Growth performance and weed control effect in response to nitrogen supply for switchgrass after establishment in the semiarid environment

An, Yu; Gao, Yang; Ma, Yongqing

doi:10.1016/j.fcr.2018.02.032

Cited by 7 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…The adoption of irrigation should also be wisely considered in terms of management costs [11], but in semi-arid areas, like the southern part of the Mediterranean basin, it is often essential in order to achieve adequate yield, as extensively reported by [37][38][39]. The surveyed values for biomass yield in Greece were in line with those found in studies carried out under the same [4] or similar conditions [6,30,36] but generally lower than those reported by [13] in a 20-year trial in Alabama (USA), where precipitation during the growing season often exceeded 900 mm. The switchgrass biomass yield in the Italian trial corroborated the results found in Greece, even if a greater variability emerged among varieties and years, presumably in relation to the adoption of a very low input management approach (i.e., no fertilization and no irrigation), which did not "mitigate" the effect of the adverse seasonal climatic conditions.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 74%

“…In Greece, even under adverse meteorological conditions-i.e., in 2000, 2004, 2007, and 2013 (Figure 1), when the precipitation in the April-to-September period was < 100 mm-the application of drip irrigation, together with adequate stand establishment (tiller density > 1000 tillers m −2 , as reported by [3]), permitted switchgrass to achieve sustained biomass production. A tiller density ranging between 800 to 1000 tillers m −2 is often reported as optimal in switchgrass for the control of weed pressure [35,36]. The adoption of irrigation should also be wisely considered in terms of management costs [11], but in semi-arid areas, like the southern part of the Mediterranean basin, it is often essential in order to achieve adequate yield, as extensively reported by [37][38][39].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

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Long-Term Productivity of Thirteen Lowland and Upland Switchgrass Ecotypes in the Mediterranean Region

et al. 2020

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Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) has been identified in the USA as an ideal biomass crop, in relation to its wide environmental suitability, mainly linked to the availability of both upland and lowland ecotypes, allowing the possibility of growing this species in most of the North American region. Switchgrass is conventionally grown for forage, but more recently, it has been considered as a model biofuel crop. Early European studies on switchgrass as a bioenergy crop started in the late 1990s, when a multi-location field trial was established in Greece (Aliartos) and Italy (Ozzano) to compare the productivity of 13 switchgrass genotypes, including upland (Carthage, Blackwell, Caddo, CIR, Forestburg, SU 94-1, Summer) and lowland (Alamo, Kanlow, Pangburn, SL 93-2, SL 93-3, SL94-1) genotypes. The scope was to identify the most suitable ecotype within each environment and, possibly, the best performing variety. The trials lasted 17 years (1998–2014) in Greece and 13 years (1998–2010) in Italy. While in Italy the trial was rainfed and unfertilized, in Greece, where the soil was marginal, drip irrigation was always applied, and the plots were fertilized regularly. The biomass yields in Greece, as averages across the 17 years, were similar for the lowland and upland varieties (11.5 vs. 11.1 Mg ha−1, respectively), while in Italy, as averages across the 13 years, the differences were relevant: 15.4 vs. 11.3 Mg ha−1 for lowland and upland, respectively. Alamo (lowland) was the most productive variety, both in Greece and Italy, with average annual yields of 12.7 and 16.6 Mg ha−1, respectively; CIR in Greece (10.1 Mg ha−1) and Forestburg in Italy (9.1 Mg ha−1) (both upland) were the least productive genotypes. The present results demonstrate the good suitability of switchgrass as biomass crop for the Mediterranean climate. Despite the very marginal soil (i.e., very shallow and with a sandy texture) in the Greek trial, the application of regular fertilization and irrigation produced biomass yields above 11 Mg ha−1 (grand mean) in the present 17-year-long study.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 74%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Long-Term Productivity of Thirteen Lowland and Upland Switchgrass Ecotypes in the Mediterranean Region

et al. 2020

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“…Given the slow initial growth rates of the crop, the stand might be covered with weeds in the absence of any control practice. Weed biomass was negatively correlated with switchgrass plant height, tiller density, and biomass yield (R 2 = 0.52-0.81) in a recent study by An et al [49]. Significant biomass yield reductions (up to 56%) were attributed to inadequate control of grass weeds such as Setaria spp.…”

Section: Switchgrass (Panicum Virgatum L)mentioning

confidence: 92%

“…Sowing should be carried out when the soil is warm enough (>15 • C), with 20-80 m row spacing at shallow depths (0.5-2.0 cm) given the small size of the seeds [54]. During the first year, unnecessary fertilization can increase weed density and should be avoided [49].…”

Section: Switchgrass (Panicum Virgatum L)mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The authors attributed this result to the higher photosynthetic rates and longer growing period of this cultivar compared to the others. This particular cultivar was also the most competitive against weeds and exploited any added nitrogen supply in a recent study conducted in established switchgrass [49]. Another interesting approach is to mulch the biomass of switchgrass to inhibit weed growth and emergence.…”

Section: Switchgrass (Panicum Virgatum L)mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Weed Management Practices to Improve Establishment of Selected Lignocellulosic Crops

et al. 2021

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Lignocellulosic biomass is one of the dominant renewable energy resources suited for the production of sustainable biofuels and other energy purposes. This study was focused on weed management strategies that can improve the establishment of six lignocellulosic crops. The studied crops included: giant miscanthus, switchgrass, giant reed, cardoon, sweet sorghum, and kenaf. Delayed planting, increased planting densities, and mulching techniques can suppress weeds in giant miscanthus. Weed competition is detrimental for switchgrass establishment. Seedbed preparation and cultivar selection can determine its ability to compete with weeds. Giant reed is unlikely to get outcompeted by weeds, and any weed control operation is required only for the first growing season. Competitive cultivars and increased seeding rates maximize the competitiveness of cardoon against weeds. Several cultural practices can be used for non-chemical weed management in sweet sorghum and kenaf. For all crops, pre-emergence herbicides can be applied. The available safe post-emergence herbicides are limited. Mechanical weed control during crucial growth stages can provide solutions for sweet sorghum, kenaf, and perennial grasses. Further research is required to develop effective weed management strategies, with emphasis on cultural practices, that can improve the establishment of these prominent lignocellulosic crops.

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The impact of high plant density on dry matter remobilization and stalk lodging in maize genotypes with a different stay-green degree

Shao

Shi

et al. 2020

Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science

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Growth performance and weed control effect in response to nitrogen supply for switchgrass after establishment in the semiarid environment

Cited by 7 publications

References 38 publications

Long-Term Productivity of Thirteen Lowland and Upland Switchgrass Ecotypes in the Mediterranean Region

Long-Term Productivity of Thirteen Lowland and Upland Switchgrass Ecotypes in the Mediterranean Region

Weed Management Practices to Improve Establishment of Selected Lignocellulosic Crops

The impact of high plant density on dry matter remobilization and stalk lodging in maize genotypes with a different stay-green degree

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