Title:
Setting up of Panicum Virgatum L. in the Mediterranean Environment
Author(s):
Scarcella, M., Navarro, A., Campi, P., Palumbo, A.D., Mastrorilli, M.
Document(s):
Paper
Poster
Abstract:
The main goal of this work has been to compare two techniques for establishing switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) under the Mediterranean climate: direct sowing vs transplanting. Two ecotypes have been tested at two sites of southern Europe (Apulia region, Italy): a wild ecotype (‘Upland type’) and the ‘Alamo’ cultivar (‘Lowland type’). Since soil water availability is crucial during the stages of germination and plant emergence, preliminary tests have compared four sowing times (from March to June) in order to verify if switchgrass crops could be established from seed without any irrigation supply. This hypothesis has been rejected due to low soil moisture which has not allowed a good germination. In late spring 2010, the wild ecotype has been sown and the crop establishing has occurred with supplemental irrigation. In early summer 2012, ‘Alamo’ cultivar has been transplanted by using seedlings (15-20 cm in high) obtained in seed-tray pots arranged in a floating system. Supplemental irrigations have been applied during the first growing season. The paper reports the experimental results concerning the setting up trials and the preliminary indications on the biomass that could be obtained from ‘sown’ or ‘transplanted’ switchgrass crops. Results have shown that the transplanting technique could be more suitable in the Mediterranean environment (less water supplied during the establishing phase of the crop) and that the oven dried biomass production of ‘Alamo’ can range between 3 and 7 t ha-1 in the first vegetative season.
Keywords:
irrigation, switchgrass, mediterranean environment, sowing, transplanting
Topic:
Biomass resources
Subtopic:
Energy crops and energy grasses
Event:
21st European Biomass Conference and Exhibition
Session:
1BV.3.18
Pages:
334 - 338
ISBN:
978-88-89407-53-0
Paper DOI:
10.5071/21stEUBCE2013-1BV.3.18
Price:
FREE
