Title:
Biochar Application on the Energy Grass Giant Reed: Yield and Nitrogen Uptake
Author(s):
Ceotto, E., Ginaldi, F., Cappelli, G.A., Cianchetta, S.
Document(s):
Paper
Poster
Abstract:
Despite biochar has been widely investigated in recent years, there have been no studies done on biochar application on the energy grass giant reed. To tackle this research question, a field experiment was undertaken in 2016, and it is still on going, in the low Po Valley, Northern Italy. Treatments were: i) unfertilized control (Control); ii) mulching biochar 40 Mg ha-1, (Biochar1); iii) mulching biochar 80 Mg ha-1, (Biochar2); iv) 250 kg N ha-1 as urea. Our main findings are: i) the supply of 40 Mg ha-1 of mulching biochar increased biomass yield and N uptake of about 20%; ii) the supply of 80 Mg ha-1 of mulching biochar m-2 determined no gain on both yield and N uptake; iii) the supply of 250 kg N ha-1 determined a much higher yield increase compared to biochar; iv) yield was mostly determined by the increase of stem height and stem diameter rather than stem density.
Keywords:
giant reed, soil fertility, biochar
Topic:
Biomass Policies, Markets and Sustainability
Subtopic:
Environmental impacts of bioenergy
Event:
26th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition
Session:
4BV.6.1
Pages:
1440 - 1443
ISBN:
978-88-89407-18-9
Paper DOI:
10.5071/26thEUBCE2018-4BV.6.1
Price:
FREE
