Effect of planting density and supplemental nitrogen nutrition on the productivity of miscanthus

Abstract

Variability of Miscanthus morphological traits were the subject of two-year study (2010 and 2011). Plant height, stem number and number of developed leaves per plant was studied in dependence of the applied rhizomes planting density (2 and 3 per m(2)), as well as of applied nitrogen amount used for supplemental plant nutrition. The results showed that planting density had an impact on the investigated morphological characteristics of Miscanthus, while the affect of nitrogen was dependent on the weather conditions and distribution of rainfall, and was stronger during the first year at a maximum rate of this nutrient. In the second year, rhizomes planting density showed a stronger effect on the number of developed leaves per plant. Variation in number of stems per rhizome was evident in the planting year or in the second year, as well as among treatments. The number of leaves was increased by increasing nitrogen amounts, so in both years it was the largest at the maximum applied nitrogen amount of 100 kg ha(-1). Usage of 100 kg ha(-1) of nitrogen in the first year, produced plants with significantlly higher outgrowths number per rhizome compared to other applied variants. In the second year rhizomes planting density had a strong affect on the outgrowths number.