Title:
Cattle Slurry Application on Energy Crops: A Sustainable Practice?
Author(s):
Di Candilo, M., Ceotto, E.
Document(s):
Paper
Abstract:
The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of cattle slurry application, in comparison with mineral fertilizers, on energy crops in the Po Valley, Northern Italy. In particular, we evaluated: i) the yield response; ii) the nitrate content in soil profile; iii) the energy implications of displacing industrial fertilizers. In the four year period 2008-2011 three field experiments on manure application on energy crops have been carried out. The investigated crops were: giant reed (Arundo donax L.), Short Rotation Coppice (SRC) of poplar (Populus sp.) and fiber sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.). Each crop has received annually the following fertilization treatments: two rates of cattle slurry, named as M1 and M2, corresponding to 100 and 200 m-3 ha-1; one rate of industrial fertilizers, named as IF, corresponding to 120 kg N ha-1 plus 120 kg P2O5 ha-1; an unfertilized control, named as Control. For the three experiments the experimental design was a randomized block with three replications. Biomass was harvested annually on sorghum and giant reed, every two years on poplar. At harvest time the following variables were measured: i) fresh biomass yield; ii) moisture content; iii) dry matter yield; iv) stem density; v) stem height and diameter; vi) number of nodes per stem for both giant reed and fiber sorghum. Soil nitrate content of the layer 0.0-0.8 m was measured for giant reed and poplar in November 2010, prior to the beginning of the rainy season, to assess the aptitude of the crop in scavenging soil nitrate. In giant reed the fertilization treatments M1, M2 and IF increased dry matter yield by 40, 57 and 34%, respectively, compared to control. The yield increase was accompanied by higher number of culms m-2. In SRC of poplar the fertilization treatments M1, M2 and IF increased dry matter yield by 26, 41 e 28% compared to Control. On the contrary, no effects of fertilization treatments were observed in sorghum. Giant reed exerted an effective control on soil nitrate content.
Keywords:
energy crops, fertilization, manure, production, environmental impact
Topic:
Biomass Resources
Subtopic:
Energy crops and energy grasses
Event:
20th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition
Session:
1CO.3.2
Pages:
170 - 174
ISBN:
978-88-89407-54-7
Paper DOI:
10.5071/20thEUBCE2012-1CO.3.2
Price:
FREE
