| Corn stover is emerging as one of the major sustainable sources for cellulosic ethanol production in the U.S and promises to reduce our dependence on conventional fuels. Removal of corn stover for biomass production can provide an additional revenue generating source for farmers. However, removing corn stover can result in environmental and agronomic repercussions. A non-linear programming model is used to study the viability of corn stover removal at a sample farm at Swan Lake Research Farm near Morris, MN. Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) is used for the environmental and agronomic impacts. Results suggest that partial stover removal is possible without having adverse environmental and agronomic impacts when using conservation tillage practices. |
Updated 01/31/2010