Integrating Cover Crops into Annual Crop System to Increase Total Biofuel Production.

Integrating cover crops into existing annual crop systems is a plausible way to increase available cellulosic bioethanol feedstocks, improve the environmental performance of annual cropping systems, and address food versus fuel concerns. An Austrian pea plus winter cereal rye cover crop mix was integrated into continuous corn and corn plus soybean cropping systems at Arlington, Wisconsin and Hickory Corners, Michigan in 2013, and 2014. The experimental design was a randomized complete block with five replications at each location.  The objective of the study was to evaluate the yield and quality of biomass feedstock produced from the cover crop plus annual rotational crop systems.  Biomass quality analyses included total sugars, lignin, and estimated ethanol yield.   Long term analyses will include a determination of the global warming potential, energy balance, and economic performance of each respective system.