Title:
NO-3-N Uptake by Switchgrass as a Soil Quality Improvement Index
Author(s):
Giannoulis, K.D., Molla, A., Skoufogianni, E., Dimirkou, A., Danalatos, N.G.
Document(s):
Paper
Abstract:
Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is an important perennial energy crop. In this work, the uptake of NO -3-N by switchgrass as an index of soil quality improvement was studied in a pot experiment. Totally 24 pots with a peat-soil substratum of 1 kg were prepared receiving NO -3–N up to a concentration of 44 ppm. In half pots, a zeolite-bentonite 3:1 mix was added (total 10 gr per pot). Switchgrass variety Alamo was sown in each pot on July 20th (2011) and a nutrient solution of ammonium nitrate at three levels was supplied to correspond to N dressings of 0, 80 and 200 kg N/ha. Upon harvest, the average height of switchgrass to the pots with the zeolite-bentonite mix included/not included was 109 and 101 cm, respectively. Dry weights reached 16.5 gr versus 14.7 gr for each case respectively. The amount of NO -3–N remained in the soil was lower in the case of the pots with the zeolite-bentonite mix included fluctuating at levels lower than 8 mg NO -3-N /kg soil in the purpose of zero dressing treatment. More detailed results presented in the paper, demonstrate that switchgrass can be considered as a particularly environmental-friendly crop for biofuel production characterized by a great NO -3-N adsorption rate and soil improvement characteristics.
Keywords:
energy crops, Greece, switchgrass, soil improvement
Topic:
Biomass Resources
Subtopic:
Energy crops and energy grasses
Event:
20th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition
Session:
1DV.2.4
Pages:
480 - 482
ISBN:
978-88-89407-54-7
Paper DOI:
10.5071/20thEUBCE2012-1DV.2.4
Price:
FREE
