Corn Stover for Ethanol Production: Potential and Pitfalls

3. A large-scale switch to no-till agricultural production would mitigate the increased risk of erosion, but would be relatively ineffective at managing the risks of increased soil carbon loss and increased agricultural GHG emissions that arise with harvest of corn residues. Alternative best management practices (BMPs) for agriculture, including increased use of cover crops, green manures, and precision nitrogen management, may be effective at addressing negative impacts to air, water, and soil resources.