Froning, B., K.D. Thelen, and D.H. Min.
Presented at the All Scientist Meeting (2004-10-08 )
Research was conducted for two years (2002-2003) at Michigan State University in East Lansing, MI and the Upper Peninsula Experiment Station near Chatham, MI to evaluate the effectiveness of cover crops and manure systems in carbon sequestration practices. Treatments applied to soybean and silage corn at East Lansing (2002-2003) were manure, compost, cover crop rye, combination of rye and manure, rye and compost, and an untreated check. Treatments varied between years at Chatham. In 2002 treatments were manure, compost, and untreated check applied to silage corn and forage soybean. In 2003 the same treatments applied at East Lansing were applied to silage corn only.Baseline soil samples were collected in the spring of 2002 and 2003 and analyzed for total carbon, particulate organic matter, mineral associated carbon, total nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen, total phosphorous, and pH. Gas chambers were placed in each plot and gas samples were collected throughout the summer to determine gas flux from the soil surface. Gases analyzed were methane, nitrous oxide, and carbon dioxide.There were no differences detected in crop yield at either location in 2002 or 2003.
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