Corn Stover for Bioenergy: Effect of N Fertilization, Winter Cover Crop and Stover Harvest On Vertical Biomass Distribution and Composition.

Biofuel production from plant biomass seems to be a suitable solution to mitigate fossil fuel use and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Cellulosic biomass seems to be a promising alternative renewable source of energy. The main components of plant material are cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, ash, protein, lipid, pectin, soluble sugars, and phenolic compounds. For biochemical conversion, cellulose is the most desirable component. Lignin is known to inhibit biomass hydrolysis. However, for thermochemical conversion, lignin is the most desirable plant component. Corn is a highly promising crop for biomass production. Nevertheless, biomass and grain yield could be affected by nutrient availability and winter cover crop rotation. Insufficient N supply during the growing season can reduce biomass yield. A winter cover crop like rye (Secale cereale L.) could increase corn yields.  Further, these factors could possibly affect the composition of stover. The objective of this study is to determine the impact of N fertilization, rye cover crop and corn stover removal for bioenergy production on vertical composition of corn stover.