Integrating Winter Annual Cereal Rye or Triticale into a Corn Forage Biofuel Production System

摘要

Integrating cover crops into the corn (Zea mays L.) forage-production system could enhance growers' profitability and improve ecosystem services. Field plots were established at two locations in Michigan during 2012-2014 to evaluate ethanol production, estimate carbon and energy balance, and the economics of corn forage plus cover crop, cropping systems. In the 2012-2013 crop cycle, which was characterized by a summer drought, the cereal rye (Seco/e cereale L), and triticale {Triticale hexaploide Lart), winter annual cover crops increased cropping system biomass yield by 44%, and total ethanol yield by 28% relative to the no-cover control. During the 2012-2013 cycle, cover crops provided sufficient biomass (6.5 and 8.1 Mg ha~ respectively, for cereal rye and triticale) to result in a profitable harvest as a biofuel feedstock. However, following a harsh winter, such as that experienced in the 2013-2014 cycle, cover crop yield (1.6 and 1.2 Mg ha"1, respectively, for cereal rye and triticale) was compromised to the point that harvest was not economically justified. Incorporating cover crops into a corn forage cropping system increased total biomass and potential biofuel yield and generated a very favorable net ecosystem carbon and energy balance.