TY - JOUR
T1 - Nitrogen fertility and harvest management of switchgrass for sustainable bioenergy feedstock production in Illinois
AU - Anderson, Eric K.
AU - Parrish, Allen S.
AU - Voigt, Thomas B.
AU - Owens, Vance N.
AU - Hong, Chang Ho
AU - Lee, D. K.
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was funded by the Energy Biosciences Institute and the Department of Crop Sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign . The authors would like to thank the following University of Illinois research center managers for their indispensable input: Lindell Deal, Brownstown; Lyle Paul, DeKalb; Stephen Ebelhar, Dixon Springs; Eric Adee, Monmouth; Mike Vose, Perry; and Robert Dunker, Urbana.
PY - 2013/7
Y1 - 2013/7
N2 - To meet the U.S. government goals for cellulosic biofuel production, more than 300 million metric tons of lignocellulosic feedstock must be collected annually by 2022. Perennial grasses, such as switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), are expected to play a vital role in meeting these biomass demands. Determining optimum nitrogen fertilization practices and harvest timing will be essential to maximize yields, ensure stand longevity, and optimize feedstock quality. A field experiment was conducted from 2009 to 2012 at six locations in Illinois to determine the effect that N source (urea and slow-release N), N application rate (0, 56, 112, 168, and 224kgNha-1), and harvest timing (late summer, late fall, and early spring) have on above ground biomass yield and quality. The nitrogen source generally had no effect on biomass yield, moisture content or composition. Biomass yields increased with increasing N rates at each harvest timing with the highest yields occurring with 224, 168, and 112kgNha-1 for summer (12.9Mgha-1), fall (9.0Mgha-1), and spring (6.7Mgha-1) harvests, respectively. Moisture content was not affected by N rate and steadily decreased with delayed harvest timings. In general, cellulose, and hemicellulose contents were highest and lignin, protein and ash contents lowest when plots received 56kgNha-1 at all harvest timings. Based on this study, we recommend applying N fertilizer at 56 to 112kgNha-1 and harvesting from late fall to early spring to optimize switchgrass production in Illinois.
AB - To meet the U.S. government goals for cellulosic biofuel production, more than 300 million metric tons of lignocellulosic feedstock must be collected annually by 2022. Perennial grasses, such as switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), are expected to play a vital role in meeting these biomass demands. Determining optimum nitrogen fertilization practices and harvest timing will be essential to maximize yields, ensure stand longevity, and optimize feedstock quality. A field experiment was conducted from 2009 to 2012 at six locations in Illinois to determine the effect that N source (urea and slow-release N), N application rate (0, 56, 112, 168, and 224kgNha-1), and harvest timing (late summer, late fall, and early spring) have on above ground biomass yield and quality. The nitrogen source generally had no effect on biomass yield, moisture content or composition. Biomass yields increased with increasing N rates at each harvest timing with the highest yields occurring with 224, 168, and 112kgNha-1 for summer (12.9Mgha-1), fall (9.0Mgha-1), and spring (6.7Mgha-1) harvests, respectively. Moisture content was not affected by N rate and steadily decreased with delayed harvest timings. In general, cellulose, and hemicellulose contents were highest and lignin, protein and ash contents lowest when plots received 56kgNha-1 at all harvest timings. Based on this study, we recommend applying N fertilizer at 56 to 112kgNha-1 and harvesting from late fall to early spring to optimize switchgrass production in Illinois.
KW - Composition
KW - Harvest timing
KW - Lignocellulosic feedstock
KW - N rate
KW - N source
KW - Switchgrass
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U2 - 10.1016/j.indcrop.2013.03.029
DO - 10.1016/j.indcrop.2013.03.029
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84877343360
SN - 0926-6690
VL - 48
SP - 19
EP - 27
JO - Industrial Crops and Products
JF - Industrial Crops and Products
ER -