HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Johnson, J. M.-F. Articles by Lindstrom, M. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Johnson, J. M.-F. Articles by Lindstrom, M. Agricola Articles by Johnson, J. M.-F. Articles by Lindstrom, M. Related Collections Soil Conservation Biofuels Maize

SOIL & WATER MANAGEMENT & CONSERVATION

Impact of High-Lignin Fermentation Byproduct on Soils with Contrasting Organic Carbon Content

^a USDA-ARS, North Central Soil Conservation Res. Lab., 803 Iowa Ave., Morris, MN 56267
^b USDA-ARS, Land Management and Conservation Res., Washington State Univ., Pullman, WA 99164-6421

^* Corresponding author (jane.johnson{at}ars.usda.gov).

Agricultural biomass is a potential renewable biofuel that may partially replace nonrenewable fossil fuels. Corn stover is rich in cellulose and hemicellulose, both of which can be converted to sugars and fermented to ethanol. This fermentation process results in a high-lignin fermentation byproduct (HLFB) that could be converted to energy products or used as a soil amendment. We had two objectives: (i) to determine whether HLFB (0.1, 1.0, or 10 kg m^–2) could improve soil properties in two soils with contrasting levels of soil organic carbon (SOC); and (ii) to assess the impact of HLFB on crop growth. These goals were addressed with separate experiments. In the soil experiment, two soils were amended with HLFB or ground corn (Zea mays L.) stover and then incubated in pots for 118 d. Flux of CO₂ was monitored and soil properties were measured after incubation. In the plant experiment, corn and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] were grown in pots, without amendment or amended with 1.0 kg m^–2 corn stover or 1.0 kg m^–2 HLFB. The soil experiment indicated that the addition of 10 kg m^–2 HLFB increased CO₂ emission, humic acid concentration, and water-stable aggregates, and decreased bulk density (D_b). No adverse impacts on crop growth were measured when HLFB was applied at a rate of 1.0 kg m^–2. Much of the HLFB may be used by the energy industry, but perhaps a percentage could be returned to the field to reduce the impact of corn stover removal on soil C.

Abbreviations: HLFB, high-lignin fermentation byproduct • SOC, soil organic carbon