The LTAR Croplands Common Experiment at Upper Mississippi River Basin - Ames

Authors: Kovar, John; Papanicolaou, Athanasios - Thanos; Dalzell, Brent; BUSCH, DENNIS - University Of Wisconsin; Chatterjee, Amitava; Cole, Kevin; Emmett, Bryan; Johnson, Jane; Malone, Robert - Rob; Morrow, Amy; Nowatzke, Laurie; O'Brien, Peter; Prueger, John; Rogovska, Natalia; Ruis, Sabrina; Todey, Dennis; Wacha, Kenneth - Ken

Submitted to: Journal of Environmental Quality
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/3/2024
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Long-term, cross-site research efforts are needed to successfully develop management practices that meet broadened expectations of US agriculture. In response to this need, the USDA Long-Term Agroecosystem Research (LTAR) Network includes a Common Experiment in its portfolio of coordinated research activities. The Common Experiment aims to: (1) develop and evaluate production systems that promote the sustainable management of agricultural land, (2) identify, quantify, and understand mechanisms underlying trade-offs and synergies among ecosystem services, and (3) use common measurements across multiple systems in different regions to understand and model ecosystem service outcomes. In response to this need, the Upper Mississippi River Basin (UMRB) LTAR network site at Ames established a cropland experiment in 2016 to investigate alternative combinations of crop management in systems that include reduced tillage, cover crops, and double cropping within a corn-soybean system, as well as advanced nitrogen (N) management. Crop, soil, air, and drainage water measurements are made throughout the year using published methods for each agronomic and environmental metric. This research will provide quantitative information to farmers, consultants, agribusiness partners, and state and federal agencies to help guide decisions on the effective use of alternative management practices.

Technical Abstract: Agricultural systems evolve from the interactions of climate, crops, soils, management practices (e.g., tillage, cover crops, and tree windbreaks), and economic risks and rewards. Alternatives to the corn (Zea mays L.)-soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) (C-S) cropping systems predominately found in the Midwest may provide more sustainable use of resources, reduce the documented environmental impacts of current C-S systems, and improve production efficiency and ecosystem services. Innovative management practices are needed to offer producers options to increase farm resilience to variable weather conditions and offset negative environmental impacts. In response to this need, the Upper Mississippi River Basin (UMRB) Long-Term Agroecosystem Research (LTAR) network site at Ames established a cropland experiment in 2016 to investigate alternative combinations of crops and climate-smart management in systems that include reduced tillage, cover crops and double cropping within a C-S system, and Right source, Right rate, Right time, and Right place (4R) nitrogen (N) management. The experimental site is located on the Iowa State University (ISU) Kelley Research Farm in Boone County, IA, USA. Crop, soil, air, and drainage water measurements are made throughout the year using published methods for each agronomic and environmental metric. The goal of this research is to provide quantitative information to farmers, consultants, agribusiness partners, and state and federal agencies to help guide decisions on the effective use of alternative management practices. Future changes in experimental treatments will adopt a knowledge co-production approach whereby researchers and stakeholders will work collaboratively to identify problems, implement research protocols, and interpret results.