Cutting frequency and stubble height of reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea L.): influence on quality and quantity of biomass for biogas production

Abstract

Reed canary grass (RCG) used for land treatment of waste water can serve as a substrate for biogas production. The aim of this experiment was to study the effects of two, three or four cuts per year to stubble heights of 5, 12·5 or 20 cm on the digestibility and yield of digestible organic matter (DOM) of RCG. Both dry‐matter yield and the yield of DOM decreased with more than two cuts per year. Height of cutting had no effect on the digestibility of the regrowth harvested from the different cutting regimes. Increased height of cutting resulted in increased dry‐matter production and therefore also of increased DOM yield in the regrowth harvested from the four‐cut regime. The total DOM yield from the four‐cut regime was, however, only 0·84 of the DOM yield from the two‐cut regime.

Evaluation of reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea L.) grown for energy use

“…For reed canary grass considered for biogas production, three to four cuttings per year are recommended (Jo, Lee 1997;Geber 2002). For reed canary grass intended for burning one harvest per year is most prevalent.…”

Using Grass Cuttings from Sports Fields for Anaerobic Digestion and Combustion

“…Therefore, research on combustion has focused on rather old biomass, while research on anaerobic digestion concentrates on rather young biomass. However, when considering "young" biomass, cutting frequencies of three to four harvests a year are typically investigated (e.g., [9,10]). Information on chemical composition as well as the technique-related properties of grass biomass cut at higher frequencies is scarce.…”

Reed canarygrass crop biomass and silage as affected by harvest date and nitrogen fertilization

“…The crop biomass IVTD and NDFD decreased from the late July to the mid-October harvests (Table 2). Decreased IVTD and NDFD with delayed harvests of reed canarygrass were reported in Sweden (Geber 2002) and Lithuania (Butkuté et al 2014). This decrease in crop biomass IVTD and NDFD with delayed harvests from late July to early October was also observed in a study conducted with switchgrass in eastern Canada (Bélanger et al 2012).…”

“…It has been shown to be more productive than switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) in northern areas and to grow well under poorly drained conditions (Wrobel et al 2009). Reed canarygrass has been assessed as an energy crop in the USA (Nadeem Tahir 2011), the UK (Christian et al 2006;Allison et al 2012), Sweden (Landström et al 1996;Geber 2002), Lithuania (Butkuté et al 2014), Estonia (Kukk et al 2011;Heinsoo et al 2011), and Finland (Lehtomäki et al 2008). Perennial herbaceous crops, like reed canarygrass, can be used with several conversion systems, including biogas, cellulosic ethanol, and direct combustion.…”

“…The use of reed canarygrass for methane production has been studied mostly in northern European countries (Geber 2002;Seppälä et al 2009;Butkuté et al 2014). Our research group recently reported specific methane yields from reed canarygrass fertilized with different N application rates and harvested at different stages of development in a study conducted in eastern Canada (Massé et al 2011).…”