The LTAR Cropland Common Experiment at Upper Mississippi River Basin–St. Paul

Abstract

The Soil and Water Management Research Unit of the USDA-Agricultural Research Service is located in St. Paul, MN, and conducts long-term research at the University of Minnesota Research and Outreach Center located at Rosemount, MN. As part of USDA's Long-Term Agroecosystem Research (LTAR) network, the croplands common experiment (CCE) at this location is focused on integration of a kura clover (Trifolium ambiguum M. Bieb.) living mulch (KCLM) system into the prevailing 2-year rotation of corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean (Glycine max L.) that is typical of the midwestern Corn Belt. The LTAR-CCE conducted at Rosemount, MN, aims to compare the long-term environmental and agronomic performance of KCLM while identifying challenges and developing management strategies for this alternative practice. The use of a living mulch for this region is advantageous because, once established, it does not require additional time for fall field operations typically associated with winter cover crops. Results from LTAR-CCE studies at this site show that KCLM results in a substantial increase in soil field-saturated hydraulic conductivity and decreases in leaching of nitrate-nitrogen (NO₃⁻-N). Disadvantages of the KCLM system include potential for increased emissions of nitrous oxide (N₂O) and reduced crop yields, particularly during drought. Also, the optimal approach for crop row establishment in the spring remains uncertain. Ongoing LTAR-CCE research with KCLM aims to better understand and quantify both benefits and risks across conditions of interannual weather variability and changing climate to develop guidance for suitable adoption and management of this alternative practice.