Increasing the Productivity and Resilience to Climate Variability of Agricultural Production Systems in the Upper Midwest U.S. while Reducing Negative Impact on the Environment

Assess the environmental impacts of crop management practices that have the potential to improve soil health and decrease greenhouse gas emissions in the Upper Midwest. a. Develop a perennialized row crop system that reduces the environmental footprint of agriculture and improves its resilience, without adverse impacts on water usage and profitability. b. Develop new knowledge regarding soil nitrogen cycling and nitric and nitrous oxide production mechanisms. c. Develop new knowledge of chemical triggering compounds of microbial activity. 2. Increase nutrient use efficiency and reduce nutrient losses to leaching, runoff and atmospheric emissions in Upper Midwest cropping systems. a. Develop improved methods to quantify and to reduce losses of reactive N gases from fertilized cropping systems. b. Evaluate manure management practices for improvement of nutrient cycling and reduction of reactive nitrogen losses on large dairies.