Cultivation of Chinese Silvergrass (Miscanthus Sinensis Anderss.) On the East Slovak Lowland as a Potential Source of Raw Material for Energy Purposes

Abstract

A field trial with Miscanthus sinensis Anderss. was performed in Vysoká nad Uhom (average yearly temperature: 9.0°C, yearly precipitation: 584 mm) on Haplic fluvisol (WRB 2006) during 2006-2009. The average dry matter (DM) yield of the above- ground phytomass was 25.63 t/ha/year (excluding establish- ment year when yield was 4.81 t/ha) and had an increasing trend according to production years (14.13, 26.14 and 36.63 t/ha). We achieved in developing a trial stand in the third year of production when the field coverage of 10 thousand rhizomes being planted per hectare was over 80%; however, it can be used as a denser spacing for the earlier performance of stand with full production capability, which means plantation of 12-13 thousand plants per hectare. The average lower heating value of the organic sample of phytomass, as received (LHV) was 15.56 MJ/kg, and according to the trial years were 15.09; 15.80; 15.70; and 15.80 MJ/kg. The amount of total energy value of the produced phytomass per unit area (energy yield) was 1,284.989 GJ/ha, and 72.583, 223.254, 410.398, 578.754 GJ/ha, respectively, in the trial years. The energy yield was exclusively affected (r = 0.999), and the caloric value (LHV) was affected by phytomass yield (r = 0.739). Obtained emission characteristics and the concentration of selected volatiles, and remaining ash, ash content 3.46%, total water 10.65%, carbon 42.49%, hydrogen 5.20%, total sulphur 0.12%, nitrogen 0.55%, silicone 1.17% and chlorine 0.16% have supported the environmentally friendly introduction of Chinese silvergrass, as the energy crop is desirable for the targeted agroecological conditions of Slovakia.

Evaluation of Dry Matter Production of Miscanthus Sinensis (Tatai) in the Conditions of South-Western Slovakia

“…The differences among the studied years were statistically highly significant (Table 2). This significance and increasing trend in aboveground phytomass yields were confirmed also by Porvaz, Tóth and Marcin (2012). They observed the production of dry matter and size of the off shoot circle of Miscanthus in the Eastern Slovak Lowland conditions.…”

“…Comparable average size of the off shoot circle of Miscanthus grown in the Eastern Slovak Lowland was achieved in the second growing year (610 mm). The average size of the off shoot circle in the Eastern Slovak Lowland was 810 mm at the end of the fourth crop year (Porvaz, Tóth and Marcin, 2012).…”

Yield of Elymus elongatus and Secale cereanum on marginal soils in Central Europe

“…The knowledge about energy crops is still incomplete, these crops belong to several botanical species and have different production potentials (basically from medium to high). Suitability for cultivation in marginal soil conditions is their special value (Hauptvogel et al, 2022;Kron et al, 2017;Marišová et al, 2016;Porvaz et al, 2012). There are some species which are not been studied enough so far such as tall wheatgrass Elymus elongatus (Csete et al, 2011) and perennial rye Secale cereanum (Sipos and Halász, 2007).…”

Different planting material for establishment of the Miscanthus energy grass plantation

“…Comparable average size of the Miscanthus´ tillering circle in the conditions of the East Slovak Lowland was reached by the plants in the second year of growing (610 mm). At the end of the fourth growing year, the average size of the tillering circle in East Slovak Lowland had value of 810 mm (Porvaz et al, 2012).…”