The Solar Corridor Crop System To Maximize Sustainable Yield C. LeRoy Deichman Deichman Consulting Session: Solar Corridor, Wide-Row, and Intercrop Production Systems ASA, CSSA, and SSSA 2013 International Annual Meetings Tampa, FL November 3-6, 2013

Photosynthesis "....90-95% of the total dry matter of higher plants usually consists of carbon compounds derived from photosynthesis....." Loomis, R.S. and W.A. Williams. 1963. Maximum crop productivity: an estimate. Crop Sci. 3:67-72 The proper design, scope, details & sustainability specifics of The Solar Corridor Crop System (SCCS) for maximizing photosynthesis will be the focus of this paper

Photosynthesis CO2 CO2 CO2 CO2P CHL < CM < GL SS CS AF SUNLIGHT CATALYST HPF MDAP (kW) OF H2O 360o Carbon Cycle CHL – Chloroplast CM – Chlorophyll Molecule GL – Green Leaf SS – Simple Sugars CS – Complex Sugars AF – Alcohol Fuels HPF – High Protein (VM) Feed MDAP – Meat, Dairy, and Animal Products CO2P – CO2 Sourced Products OF – Organic Fertilizer

SUNLIGHT in Corn Production A Paradigm Shift The Solar Corridor

SUNLIGHT in Corn Production A Paradigm Shift Staggered twin rows spaced far enough apart to enable sunlight to reach the lower leaves for the entire growing season Enabling the bio capture of more CO2 for BioSynthesis into more photosynthate derived carbon compounds Grow a shorter symbiotic crop on the vacated row that completes its peak demand for sunlight before the corn takes all of the incident sunlight

The New Paradigm Enables the mature chloroplasts to capture more CO2 and produce more photosynthates Enables the highest capacity reproductive sinks to access more photosynthates Enables vegetative sinks to access more photosynthates Cultivar and variety selection is site specific, production inputs then become variety specific   

Treatments 12 Production Environments 4 Hybrids (Designated A, B, C, and D) 4 Plant populations 3 Replications Randomized Block Split/Split Plot design 1st split by hybrid, 2nd by plant population   2 Row width entries Control: Single rows on 30 or 36 inch centers Treatment: Twin rows on 60 or 72 inch centers, respectively All treatments were in north/south rows between 40 and 41 degrees North latitude Deichman Consulting

RESPONSE OF HYBRIDS TO ROW SPACING Average Over 12 Environments And 4 Plant Populations Deichman Consulting

RESPONSE OF HYBRIDS TO ROW SPACING Average Over 8 Highest Yielding Environments And 4 Plant Populations Deichman Consulting

RESPONSE OF HYBRIDS TO ROW SPACING At Highest Yielding Plant Population (30,000) Deichman Consulting

Plant Population and Row Width Brenton Sil – Hybrid B Deichman Consulting

Plant Population and Row Width Brenton Sil – Hybrid D Deichman Consulting

HYBRID C – AT 30,000 POPULATION Site 1 Site 2 Deichman Consulting

Floor Crops and Effective Yields As specifically demonstrated in Solar Corridor Floor Experiments (Deichman, 20051 and US Patent #6052941, claims 2 and 4), we can produce other specifically chosen crops between the corn twin rows without a reduction in corn yield.  We have concluded that: Soybeans have not (yet) proven to add yield without a negative impact on corn yield. Winter small grains or oil seed crops with a cover/stubble crop selected for your site can add yield and sustainability benefits without a negative impact on corn yield. Also, many horticultural crops (see footnote reference) can add yield without a negative impact on corn yield. Therefore ½ of the Solar Corridor crop acre can be assigned to corn, and the other ½ to a viable floor crop such as wheat. The effective yields per corn acre are therefore exactly double the yields per crop acre reported on the previous charts. 1 Deichman, C. L., “Solar Corridor Floor Crop Experiments”, ASA-CSSA-SSSA International Annual Meetings, November 6-10, 2005, Salt Lake City, 147-9

Comparison of Crop Yields Achieving The Goal of 1000 gal/A Ethanol Conventional Planting The Solar Corridor System 1x Corn Corn Field Wheat and Clover Field 1x Wheat and Clover ≥2x Corn + 1x Wheat and Clover Wheat and Clover Planted Between Widely-spaced Twin Rows of Corn Using the Solar Corridor System, each of the hybrids B, C, & D yielded 192 or more bushels per crop acre (384 bushels per effective corn acre), enough for today's ethanol plants to produce 1000 gallons of ethanol (assuming 2.65 gallons/bushel yield).

Summary and Conclusions Increased productivity can be achieved through the utilization of the Solar Corridor System Sunlight is made available to more chloroplasts to produce more carbohydrates to meet sink demands through physiological maturity Appropriately selected site specific supporting practices maximize Solar Corridor benefits Increased Yield, Increased Sequestration of CO2 Reduces Soil Erosion and Lodging Solar Corridor floor crop harvest options do exist We need to further develop and refine these options

Summary and Conclusions (cont.) Based on the performance data presented, the increased biosynthesis of the atmospheric CO2 currently available in the US heartland resulting from the full deployment of the proposed new paradigm: Can produce another 30bb annual gal of anhydrous equivalent alcohol fuels, Plus significant quantities of clean substitutes for diesel fuel, glycerol, biogas, high energy protein, etc., Without requiring any of our current food supply, cellulosic feedstock, or any increase in corn acres. (This means no rain forest acres are required.) If you want to run your test of the protocol we used, we encourage that. Just let us know so we can send you the full protocol