the fall of 2023 and incorporated. Fertilization will include poultry litter, inorganic N fertilizer, or none applied to corn at planting each year. Soybean will not receive fertilizer. The soil is Leeper silty clay loam managed without irrigation. Soil samples will be collected and at the beginning and end of this study (analyzed as stated above). In both: soil collars are GPS located for continuity around planting, harvest, or other field events requiring them to be temporarily moved. Ancillary data needed for DayCent Ecosystems Model will include location spatial coordinates, cropland management (rotation, planting/harvesting dates, residue management, mineral fertilization, organic amendments, tillage, drainage class/practices, herbicide applications, liming), crop yields, soil properties (texture, bulk density, parent material, pH), management in previous 20-30 years, N mineralization data, on-site weather, weed infestations, crop/forage data, and topographic position. Monthly flights will be conducted gathering thermal and multispectral images. Biological analyses will include enzymes related to C, N, and P as well as genetic characteristics using PCR.
