Benefits and barriers to perennial forage crops in Iowa corn and soybean rotations

Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems

Volumn 23, Issue 2, 2008, Pages 97-107

  Olmstead, Julia ^a   Brummer, E Charles ^b  

^a IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY   (United States)

^b UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA   (United States)

Author keywords

Alfalfa; Alternative agriculture; Corn; Cropping systems; Farm policy; Forages

Indexed keywords

AGRICULTURAL DIVERSIFICATION; ALTERNATIVE AGRICULTURE; ARABLE FARMING; CROP PRODUCTION; CROP YIELD; CROPPING PRACTICE; FORAGE; MAIZE; SOYBEAN;

IOWA; NORTH AMERICA; UNITED STATES;

GLYCINE MAX; HEXAPODA; MEDICAGO SATIVA; TRIFOLIUM PRATENSE; ZEA MAYS;

EID: 44449084408     PISSN: 17421705     EISSN: 17421713     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1017/S1742170507001937     Document Type: Review

References (99)

1. Dimitri, C., Effland, A., and Conklin, N. 2005. The 20th century transformation of U.S. agriculture and farm policy. Economic Research Bulletin. Economic Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture
2. Cardwell, V.B. 1982. Fifty years of Minnesota corn production: Sources of yield increase. Agronomy Journal 74:984-990.
3. United States Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA-NASS). 2007. Crops and Plants Quick Stats. Available at Web site: http://www.nass.usda.gov/QuickStats/ indexbysubject.jsp?Text1=&site=NASS_MAIN& select=Select+a+State&Pass_name=&Pass_group-Crops+ %26+Plants&Pass_subgroup=Field+Crops (verified 9 April 2007).
4. United States Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Services (USDA-NASS). 2006. Economics Quick Stats. Available at Web site: http://www.nass.usda.gov/QuickStats/ indexbysite.subject.jsp?Pass_group=Economics (verified 16 February 2006).
5. Gast, R.G., Nelson, W.W., and MacGregor, J.M. 1978. Nitrate accumulation in soils and loss in tile drainage following nitrogen application to continuous corn. Journal of Environmental Quality 7:258-262.
6. Logan, T.J., Randall, G.W., and Timmons, D.R. 1980. Nutrient content of tile drainage from cropland in the North Central Region. North Central Regional Research Publication 268. OARDC Research Bulletin 1119. The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH.
7. Logan, T.J., Eckert, D.J., and Beak, D.G. 1993. Tillage, crop and climate effects on runoff and tile drainage losses of nitrate and four herbicides. Soil Tillage Research 30: 75-103.
8. Kladivko, E.J., Van Scoyoc, G.E., Monke, E.J., Oates, K.M., and Pask, W. 1991. Pesticide and nutrient movement into subsurface tile drains on a silt loam in Indiana. Journal of Environmental Quality 20:264-270.
9. Buhler, D.D., Randall, G.W., Koskinen, W.C., and Wyse, W.L. 1993. Atrazine and alachlor losses from subsurface tile drainage of a clay loam soil. Journal of Environmental Quality 22:583-588.
10. Cambardella, C.A., Moorman, T.B., Jaynes, D.B., Hatfield, J.L., Parkin, T.R., Simpkins, W.W., and Karlen, D.L. 1999. Water quality in Walnut Creek watershed: Nitrate-nitrogen in soils, subsurface drainage water, and shallow groundwater. Journal of Environmental Quality 28:25-34.
11. Harfield, J.L., Jaynes, D.B., Burkart, M.R., Cambardella, C.A., Moorman, T.B., Prueger, J.H., and Smith, M.A. 1999. Farming systems impacts on water quality in Walnut Creek Watershed. Journal of Environmental Quality 28:11-24.
12. Jaynes, D.B., Hatfield, J.L., and Meek, D.W. 1999. Water quality in Walnut Creek watershed: Herbicides and nitrate in surface waters. Journal of Environmental Quality 28:45-59.
13. Kanwar, R.S., Bjorneberg, D.L., and Baker, D. 1999. An automated system for monitoring the quality and quantity of subsurface drain flow. Journal of Agricultural Engineering Research 73:123-129.
14. Rabalais, N.N., Turner, R.E., Justic, D., Dortch, Q., and Wiseman, W.J. 1999. Characterization of hypoxia: Topic 1. Report for the integrated assessment on hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico. NOAA Coastal Ocean Program Decision Analysis Series No. 15. NOAA Coastal Ocean Program, Silver Spring, MD.
15. Relyea, R. 2005. The impact of insecticides and herbicides on the biodiversity and productivity of aquatic communities. Ecological Applications 15:618-627.
16. Richard, S., Moslemi, S., Sipahutar, H., Benachour, N., and Seralini, G. 2005. Differential effects of glyphosate and Roundup on human placental cells and aromatase. Environmental Health Perspectives 113:716-720.
17. Rohr, J.R. and Crumrine, P.W. 2005. Effect of an herbicide and an insecticide on pond community structure and processes. Ecological Applications 15:1135-1147.
18. Forage Grazing Terminology Committee. 1992. Terminology for grazing lands and grazing animals. Journal of Production Agriculture 5:191-201.
19. Barnhart, S. 2006. Iowa State University Forage Extension Specialist. (Personal communication.)
20. Iowa Department of Agriculture. 2005. Iowa Agricultural Statistics Bulletin. Available at Web site: http://www. agriculture.state.ia.us/ 2005AgStatsGeneralInfo.htm (verified 12 November 2006).
21. Pimentel, D. and Pimentel, M. 1996. Food, Energy and Society. University Press of Colorado, Niwot, CO.
22. Crookston, R.K., Kurle, J.E., Copeland, P.J., Ford, J.H., and Lueschen, W.E. 1991. Rotational cropping sequence affects yield of corn and soybean. Agronomy Journal 83:108-113.
23. Porter, P.M., Crookston, R.K., Ford, J.H., Huggins, D.R., and Lueschen, W.E. 1997 Interrrupting yield depression in monoculture corn: comparative effectiveness of grasses and dicots. Agronomy Journal 89:247-250.
24. Pikul, J.L.J., Hammack, L., and Riedell, W.E. 2005. Corn yield, nitrogen use, and corn rootworm infestation of rotations in the northern corn belt. Agronomy Journal 97:854-863.
25. Bolton, E.F., Dirks, V.A., and Aylesworth, J.W. 1976. Some effects of alfalfa, fertilizer and lime on corn yield in rotation on clay soil during a range of seasonal moisture conditions. Canadian Journal of Soil Science 56:21-25.
26. Gregory, M.M., Shea, K.L., and Bakko, E.B. 2005. Comparing agroecosystems: Effects of cropping and tillage patterns on soil, water, energy use and productivity. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems 20:81-90.
27. Hesterman, O.B., Schaeffer, C.C., Barnes, D.K., Lueschen, W.E., and Ford, J.H. 1986. Alfalfa dry matter and nitrogen production, and fertilizer nitrogen response in legume-corn rotations. Apronomy Jonrnal 79:19-23.
28. Clay, S.A. and Aguilar, I. 1998. Weed seedbanks and corn growth following continuous corn or alfalfa. Agronomy Journal 90:813-818.
29. Fox, R.H. and Piekielek, W.P. 1999. Fertilizer N equivalance of alfalfa, birdsfoot trefoil, and red clover for succeeding corn crops. Journal of Production Agriculture 1:313-317.
30. Ma, B.L., Ying, J., Dwyer, L.M., Gregorich, E.G., and Morrison, M.J. 2003. Crop rotation and soil N amendment effects on maize production in eastern Canada. Canadian Journal of Soil Science 83:483-495.
31. Uhland, R.E. 1948. Grass and the yields of cash crops. In Grass. Yearbook of Agriculture 1948. United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC. p. 191-194.
32. Adams, W.E., Morris, H.D., and Dawson, R.N. 1970. Effects of cropping systems and nitrogen levels on corn (Zea mays) yields in the southern Piedmont region. Agronomy Journal 62:655-659.
33. Huggins, D.R., Randall, G.W., and Russelle, M.P. 2001. Subsurface drain losses of water and nitrate following conversion of perennials to row crops. Agronomy Journal 93: 477-486.
34. Anderson, I.C., Buxton, D.R., Karlen, D.L., and Cambardella, C.A. 1997. Cropping system effects on nitrogen removal, soil nitrogen, aggregate stability and subsequent corn grain yield. Agronomy Journal 89:881-886.
35. Hesterman, O.B., Griffin, T., Williams, P., Harris, G., and Christenson, D. 1992. Forage-legume small-grain intercrops: Nitrogen production and response of subsequent corn. Journal of Production Agriculture 5:340-348.
36. United States Department of Agriculture. 2005. Agricultural Chemical Usage: 2005 Field Crop Summary. Available Ht Web site: http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/report/nassr/other/pcu-bb/ages0506.pdf (verified 31 May 2006).
37. Battaglin, W.A., Kolpin, D.W., Scribner, h.A., Kuivila, K.M., and Sandstrom, M.W. 2005 Glyphosate, other herbicides, and transformation products in Midwestern streams. Journal of American Water Resources Association 41:323-332.
38. Cerdeira, A.L. and Duke, S.O. 2006. The current status and environmental impacts of glyphosate-resistant crops. Journal of Environmental Quality 35:1633-1658.
39. Michael, P.W. 1960. The control of thistles (Silybum and Onopordum) by perennial pasture species. Proceedings of the Australian Weed Conference, 2nd Council of the Australian Weed Science Society, Meredith, VIC, Australia.
40. Derscheid, L.A. 1978. Controlling field bindweed while growing adapted crops. Proceedings of the North Central Weed Control Conference 33:144-150. North Central Weed Science Society.
41. Pearson, J.O. 1969. A life history study of white cockle (Lynchis alba Mill.) and some competitive effects in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). PhD thesis, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI.
42. Ahmed, M. 1988. Viability of buried seeds of bathua (Chenopodium album L.). Bangladesh Journal of Agriculture 13:23-30.
43. Brink, G.E. and Marten, G.C. 1986. Barley vs. oat companion crops: II. Influence on alfalfa persistence and yield. Crop Science 26:1067-1071.
44. Sheaffer, C.C. 1983. Seeding year harvest management of alfalfa. Agronomy Journal 75:115-119.
45. Curran, B.S., Kephardt, K.D., and Twidwell, E.K. 1993. Oat companion crop management in alfalfa establishment. Agronomy Journal 85:998-1003.
46. Caporali, F. and Onnis, A. 1992. Validity of rotation as an effective agroecological principle for a sustainable agriculture. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 41:101-113.
47. Westerman, P.R. Liebman, M., Menalled, F.D., Heggenstaller, A.H., Hartzler, R.G., and Dixon, P.M. 2005. Are many little hammers effective? Velvetleaf (Abutilon theophrasii) population dynamics in two- and four-year crop rotation systems. Weed Science 53:382-392.
48. Heggenstaller, A.H. and Liebman, M. 2006. Demography of Abutilon theophrasti and Setaria faberi in three crop rotation systems. Weed Research 46:138-151.
49. Francis, C.A., Flora, C.B., and King, L.D. 1990. Sustainable Agriculture in Temperate Zones. Wiley, Hoboken, NJ.
50. Stickler, F.C. and Johnson, I.J. 1959. Dry matter and nitrogen production of legumes and legume associations in the tall of the seeding year. Agronomy Journal 51:135-137.
51. Putnam, D., Russelle, M.P., Orloff, S., Kuhn, J., Fitzhugh, L., Godfrey, L., Kiess, A., and Long, R. 2001. Alfalfa, Wildlife and the Environment. California Alfalfa and Forage Association, Novato, CA. Available at Web site: http://www.calhay.org/environmental.html (verified 3 January 2007).
52. Carpenter-Boggs, L., Pikul, J.L.J., Vigil, M.F., and Riedell, W.E. 2000. Soil nitrogen mineralization influenced by crop rotation and nitrogen fertilization. Soil Science Society of America Journal 64:2038-2045.
53. Sawyer, J.E. 2001. Making Every Fertilizer Dollar Pay. Integrated Crop Management IC-486, 29 January 2001. Available at Web site: http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/icm/2001/1-29-2001/makenpay.html (verified 22 March 2006).
54. Lamond, R.E., Whitney, D.A., Bonczkowski, L.C., and Hickman, J.S. 1988. Using legumes in crop rotations. Cooperative Extension Service Bulletin L778. Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS.
55. 3-N leaching losses in subsurface drainage water. Applied Engineering in Agriculture 21:181-188.
56. Randall, G.W., Huggins, D.R., Russelle, M.P., Fuchs, D.J., Nelson, W.W., and Anderson, J.L. 1997. Nitrate losses through subsurface tile drainage in Conservation Reserve Program, alfalfa and row crop systems. Journal of Environmental Quality 26:1240-1247.
57. Perfect, E., Kay, B.D., van Loon, W.K.P., Sheard, R.W., and Pojasok, T. 1990. Rates of change in son structural ability under forages and corn. Soil Science Society of America Journal 54:179-186.
58. Reid, J.B. and Goss, M.J. 1981. Effects of living roots of different plant species on aggregate stability of two arable soils. Journal of Soil Science 32:521-541.
59. Su, Y.Z. 2007. Soil carbon and nitrogen sequestration following the conversion of cropland to alfalfa forage land in northwest China. Soil and Tillage Research 92:181-189.
60. Drury, C.F., Yang, X.M., Reynolds, W.D., and Tan, C.S. 2004. Influence of crop rotation and aggregate size on carbon dioxide production and denitrification. Soil and Tillage Research 79:87-100.
61. Senwo, Z.N. and Tabatabai, M. A. 2005. Aspartase activity of soils under different management systems. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis 36:2575-2585.
62. Dodor, D.E. and Tabatabai, M.A. 2005. Glycosidases in soils as affected by cropping systems. Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science 168:749-758.
63. Ekenler, M. and Tabatabai, M.A. 2002. β-Glucosaminidase activity of soils: Effect of cropping systems and its relationship to nitrogen mineralization. Biology and Fertility of Soils 36:367-376.
64. Moore, J.M., Klose, S., and Tabatabai, M.A. 2000. Soil microobial biomass carbon and nitrogen as affected by cropping systems. Biology and Fertility of Soils 31:200-210.
65. Karlen, D.L., Hurley, E.G., Andrews, S.S., Cambardella, C.A., Meeka, D.W., Duffy, M.D., and Mallarino, A.P. 2006. Crop rotation effects on son quality at three northern corn/soybean belt locations. Agronomy Journal 98:484-495.
66. Russell, A.E., Lairds, D.A., and Mallarino, A.P. 2006. Nitrogen fertilization and cropning system impacts on soil quality in midwestern mollisols. Soil Science Society of America Journal 70:249-255.
67. Putnam, D. 1998. Contributions of alfalfa to wildlife and the environment. Proceedings of the 28th National Alfalfa Symposium, Bowling Green, KY.
68. Angers, D.A. 1992. Changes in soil aggregation and organic carbon under corn and alfalfa. Soil Science Society of America Journal 56:1244-1249.
69. Clark, E.H.I., Haverkamp, J.A., and Chapman, W. 1985. Eroding Soils: The Off-farm Impacts. The Conservation Foundation, Washington, DC.
70. United States Environmental Protection Agency. 2006. Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2004. United States Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC.
71. Deng, S.P. and Tabatabai, M.A. 2000. Effects of cronning systems on nitrogen mineralization in soils. Biology and Fertility of Soils 31:211-218.
72. Gebhardt, D.L., Johnson, H.B., Mayeux, H.S., and Polley, H.W. 1994. The CRP increases soil organic carbon. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation 49:488-492.
73. Russell, A.E., Laird, D.A., Parkin, T.B., and Mallarino, A.P. 2005. Impact of nitrogen fertilization and cropping system on carbon sequestration in midwestern mollisols. Soil Science Society of America Journal 69:413-422.
74. Gregorich, E.G., Drury, C.F., and Baldock, J.A. 2001. Changes in soil carbon under long-term maize in monoculture and legume-based rotation. Canadian Journal of Soil Science 81:21-31.
75. Dodor, D.E. and Tabatabai, M.A. 2003. Effect of cropping systems on phosphatases in soils. Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science 166:7-13.
76. Robinson, C.A., Cruse, R.M., and Ghaffarzadeh, M. 1996. Cropping system and nitrogen ettects on mollisol organic carbon. Soil Science Society of America Journal 60:264-269.
77. Meyer-Aurich, A., Weersink, A., Janovicek, K., and Deen, B. 2006. Cost efficient rotation and tillage options to sequester carbon and mitigate GHG emissions from agriculture in Eastern Canada. Agriculture, Ecosystems and environment 117:119-127.
78. Thompson, R.L. and Thompson, S.M. 2004. Alternatives in Agriculture. Thompson On-farm Research, Boone, IA.
79. Diebel, P.L., Williams, J.R., and Llewelyn, R.V. 1995. An economic comparison of conventional and alternaive cropping systems for a representative northeast Kansas fann. Review of Agricultural Economics 17:323-335.
80. Sheaffer, C.C., Barnes, D.K., and Heichel, G.H. 1989. 'Annual' alfalfa in crop rotations. Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin 599. University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN.
81. Delate, K., Duffy, M., Chase, C., Holste, A., Friedrich, H., and Wantate, N. 2003. An economic comparison of organic and conventional grain crops in a long-term agroecological research (LTAR) site in Iowa. American Journal of Alternative Agriculture 18:59-69.
82. Mitchell, R., Vogel, K., Varvel, G., Klopfenstein, T., Clark, D., and Anderson, B. 2005. Big bluestem pasture in the Great Plains: An alternative for dryland corn. Rangelands 27:31-35.
83. Nimrick, K., Oswald, D., and Staff, R. 2005. Economics of grazing stocker cattle as a sustaionable alternative to row crops. Proceedings of the American Forage and Grasslands Council, Bloomington, IL.
84. Rotz, A.C., Roth, G.W., Soder, K.J., and Schnabel, R.R. 2001. Economic and environmental implications of soybean production and use on Pennsylvania dairy farms. Agronomy Journal 93:418-428.
85. Duffy, M. and Smith, D. 2004. Farmland ownership and tenure in Iowa 1982-2002: A twenty-year perspective. Iowa State University Extension Publication PM 1983. Iowa State University, Ames, IA.
86. Duffy, M. and Smim, D. 2005. Estimated crop production costs in Iowa. Extension Bulletin FM1712. Iowa State University, Ames, IA.
87. Hay and Forage Grower. 2003. Prices are Largely Unchanged. Available at Web site: http://hayandforage.com/mag/farming_prices_largely_cuchanged/ index.html (verified 15 April 2006).
88. Wisner, B. 2003. Counter-cyclical payments for corn and soybeans. Ag Decision Maker Newletter 9(1). Iowa State University Extension, Iowa State University, Ames, IA. Available at Web site: http://www/ extension.iastate.edu/AgDM/articles/wisner/WisFeb03.html (verified 3 January 2006).
89. Lozier, J., Rayburn, E., and Shaw, J. 2005. Growing and selling pasture-finished beef: Results of a nationwide survey. Journal of Sustainable Agriculture 25:93-112.
90. Naylor, R., Steinfeld, H., Falcon, E., Galloway, J., Smil, V., Bradford, E., Alder, J., and Mooney, H. 2005. Losing the links between livestock and land. Science 310:1621-1622.
91. Dougherty, E. and Gender, J. 2007. Corn Acres Expected to Soar in 2007, USDA Says. USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service Newsroom. Available at Web site: http://www.nass.usda.gov/Newsroom/2007/ 03_30_2007.asp (verified 9 April 2007).
92. Environmental Working Group. 2006. Farm Subsidy Database. Available at Web site: http://www.ewg.org/farm/ verified 18 May 2006).
93. Hanson, M., Miller, R., and Padgitt, S. 2002. Incorporating Grassland Agriculture into Row Crop Systems. Iowa State University Extension, Iowa State University, Ames, IA.
94. Shoemaker, R., McGranahan, D., and McBride, W. 2006. Agriculture and rural communities are resilient to high energy costs. Amber Waves 4(2): 16-21.
95. Marshall, L. and Greenhalgh, S. 2006. Beyond the RFS: The Environmental and Economic Impacts of Increased Grain Ethanol Production in the U.S. World Resources Institute, Washington, DC.
96. Boody, G., Vondracek, B., Andow, D.A., Krinke, M., Westra, J., Zimmerman, J., and Welle, P. 2005. Multifunctional agriculture in the United States. Bioscience 55: 27-38.
97. Trout, S.K., Francis, C.A., and Barbuto, J.E. 2005. Evaluation and perceived impacts of the North-Central Region SARE grants, 1998-2002. Journal of Sustainable Agriculture 27(2):117-137.
98. Keeney, D. and Kemp, L. 2004. How to Make it Work: Required Policy Transformations for Agroecosystem Restoration. Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, Minneapolis, MN. Available at Web site: http://www.mcknight.org/hotissues/news/makeitwork_kemp-keeney.pdf (verified 8 January 2007).
99. Traxler, G., Acquaye, A.K.A., Frey, K., and Thro, A.M. 2005. Public Sector Plant Breeding Resources in the US: Study Results for the Year 2001. Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Available at Web site: http://www.csrees.usda.gov/nea/plants/part/pbgg_part_study.html (verified 18 April 2007).