Closing the Corn Yield Gap: Management Practices that Improve Soil Quality and Net Productivity but Reduce Global Warming Potential

Meeting the projected global demand for food and fuel from corn systems while conserving natural resources and improving environmental quality can only be achieved by the intensification of existing corn systems. Yield analysis of the central U.S. Corn Belt indicates that there is a large exploitable yield gap for corn. Since 1999, we have been experimenting with optimizing corn management systems to exploit corn yield potential. To date, our experience has shown that considerable yield increases are realized by choosing the right combination of adopted varieties, planting dates, and plant populations to maximize crop productivity. In addition, more intensive N management strategies that cater, not only to improving crop N use efficiency but also residue carbon management, aid in reducing nitrogen input over the long-term. Significant increases in soil organic matter and N storage have resulted from intensification of crop management practices. In addition, intensification has not caused significant increases in the global warming potential of these cropping systems.