HRT/PSMS Spring 2014 Seminar Series

Dr. Timothy Griffin
Friedman School of Nutrition Science & Policy
Tufts University

will present

“Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Potato Systems”

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from agricultural systems are affected by many production practices, and there are few estimates from high-value crops like potato.  Estimates of carbon dioxide (CO₂ ) and nitrous oxide (N₂ O) flux were conducted over three growing seasons on a sandy loam soil in Presque Isle, ME.  Three production systems were included: 1) Business as Usual, 2) Soil Conserving, and 3) Soil Improving. The Business as Usual system consists of a barley-potato rotation with fall tillage for both crops.  The Soil Conserving scenario employed no-till planting barley plus interseeded timothy in Year 1, followed by timothy sod in Year 2, and spring tillage with potato in Year 3.  The Soil Improving system had the same crop and tillage sequence, plus annual input of compost. Samples were collected from vented chambers (0.4 by 0.8 m) at 7-14 d intervals.  Cumulative CO₂ flux was slightly greater in the potato phase than in barley, likely due to frequent disturbance events. Emission of N₂ O from potato under saturated conditions was 5 to 10-fold higher than from barley, due to both placement and amount of N fertilizer input, and was mitigated by C accumulation in the Soil Improving system.  Cumulative global warming potential (GWP) of emissions from barley were dominated by CO₂ , while flux from potato was predominantly N₂ O.

Thursday, March 20 @ 4:10 pm
A149 Plant & Soil Science Bldg

Refreshments will be served @ 4:00 pm

Sherry M. Mulvaney
Office Assistant
Michigan State University
Department of Horticulture
1066 Bogue St, Room A288
Plant & Soil Sciences Bldg.
East Lansing, MI  48824-1325
Office:  517-355-5191 ext. 1362
Fax:  517-355-0249

Therese Iadipaolo
Secretary Main Office
Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences
Plant and Soil Sciences Building
1066 Bogue St. Rm A286
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI 48824
Ph:(517) 355-0271 x1-120
Fx: (517) 353-5174
email: [log in to unmask]
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