In the United States, federal mandates to produce more renewable fuels, especially biofuels, have led to a growing debate: Should fuel or food grow on arable land? Recent research shows farmers can successfully, and sustainably, grow both.
Russ Gesch, a plant physiologist with the USDA Soil Conservation Research Lab in Morris, Minnesota, found encouraging results when growing Camelina sativa with soybean in the Midwest.
Camelina is a member of the mustard family and an emerging biofuel crop. It is well suited as a cover crop in the Midwest. “Finding any annual crop that will survive the [Midwest] winters is pretty difficult,” says Gesch, “but winter camelina does that and it has a short enough growing season to allow farmers to grow a second crop after it during the summer.”
Additionally, in the upper Midwest, soils need to retain enough rainwater for multiple crops in one growing season. Gesch and his colleagues measured water use of two systems of dual-cropping using camelina and soybean. They compared it with a more typical soybean field at the Swan Lake Research Farm near Morris, MN.
First, researchers planted camelina at the end of September. From there growing methods differed. In double-cropping, soybean enters the field after the camelina harvest in June or July. Relay-cropping, however, overlaps the crops’ time. Soybeans grow between rows of camelina in April or May before the camelina plants mature and flower.
The benefits were numerous. Relay-cropping actually used less water than double-cropping the two plants. Camelina plants have shallow roots and a short growing season, which means they don’t use much water. “Other cover crops, like rye, use a lot more water than does camelina,” says Gesch.
Conveniently, the extra water use during dual-cropping takes place in the spring. “We tend to have an excess of moisture in the soil in the spring from the melting snow pack,” says Gesch. Growing camelina as a winter cover crop can help farmers take advantage of spring’s extra moisture.
Read more: Food or fuel? How about both?
The Latest on: Dual-cropping
[google_news title=”” keyword=”Dual-cropping” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
via Google News
The Latest on: Dual-cropping
- Francis Shaxson, 90: Agronomist whose ideas have helped double crop yields in Malawion May 17, 2024 at 4:01 pm
The agronomist Francis Shaxson was visiting famine-ridden Mzuzu in Malawi in 2002 when an old friend asked his advice on dealing with severely degraded land given to an orphanage for growing maize ...
- IL winter wheat crop ahead of scheduleon May 17, 2024 at 2:56 pm
A small grains breeder at the University of Illinois says the state’s wheat crop is well ahead of schedule. Dr. Jessica Rutkoski, assistant professor, tells Brownfield… “It was really warm in February ...
- Wheat Ends Friday with Double Digit Weaknesson May 16, 2024 at 5:00 pm
That is well above the 30 from last year and higher than the prior 5-year average of 42.4 bpa. The total production estimate for the KS crop was 290.4 mbu, well above the USDA’s 267.9 from last week.
- Wheat Falls from Double Digit Morning Gains to End the Session Loweron May 15, 2024 at 4:33 pm
The wheat complex quickly faded from the early double digit gains as losses were reported across ... The tour also estimates the NE crop at 48 bpa, with production totaling 40.8 mbu, as CO yield was ...
- Hailey Bieber Matched Her Blush to Her Bump-Baring Crop Topon May 15, 2024 at 1:03 pm
She applied what we presume is the Rhode blush on the apples of her cheeks which are peeking out under her brown hair. She kept the rest of her glam natural, and it looks like she added a swipe of ...
- Latest News From Crop Conditionson May 13, 2024 at 9:28 am
Ken Ferrie addresses six concerns to help farmers make progress. This week's USDA Crop Progress report shows corn planting overall is currently three percentage points (36% planted) behind the ...
- A Failed Crop Rattled the Chocolate Industry. Then Speculators Came.on May 10, 2024 at 3:42 pm
After a production shortfall in West Africa, cocoa prices rose to $4,000 a metric ton from $2,500. Then they went nuts.
- Seed savers are double winners of the 2024 World Food Prizeon May 9, 2024 at 1:50 pm
Two scientist who played key roles in creating a world seed vault are the winners of the 2024 World Food Prize. World Food Prize Foundation president Terry Branstad today announced Geoffrey Hawtin of ...
- Final Crop Masterpieces Still Possible For Zoffanyon May 9, 2024 at 5:03 am
With the three-quarter-length victory of Washington Heights (GB) in Newmarket's G3 Abernant S. in mid-April, the late Zoffany (Ire) celebrated his first group winner as a paternal grandsire. Already ...
- Winter Canola Offers New Income Potential to Mid-South Farmerson May 8, 2024 at 5:00 pm
If Whitt decides to grow canola on a large scale, he anticipates using it in a double-crop practice. This year, for example, he plans to plant either sunflowers or soybeans after the canola is ...
via Bing News