Making Prairie Practical: Expanding Flexibility in Planting Methods for Retired Marginal Lands and Edge-of-field Nutrient Reduction Practices

Issue

Conversion of marginal land to permanent perennial cover is a highly effective nutrient reduction practice, but it only makes economic sense when the land is marginally productive or is enrolled in strategic, edge-of-field conservation practices such as prairie strips. Despite these benefits, farmers may be deterred by rigid implementation requirements. In previous INRC-funded work we demonstrated that some widely recommended practices for site preparation and seeding lack clear data to support them.

Objective

Our overall goal is to expand the suite of cost-effective methods, increasing farmer flexibility and facilitating participation in the Conservation Reserve Program. There are three objectives:

1) compare combinations of alternative planting times, planting implements, and recommended seeding rates;

2) compare alternative cropping history and associated site preparation, which currently constrains farmers to plant into soybean stubble; and

3) address farmer questions about the long-term benefits of adopting native plantings, a large up-front investment that is purported to accrue benefits over time.

Approach

The approach for Objective 1 is to establish a planting flexibility experiment on marginal crop ground testing two levels of planting time, seeding equipment and seeding rate in a fully factorial design. We will measure multiple aspects of vegetation function (erosion resistance, pollinator resources and biodiversity) and cost-effectiveness (cost per 1000 plants).

For Objective 2 we will compare the results of dormant broadcast seeding in corn stubble and soybean stubble, in a side-by-side demonstration.

For Objective 3 we will re-sample 1-2 trials originally supported by INRC after 7-8 years to assess the provision of long-term ecological benefits. These trials were conducted on marginal ground, in the context of CRP plantings. Results will inform recommendations for installing perennial vegetation on marginal land, expanding options for a proven nutrient reduction practice.