The eastern corn belt LTAR common cropland experiment

Authors: King, Kevin; Williams, Mark; Stinner, Jedediah; Rumora, Kathryne - Katie

Submitted to: Journal of Environmental Quality
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/2/2024
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Water management continues to be a primary focus for balancing crop production needs and environmental goals in the Eastern Corn Belt (ECB) region of the United States. A Long-Term Agroecosystem Research (LTAR) node and common experiment was established in the ECB to investigate, identify, and promote crop production management systems that maximize profitability while minimizing environmental footprints and enhancing ecosystem services. Working with an array of stakeholders, paired field- and plot-scale research sites were secured and established to test prevailing and alternative crop production practices. This ECB infrastructure and the findings generated is critical for addressing current and emerging water quantity and quality concerns in the ECB region as well as informing the larger LTAR network.

Technical Abstract: The Eastern Corn Belt (ECB) Long-Term Agroecosystem Research (LTAR) Network site is one of the most agriculturally productive areas in the U.S.; however, nutrient and sediment losses from this region directly contribute to water quality impairment in both the Gulf of Mexico and Lake Erie. One of the largest challenges facing agricultural production in the ECB is water management, especially under a changing climate. Shifting precipitation patterns in combination with evolving infrastructure (i.e., tile drainage, irrigation) and management (i.e., crops planted; nutrient source, timing, rate) in response to changing climate are likely to alter water quantity and quality and agricultural productivity. Through plot- and field-scale research, the ECB Common Experiment (CE) is focused on crop, soil, and water management to support sustainable agricultural intensification, with the goal of maximizing profitability, minimizing agriculture’s environmental footprint, and enhancing ecosystem services. At both spatial scales, the CE aims to examine differences in water quantity and quality between prevailing crop production practices in the ECB (i.e., corn-soybean rotation, tillage prior to corn planting, free drainage, fertility management consistent with tri-state recommendations) and alternative practices (e.g., adding small grains into the crop rotation, cover crops, limited phosphorus fertilizer, and drainage water management). Aligning producer and stakeholders needs with research objectives and long-term data collection, the ECB CE will tackle both ongoing and newly emerging research priorities and explore the effectiveness of conservation strategies to decrease nutrient and sediment losses from agricultural land.