Stover are the leaves and stalks of
field crops, such as corn (
maize),
sorghum or
soybean that are commonly left in a field after harvesting the
grain. It is similar to
straw, the residue left after any cereal grain or grass has been harvested at maturity for its seed. It can be directly grazed by cattle or dried for use as
fodder. [1] Stover has attracted some attention as a potential
fuel source, and as
biomass for fermentation or as a feedstock for
cellulosic ethanol production.[2][3] Stover from various crops can also be used in mushroom
compost preparation.[4][5]
The word stover derives from the English legal term estovers, referring to the right of tenants to cut timber.[6]
^Lardy, Greg; Anderson, Vern; Dahlen, Carl (October 2015).
"Alternative Feeds for Ruminants". North Dakota State University. Section 2: Harvesting and Use of Residues; Section 5.11: Corn Stover, Harvested. Retrieved 4 June 2019.