Fertility Issues in Switchgrass Production Joint Meetings of SERA-ieg 6, NEC-17 and NCRA-13 2008...
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Transcript of Fertility Issues in Switchgrass Production Joint Meetings of SERA-ieg 6, NEC-17 and NCRA-13 2008...
Fertility Issues in Switchgrass Production
Joint Meetings of SERA-ieg 6, NEC-17 and NCRA-13
2008
Nashville, Tennessee
Donald Tyler
University of Tennessee
DOE UT Switchgrass Project
Burt English (Co-director)
Daniel DeLaTorre Ugarte (Co-director)
Chris Clark
Clark Garland
Ken Goddard
Kim Jensen
Roland Roberts
Larry Steckel
Donald Tyler
Marie Walsh
Sources of Ethanol in USA
• Corn – starch based
• Sugarcane – sugar – (Brazil)
Corn – limited suitable land
- competes for corn as food
- high inputs
- FFE of 1.1 to 1.2 to 1
Cellulosic Ethanol
• Wood wastes (expensive)• Corn and wheat stover (limited)
• Crops:• Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) FFE
5.2 to 1• Giant miscanthus • Hybrid poplar (North USA)
Status
No surplus or production advantage for corn or soybean production in TN. Our competitive advantage is perennial switchgrass.
Thrust for cellulosic ethanol production and use at national and state level.
Lack of efficient switchgrass production strategies in TN.
Switchgrass
Perennial
Relatively low input crop
Other species & biomass sources
Competitive advantage in the Southeast
Native species
Planted with seed
No specialized planting or harvesting equipment
Dedicated Energy Crops -- 2010
Dry Tons
zero
up to 500 thousand
up to 1 million
up to 2 million
up to 4 million
over 4 millionEstimated using POLYSYS analytical system, Daniel De La Torre Ugarte and Burton English
Dedicated Energy Crops -- 2020
Estimated using POLYSYS analytical system, Daniel De La Torre Ugarte and Burton English
Dry Tons
zero
up to 500 thousand
up to 1 million
up to 2 million
up to 4 million
over 4 million
160 million tons of
switchgrass from 19
million acres
Dedicated Energy Crops -- 2030
Dry Tons
zero
up to 500 thousand
up to 1 million
up to 2 million
up to 4 million
over 4 millionEstimated using POLYSYS analytical system, Daniel De La Torre Ugarte and Burton English
362 million tons of
switchgrass
from 35 million acres
Research in Progress
Soil / landscape suitability Seeding / nitrogen rate
interactions Cultivar selection Weed control strategies On – farm demonstrations
Switchgrass production:
Seeding Rate – Nitrogen Study
Nitrogen rates: 0, 60, 120, 180 lbs. N per acre as NH4NO3.
Spring applied starting the 2nd season.
Seeding rates: 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, 10.0 and 12.5 lbs. PLS per acre.
Alamo variety
Nitrogen
• Being evaluated
• Responses vary
• Presently 60 lbs. N/A after first year
Seeding Rate 60 lbs.
N/A
11.0 a
10.0 a
10.1 a
11.5 a
9.6 a
11.3 ab
10.6 ab
12.6 a
10.5 b
10.5 b
DM Yield in T/A
Lbs./ A PLS
2.5
5.0
7.5
10.0
12.5
2006 Well drained to moderately well drained level upland
180 lbs. N/A
0 lbs. N/A
8.5 a
9.4 a
8.9 a
9.2 a
7.7 a
120 lbs. N/A
10.8 a
10.7 a
11.3 a
10.7 a
10.0 aValues within a nitrogen rate followed by the same letter are not significantly different at P = 0.05<
Seeding Rate 60 lbs.
N/A
2.4 b
4.6 a
4.5 a
4.8 a
3.8 ab
5.1 b
6.8 a
7.2 a
7.2 a
7.0 a
DM Yield in T/A
Lbs./ A PLS
2.5
5.0
7.5
10.0
12.5
2006 poorly drained floodplain
180 lbs. N/A
0 lbs. N/A
2.6 b
3.1 ab
3.0 ab
3.4 ab
3.8 a
120 lbs. N/A
4.0 a
5.2 a
5.0 a
5.4 a
5.2 aValues within a nitrogen rate followed by the same letter are not significantly different at P = 0.05<
Phosphorus
• Removed tissue concentration ( 8 locations over 5 years) 0.09% P
• 8 tons to the acre = 14 lbs P/A or
32 lbs P2O5
• Low testing (Mehlich 1) = 40 lbs P2O5/A
Potassium
• Removal tissue concentration (8 locations over 5 years) 0.52% K
• 8 tons/A = 83 lbs K/A or 100 lbs K2O/A
• Low testing (Mehlich 1) = 80 lbs K2O/A
Soil Acidity
• No lime recommended pH 5.0 and above
• O. M. complexing Al and Mn
Summary
Establishment – 6 lbs./A PLS – Tilled or no-tilled ½ inch or less coverage.
Fertilization – 60 lbs./A N after 1 year – 40 lbs./A P2O5 & 80 lbs./A K2O at low soil test.
Weed Control – Broadleaf available – Grass control in process.
Harvest – Big round or square bales – Modules? – Stack storage? – In field processing?