Effect of nitrogen fertilization on sorghum for biomass production
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Kuupäev
2018
Kättesaadavus
Autorid
Ajakirja pealkiri
Ajakirja ISSN
Köite pealkiri
Kirjastaja
Abstrakt
Two field experiments were carried out in 2005 and 2006 in central Italy in order to
evaluate the effects of different nitrogen (N) application rates (0, 50 100 and 150 kg ha-1
) on
flowering date, plant height, biomass production and partitioning (leaves, panicles and stems) and
biomass quality of a sorghum hybrid (H133). Sorghum showed a high potential in terms of
biomass production without N fertilization (18.5 t ha-1 of d.m. in 2005 and 26.6 t ha-1 of d.m. in
2006). The rate that maximized the biomass production was 100 kg ha-1 of N, increasing the
biomass dry weight by 23.8% in 2005 and 18.8% in 2006, with respect to unfertilized sorghum;
higher N rates are not advisable in order to avoid increasing fertilization costs and environmental
impact without benefit of greater biomass production. The two highest N rates when combined
with low water availability appeared to increase the rate of plant development, causing earlier
flowering and increasing the percentage of panicles in total biomass. Higher heating value
(HHV), lower heating value (LHV) and ash concentration of biomass varied among N rates, with
values of HHV and LHV lower for unfertilized sorghum (17.6 and 16.7 MJ kg-1 d.m.,
respectively) than when N was applied (from 19.0 to 19.7 and from 18.1 to 18.8 MJ kg-1 d.m.,
respectively); on the contrary, ash concentration was greater for unfertilized sorghum (7.5% d.m.)
than for fertilized sorghum (from 5.8 to 6.7% d.m.). This research showed the high potential of
sorghum in terms of biomass production also when cultivated with limited irrigation and
fertilization inputs. The biomass dry yield obtained by one hectare of sorghum crop without N
nitrogen fertilization (i.e. 22.6 t ha-1 of d.m., average of 2005 and 2006 values) produces the same
energy, by thermal utilisation, of 9.3 toe, that is equivalent to energy produced by 10,385 L of
diesel fuel or 11,097 m3 of methane fuel. This aspect increases the certainty of the energetic and
environmental sustainability of sorghum crop.
Kirjeldus
Article
Märksõnad
ash content, biomass quality, biomass yield, heating values, energy crop, N rate, articles