Integrating Perennial Grasses for Sustainable Agricultural Systems to Maximize Farm Profitability D.K. Lee Assistant Professor Department of Crop Sciences University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign leedk@illinois.edu North Central Regional Center for Rural Development March 11, 2014 Outline Background and introduction Grassland agriculture Multifuncational agriculture Limitations in adapting perennial grasses Agronomy of perennial grasses Establishment Management On-farm application and economics 2 A Permanent Agriculture OUR GOAL is permanency in agriculture: an agriculture that is stable and secure for farm and farmer, consistent in prices and earning; an agriculture that can satisfy indefinitely all our needs of food, fiber, and shelter in keeping with the living standards we set. Everybody has a stake in a permanent agriculture. P.V. Cardon, 1948 3 1
Our Grassland Tallgrass Prairie Grassland is a good way to farm and to live, the best way I know of to use and improve soil, the very thing on which our life and civilization rest. Clinton P. Anderson (1948) 4 Problem Statement Grasslands lost to row crops 99% of tallgrass prairie lost 3.1 million acres in South Dakota from 2001 to 2010 Temperate grassland the most-altered biome globally, but the least protected Lost of benefits Ecological services: nutrient cycling, C storage, soil erosion, hydrologic cycle, biodiversity Economic service: Livestock, recreation Grassland nesting birds declining faster than any other bird group in N. America (Peterjohn and Sauer 1999) 5 Source: EcoSun Prairie Farm, Cater Johnson Back to the Future in U.S. Agriculture We, the people, need to care for the earth enrich our living environment; clean and plentiful water, fertile, vibrant, and productive soils, abundance and diversity of plants and animals, renewable energy, sustainable food and products Our future management choice should promote these goals Historically managed our grassland agriculture can reduce/slowdown climate changes, desertification, soil erosion, flooding, and other ills 6 2
Multifunctional Agro-ecosystem The future agricultural system could include a perennial grass-based sustainable agriculture that would encourage: Increased soil organic matter and microbial life Decreased use of fossil fuels Sustainable nonpolluting capture of energy Reduced use of toxic products More soil protected with living cover Greater diversity of plants and animals Maximize producer resources 7 Why Perennial Crops? 8 Biodiversity on the Landscape will Promote Productivity and Sustainability of Our Agriculture FOOD, FEED, FIBER, FUEL No Single Silver Bullet 9 3
Opportunities with Perennial Grasses Income Streams Native grass hay Native plant seed (upland and wetland) Specialty meet (e.q., grass-fed beef) Conservation payment Carbon credit Cellulosic biofuels Recreation (ecotourism, fee hunting) 10 Limitations in Adapting Perennial Grasses Selection of species and cultivars Seed sources Cropping system design Establishment Weed control Fertilization Harvest management Market value/availability 11 Agronomy of Perennial Grasses Source: J.W. Voigt 12 4
Integrating Perennial grasses Cropping Landscape Design Growing Source: Our Sarah Food, Taylor Feed, Lovell, Fiber, Sun Prairie and FUEL Farm, Carter Johnson 13 Perennial Grasses from Our Tallgrass Prairie 14 Management Practices Species selection Biomass yield (Mg ha -1 ) 20 2010 2011 2012 15 10 5 Urbana, IL 0 Warrior Chief Goldmine Bonanza DK-IL Kanlow CIR IN/BB BB/IN/SW IN/SW/SO BB/IN/SO MxG Indiangrass Big Bluestem Switchgrass Native Mixtures Miscanthus 15 5
Management Practice Cultivar selection Urbana, IL Southern origin IL origin Northern origin 16 Lowland types Growing Our Food, Upland Feed, types Fiber, and FUEL Management Practices Establishment three dominant species Indiangrass Planted in May, 2012 Switchgrass Big bluestem September 17, 2012 17 Management Practices Fast germination Prairie cordgrass Prairie cordgrass seed Whole seed 100 Caryopsis Germination (%) 80 60 40 Caryopsis, PC17-109 Caryopsis, PCG-109 Whole seed, PC17-109 Whole seed, PCG-109 20 0 0 5 10 15 20 25 Time (Day) 18 6
Biomass yield (Mg ha -1 ) 3/17/2014 Management Practices Weed control Without pre-emergent June 21, 2009 Planted May 25, 2009 7 inch spacing 10 lb/ac seeding rate Aug. 3, 2009 Sep. 10 7, 2009 July 9, 2010 With pre-emergent June 21, 2009 Planted May 25, 2009 7 inch spacing 10 lb/ac seeding rate July 22, 2009 Sep. 10 7, 2009 July 9, 2010 19 Management Practices Fertility and Harvest switchgrass 14 All Locations 12 10 8 6 4 2 PSC, Summer-peak standing crop AKF, Fall-after a killing frost OWN, Early spring following overwintering 0 0 50 100 150 200 250 N Rate (kg ha -1 ) 20 Goal to demonstrate economic viability of commercial grassland grown on croplands 640 acres of cropland and former CRP land converted to native grassland and restored wetlands Started in 2008 Seed production:~70 acres 60 acres switchgrass Prairie cordgrass, wedgegrass, sedge Hay and pasture: ~260 acres Warm season/forbs Warm/cool/forbs/legumes Croplands Courtesy of Dr. Carter Johnson 21 7
22 Economic challenges Achieving planned production and cost levels Marketing to obtain premium prices Marketing costs? Transitioning to get through the establishment period Cost-share sources on seed and seeding costs Maintaining an income stream during transition years Generating income as soon as possible on newly establishment (without jeopardizing stand) Courtesy of Dr. Carter Johnson 23 Products Native grass hay Native plant seed Custom grazing Grass-finished beef Cellulosic biofuel feedstock Recreation (ecotourism, fee hunting) Ecosystem services Courtesy of Dr. Carter Johnson 24 8
Ecosystem services Farm level economic decisions do not include the value of ecosystem services, which could make grasslands more attractive. Ways that producers might be paid for ecosystem services? Conservation payments Environmental markets (e.g. carbon credits) Branding (e.g. grass-fed beef) Marketing environmental amenities (e.g. ecotourism, hunting) Courtesy of Dr. Carter Johnson 25 Income s Courtesy of Dr. Carter Johnson 26 Biodiversity within Agro-ecosystem Promote Productivity and Sustainability of Our Agriculture FOOD, FEED, FIBER, FUEL Source: cenusa bioenergy 27 9
THANK YOU! D.K.. Lee 217-333-7736 leedk@illinois.edu 28 10