Research on Biomass Development and Residue Decomposition of Horticultural Crops for Erosion Prediction Models: Philosophy and Methodology of Data Collection
USDA Conservation Research Project Alcorn State University, Mississippi, U.S.A.
G.K. Panicker¹, S.C. Tiwari¹, G.A. Weesies², D.E. Stott³, AH. Al-Humadi, C. Sims¹, L.C. Huam¹, P. Igbokwe¹, O.P. Vadhwa¹, A. Johnson¹, J. Harness¹, J. Bunch⁴, and T.E. Collins⁵

1.Alcorn State University, Mississippi, U.S.A. 2.USDA-NRCS, National Soil Erosion Research Lab (NSERL), Purdue University, Indiana, U.S.A. 3.USDA-ARS, NSERL, Indiana. 4.USDA-NRCS, National Plant Data Center, Louisiana, U.S.A. 5.USDA-NRCS, Jackson, Mississippi

The increased demand for food and fiber, due to population increase, is causing marked acceleration of soil erosion. The Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) and its replacement, the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE), are the most widely used of all soil erosion prediction models. Of the five factors in RUSLE, the cover and management (C) factor is the most important one from the standpoint of conservation planning because land use changes meant to reduce erosion are represented here. Even though the RUSLE is based on the USLE, this modern erosion prediction model is highly improved and updated. Alcorn State University entered into a cooperative agreement with the NRCS of USDA in 1988 to conduct C-factor research on vegetable and fruit crops. The main objective of this research is to collect plant growth and residue data that are used to populate databases needed to develop C-factors in RUSLE, and used in databases for other erosion prediction and natural resource models. The enormous data collected on leaf area index (LAI), canopy cover, yield, lower and upper biomass, rate of residue decomposition, C:N ratio of samples of residues and destructive harvest and other growth parameters of canopy and rhizosphere made the project the largest C-factor data bank on horticultural crops.

The USDA has authorized the Soil and Water Conservation Society of America, Ankeny, Iowa, to distribute the RUSLE program to the entire world. The program is beeing sold out at the rate of $300 per diskette. As the C-factor applies the latest technology in erosion prediction, students graduating with thesis work will have excellent job opportunities and great future.

Horticultural crops studied: Bell pepper, broccoli, cabbage, cantaloupe, cauliflower, Chinese cabbage, collards, cowpea, English peas, hot pepper, Irish potato, kale, lettuce, mustard, nectarine, okra, onion, peanut, plum, peach, radish, snap beans, spinach, squash, strawberry, sweet corn, sweet potato, tomato, turnip, muscadine, and watermelon.
Agronomic crops studied: Cotton, soybean, and canola.
Progress in nutshell: The project has completed data collection on 34 crops raised on 256 research plots with a total of 96,024 readings until summer 2002.
Study continues on: C-factors, C:N ratios of crop residues, rate of residue decomposition, no-till vegetable production, organic fruit production, and water and fruit quality.

For more information: Girish K. Panicker, Ph.D.,CPAg., Director, USDA Conservation Research Project, Alcorn State University, Alcorn State, MS 39096. Tel: 601-877-6598/2204. Fax: 601-877-6694. panicker@lorman.alcorn.edu