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Midwest Area HomeSoil Management ResearchResearch

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# Related Topics

        								Project Team 			
        -  **Jaradat, Abdullah** 
        -  					Weyers, Sharon 				 
        -  					Gesch, Russell - *Russ* 
        -  					Johnson, Jane 				 
        								Project Annual Reports 			
        -  					2013 				 
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        								Project Publications 			
        -  					Publications 				 
        								Related National Programs 			
        -  					Climate Change, Soils, and Emissions (212) 				 
        -  					Agricultural System Competitiveness and Sustainability (216) 				 

**Research Project: **

**Location:												Soil Management Research**
												Project Number: 3645-61660-002-00Project Type:Appropriated

Start Date: Aug 05, 2008End Date: Jan 17, 2013

**Objective:**Objective 1: Evaluate land use systems over agricultural landscapes to determine the effects of management and landscape setting on N dynamics. Sub-objective 1-1. Compare N availability in grasslands and organic pasture to more intensively managed land use systems serving dairy and beef livestock production.Sub-objective 1-2. Compare N availability in organic production to conventional production systems growing alfalfa, corn, soybean, and small grains. Sub-objective 1-3. Develop environmental and economic partial N budgets to compare grasslands, organic and conventional agronomic, and livestock production systems.Objective 2:  Develop and evaluate cropping systems for optimal biomass production that maintain or enhance soil productivity. Sub-objective 2-1. Quantify the effect of conventional and alternative biomass production strategies on soil productivity, measured by changes in soil carbon (C) and N, and total biomass and crop yield. Sub-objective 2-2. Develop energy budgets to compare energy use in biomass production systems and evaluate the use of biomass for bioenergy feedstock versus livestock production.
**Approach:**An evaluation of N dynamics including an assessment of availability, defined as mineral N forms available for plant uptake, across cropland, grassland and pasture systems will be conducted. We will evaluate alternatives to a strict C-S rotation, including perennial grasses, an annual grass hybrid, a living mulch and a cover crop, to compare the effectiveness of these strategies to mitigate potential negative impacts of harvest and to provide greater biomass and economic returns.
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