Shahandeh, H. and Hons, F.M. and Wight, J.P. and Storlien, J.O. (2015) Harvest strategy and N fertilizer effects on bioenergy sorghum production. Energy, 3 (3). pp. 377-400.
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Abstract
Bioenergy sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) has the potential to be a very important cellulosic feedstock if it can be produced without degrading soil quality. Two important factors for achieving that goal are N management and the amount of residue (i.e. carbon) returned to the soil. This study evaluated two N rates (0 or 280 kg ha−1 yr−1) and three levels of residue return (0, 25%, or 50%) on Weswood silty clay loam near College Station, TX USA. Biomass sorghum was grown continuously from 2009 through 2014. Maximum dry biomass yield (23 Mg ha−1) was produced with added N and 25% residue return in a year with above average precipitation. Overall, N fertilization increased biomass yield by 43 to 104%, while residue return enhanced yield from < 1 to 23% during the six-year study. Averaged for the six years, biomass production for the 0, 25%, and 50% residue return treatments was 16, 20, and 18 Mg ha−1, respectively. Returning 25% of the crop residue significantly increased K uptake in both the 1st and 6th years. Sorghum fertilizer N uptake efficiency (FNUE) with residue return by 2014 was significantly increased compared to 2009 values. Non-limiting N fertilization and 25% residue return significantly increased NO3–N, P, K, and soil organic C (SOC) concentrations in surface (0 to 5 cm) samples and soil total N (TN) and K concentrations within the 60 to 90 cm layer. This study confirms that N fertilization will be required to achieve high biomass sorghum yield and suggests that developing a harvest strategy to return 25% of the crop residue will be sufficient to maintain soil quality.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench; bioenergy sorghum; biomass; sustainability; nutrient |
| Author Affiliation: | Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas |
| Subjects: | Plant Production |
| Divisions: | Sorghum |
| Depositing User: | Mr T L Gautham |
| Date Deposited: | 24 Dec 2015 05:56 |
| Last Modified: | 24 Dec 2015 05:56 |
| URI: | http://eprints.icrisat.ac.in/id/eprint/14113 |
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