Corn (Zea mays L.) stover is a global resource used for livestock, fuel, and bioenergy feedstock, but excessive stover removal can decrease soil organic C (SOC) stocks and deteriorate soil health. Many site\uffe2\uff80\uff90specific stover removal experiments report accrual rates and SOC stock effects, but a quantitative, global synthesis is needed to provide a scientific base for long\uffe2\uff80\uff90term energy policy decisions. We used 409 data points from 74 stover harvest experiments conducted around the world for a meta\uffe2\uff80\uff90analysis and meta\uffe2\uff80\uff90regression to quantify removal rate, tillage, soil texture, and soil sampling depth effects on SOC. Changes were quantified by: (a) comparing final SOC stock differences after at least 3\uffc2\uffa0years with and without stover removal and (b) calculating SOC accrual rates for both treatments. Stover removal generally reduced final SOC stocks by 8% in the upper 0\uffe2\uff80\uff9315 or 0\uffe2\uff80\uff9330\uffc2\uffa0cm, compared to stover retained, irrespective of soil properties and tillage practices. A more sensitive meta\uffe2\uff80\uff90regression analysis showed that retention increased SOC stocks within the 30\uffe2\uff80\uff93150\uffc2\uffa0cm depth by another 5%. Compared to baseline values, stover retention increased average SOC stocks temporally at a rate of 0.41\uffc2\uffa0Mg C\uffc2\uffa0ha\uffe2\uff88\uff921\uffc2\uffa0year\uffe2\uff88\uff921 (statistically significant at p\uffc2\uffa0<\uffc2\uffa00.01 when averaged across all soil layers). Although SOC sequestration rates were lower with stover removal, with moderate (<50%) removal they can be positive, thus emphasizing the importance of site\uffe2\uff80\uff90specific management. Our results also showed that tillage effects on SOC stocks were inconsistent due to the high variability in practices used among the experimental sites. Finally, we conclude that research and technological efforts should continue to be given high priority because of the importance in providing science\uffe2\uff80\uff90based policy recommendations for long\uffe2\uff80\uff90term global carbon management.
", "keywords": ["2. Zero hunger", "TJ807-830", "04 agricultural and veterinary sciences", "15. Life on land", "carbon sequestration", "Energy industries. Energy policy. Fuel trade", "Renewable energy sources", "soil organic carbon", "corn", "meta\u2010analysis", "13. Climate action", "tillage", "0401 agriculture", " forestry", " and fisheries", "HD9502-9502.5", "stover removal"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.1111/gcbb.12631"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/GCB%20Bioenergy", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1111/gcbb.12631", "name": "item", "description": "10.1111/gcbb.12631", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1111/gcbb.12631"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2019-07-02T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.1111/gcbb.12924", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-09-20T16:17:32Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2022-01-29", "title": "The effects of integrated food and bioenergy cropping systems on crop yields, soil health, and biomass quality: The EU and Brazilian experience", "description": "AbstractIntegrated food and bioenergy production is a promising way to ensure regional/national food and energy security, efficient use of soil resources, and enhanced biodiversity, while contributing to the abatement of CO2 emissions. The objective of this study was to assess alternative crop rotation schemes as the basis for integrating and enhancing the sustainable biomass production within the food\uffe2\uff80\uff90energy agricultural context. Sunn hemp (Crotalaria spp.) in rotation with wheat (Triticum spp.) in the EU and with sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) in Brazil were evaluated. Sunn hemp did not negatively affect crop's productivity and soil fertility; wheat grain yields were maintained around the mean regional production levels (6, 7, 3 and Mg ha\uffe2\uff88\uff921 in Greece, Italy, and Spain, respectively), and the cumulative biomass in the extended rotation (wheat straw+sunn hemp) was between 1.5 and 2.0 times higher than in the conventional rotation. In Brazil, sugarcane stalks yield in clay soils increased by around 15\uffc2\uffa0Mg ha\uffe2\uff88\uff921\uffc2\uffa0year\uffe2\uff88\uff921 under sunn hemp rotation in comparison with bare fallow. Moreover, sunn hemp in the EU rotations did not have negative effects on soil available macronutrients, organic matter, pH, and cation exchange capacity, neither on C and N stocks in Brazil. The qualitative characteristics (mineral, ash, and hemicelluloses contents) of the cumulated biomass were somehow higher (in average +26%, +35%, and +3.4%, respectively) than in the conventional system. In summary, in temperate and tropical climates the integration of dedicated biomass legume crops within conventional systems could lead to enhanced biomass availability, crop diversification, and efficient use (in space and time) of the land resources.
", "keywords": ["legume crops", "0106 biological sciences", "2. Zero hunger", "advanced biofuels", "biomass", "TJ807-830", "04 agricultural and veterinary sciences", "15. Life on land", "Energy industries. Energy policy. Fuel trade", "01 natural sciences", "7. Clean energy", "Renewable energy sources", "12. Responsible consumption", "lignocellulose", "advanced biofuels; biomass; legume crops; lignocellulose; quantitative; qualitative traits; SOC; soil fertility; sugarcane", "13. Climate action", "0401 agriculture", " forestry", " and fisheries", "HD9502-9502.5", "SOC", "quantitative/qualitative traits"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://cris.unibo.it/bitstream/11585/895750/2/GCB%20Bioenergy%20-%202022%20-%20Zegada%e2%80%90Lizarazu%20-%20The%20effects%20of%20integrated%20food%20and%20bioenergy%20cropping%20systems%20on%20crop%20yields%20%20soil.pdf"}, {"href": "https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/gcbb.12924"}, {"href": "https://doi.org/10.1111/gcbb.12924"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/GCB%20Bioenergy", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1111/gcbb.12924", "name": "item", "description": "10.1111/gcbb.12924", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1111/gcbb.12924"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2022-03-09T00:00:00Z"}}], "links": [{"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "This document as GeoJSON", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items?keywords=Energy+industries.+Energy+policy.+Fuel+trade&f=json", "hreflang": "en-US"}, {"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "title": "This document as HTML", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items?keywords=Energy+industries.+Energy+policy.+Fuel+trade&f=html", "hreflang": "en-US"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection URL", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main", "hreflang": "en-US"}, {"type": "application/geo+json", "rel": "first", "title": "items (first)", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items?keywords=Energy+industries.+Energy+policy.+Fuel+trade&", "hreflang": "en-US"}, {"rel": "last", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "items (last)", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items?keywords=Energy+industries.+Energy+policy.+Fuel+trade&offset=2", "hreflang": "en-US"}], "numberMatched": 2, "numberReturned": 2, "distributedFeatures": [], "timeStamp": "2026-09-20T21:05:39.243633Z"}