Methodology for Estimating Removable Quantities of Agricultural Residues for Bioenergy and Bioproduct Use

Authors

Richard Nelson, Kansas State University, 133 Ward Hall, Manhattan, KS
Marie Walsh, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN
John Sheehan, National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Robin Graham, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN

Date of this Version

2004

Comments

Published in Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology Vol. 113–116, 2004.

Abstract

A methodology was developed to estimate quantities of crop residues that can be removed while maintaining rain or wind erosion at less than or equal to the tolerable soil-loss level. Six corn and wheat rotations in the 10 largest corn-producing states were analyzed. Residue removal rates for each rotation were evaluated for conventional, mulch/reduced, and no-till field operations. The analyses indicated that potential removable maximum quantities range from nearly 5.5 million dry metric t/yr for a continuous corn rotation using conventional till in Kansas to more than 97 million dry metric t/yr for a corn-wheat rotation using no-till in Illinois.