Management, production, and nutritional characteristics of cup-plant (Silphium perfoliatum) in temperate climates of southern Chile

Abstract

There is little information known about the response of cup-plant (Silphium perfoliatum L.), a perennial forage crop introduced to Chile, to differing cultivation practices. A series of studies was conducted to evaluate the adaptation and productivity of cup-plant across a range of plant densities (104,000 -208,000 plants ha ) and P (0 -400 kg P 2 O 5 ha -1 ) fertilization. Field experiments (40ºS 73ºW) were conducted over a 3-yr period in a subhumid, Mediterranean climate on three distinct andisols that originated from volcanic ash, with pH values of 5.2 to 5.6. The forage dry matter yield, plant components (stem count, stem diameter, plant height, and leaf:stem ratio), and nutritional characteristics (crude protein, plant cell wall components, and in vitro dry matter digestibility) were determined. During the first year of growth, cup-plant exhibits a rosette growth habit; the measurements were begun the second spring after planting and were taken during two consecutive growing seasons. Plant density over 120,000 plants ha -1 did not affect dry matter yield, which ranged from 15 to 20 t ha -1. Stem number and thickness did vary due to plant density, but height and leaf:stem ratio were not affected by density. The leaf proportion of the plants varied between 30 and 45% in the different experiments. In the cutting regime study, lower forage yields but higher nutritional values were observed with earlier first cuts. When the first cut was delayed from the early vegetative stage to the seed stage, crude protein declined from 140 to 60 g kg -1 and digestibility from 790 to 580 g kg -1, mainly due to the low nutritional value of the stems. The dry matter yield and crude protein increased with increasing levels of N and P fertilization. Cup-plant requires and absorbs low quantities of nitrogen, what renders it to be a low protein forage resource. At seemingly low rates of nitrogen fertilization, it is an efficient biomass factory. It was concluded that cup-plant can be incorporated as a regular perennial summer fodder crop and also as a special feeding resource during summer drought as a supplement to existing pasture areas when its availability becomes limited. Its adaptive and productive characteristics also make it suitable for low-input farming systems.

The replacement of maize (Zea mays L.) by cup plant (Silphium perfoliatum L.) as biogas substrate and its implications for the energy and material flows of a large biogas plant

“…But as studies show, a single harvest achieves a higher yield than the two harvests combined. 138 Furthermore the longer growing period increases the period in which insects can use the field for feed and as a habitat. 72 The DMY of the cup plant rivals those of conventional energy crops.…”

“…There is contradictory data reported on the protein content of the cup plant, some showing protein content of the whole plant of ~7%, and others showing numbers in excess of 15%. 117,138,144 This, in part is due to the small amount of research carried out on the cup plant and the implications in its use as an energy crop. However, the abundance of protein in the leaf compared to the stems, remains evident through the literature, where it is several times higher.…”

Genetic Variation for Biomass and Related Morphological Traits in Cup Plant (<i>Silphium perfoliatum</i> L.)

“…Biomass yields of cup plant have approached 20 Mg ha −1 in Europe [9] and exceeded 20 Mg ha −1 in Chile [7] [10] and in Wisconsin in the USA (K. Albrecht, unpublished data). Cup plant, because it is well adapted to low, moist prairies which are not suitable for conventional perennial crops, such as alfalfa, (Boe, unpublished data), could be an excellent complementary species to grow in mixtures with perennial grasses for biofuel [14].…”

“…In the northern Great Plains, it is rare in the eastern Dakotas in lowland prairies and open woodlands [2] [4]. Because of its excellent winter-hardiness and tolerance of poorly drained soils cup plant can serve as an alternative to alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) on soils that tend to flood in the spring; and an alternative to corn (Zea mays L.) for silage on soils that are too wet to plant in the spring [5]- [7].…”

Assessment of a single application of sewage sludge on the biomass yield of Silphium perfoliatum and changes in naturally acid soil properties

“…The dry matter yield of cup plant in its native United States regions is relatively low -2.00-6.80 t ha -1 (Voigt et al, 2012). Contrarily, the data obtained in Chile shows that under different plant density and fertilization levels, the dry matter yield of cup plant may vary from 15.0 to 20.0 t ha -1 (Pichard, 2012). It is important to note that the seed material of cup plant is not homogeneous.…”