Iowa State researchers look at annual cover crops to compensate for corn stover removal

In Iowa, the phrase “a double-edged sword” describes something that is beneficial in some ways but problematic in others. One example is removing maize stover (the husks, stems and leaves of corn plants) from fields. Maize stover is used to make cellulosic ethanol, a renewable biofuel. And renewable biofuels are beneficial to the environment. However, removing the stover can harm the environment because it can cause the soil to erode and lose nutrients.

Researchers needed to find a way to remove the stover but preserve the soil quality. So, they turned to previous research for ideas and found that cover or companion crops can improve soil quality and liked the idea of using cover crops, but was curious about a different type of cover crop.

Instead of annual cover crops, which must be replanted every year, they continued research at Iowa State University (ISU) involving perennial groundcover, and specifically grasses. Using a perennial groundcover could be a win-win, including natural resources preservation in addition to reducing costs.