The Environmental Impact of Ecological Intensification in Soybean Cropping Systems in the U.S. Upper Midwest

Andrea Cecchin, Ghasideh Pourhashem, Russ W. Gesch, Yesuf A. Mohammed, Swetabh Patel, Andrew W. Lenssen and Marisol T. Berti
Additional contact information
Andrea Cecchin: Department of Plant Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58108, USA
Ghasideh Pourhashem: Department of Coatings and Polymeric Materials, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58108, USA
Russ W. Gesch: USDA-ARS-NCSCRL, Morris, MN 56267, USA
Yesuf A. Mohammed: USDA-ARS-NCSCRL, Morris, MN 56267, USA
Swetabh Patel: Department of Agronomy, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
Andrew W. Lenssen: Department of Agronomy, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
Marisol T. Berti: Department of Plant Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58108, USA

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 4, 1-20

Abstract: Introducing cover crops is a form of ecological intensification that can potentially reduce local, regional and global environmental impacts of soybean cropping systems. An assessment of multiple environmental impacts (global warming potential, eutrophication, soil erosion and soil organic carbon variation) was performed on a continuous soybean system in the U.S. upper Midwest. Four sequences were assessed and compared: a soybean cropping system with winter camelina, field pennycress, or winter rye as cover crop, plus a control (sole soybean). Cover crops were interseeded into standing soybean in Year 1, while in Year 2 soybean was relay-cropped into standing camelina or pennycress. Rye was terminated before sowing soybean. When compared with the control, sequences with cover crops showed lower eutrophication potential (4–9% reduction) and soil erosion (5–32% reduction) per ha year −1 , in addition to a lower global warming potential (3–8% reduction) when the cover crop was not fertilized. However, when the economic component was included in the assessment, and the results expressed per USD net margin, the sequences with cover crops significantly reduced their performance in all categories of impact considered. A further optimization of field management for camelina and pennycress is recommended to make the cropping system more sustainable.

Keywords: life cycle assessment; cover crop; winter camelina; field pennycress; soybean; soil erosion; relay-cropping; global warming potential; eutrophication; soil organic carbon (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
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