Influence of rhizome mass on the crop establishment and dry matter yield of miscanthus×giganteus over ten seasons

Abstract

The aim of the present investigation was to assess the influence of rhizome mass on the success of plantation establishment and biomass yield of the bioenergy crop M. × giganteus during 10 years of cultivation. The experiment included three treatments with different rhizome masses: 10-20 g (very low); 25-35 g (low), and 40-60 g (medium mass). Planting density was 2 rhizomes m-2. The plants were harvested by mowing of the whole above-ground biomass each year in February. Out of the total number of planted rhizomes, the lowest emergence was noticed in very low mass rhizomes. In the first season, the greatest number of stems and crop height were encountered under the treatment with the highest rhizome mass. In the second season, crop heights were almost equal in all treatments. During the first two seasons, the highest biomass yields were recorded under the treatments with the highest rhizome masses. Although the analyzed parameters were highest with the rhizomes of 40-60g during the crop establishing stage, starting from the third season of cultivation, high yields of above-ground biomass may be obtained also with lower mass rhizomes. Having the highest biomass yield (25.85±7.36 Mg DM ha-1), the crop established with rhizomes of 25-35 g clearly stood out.

Cilj našeg istraživanja je bio da procenimo uticaj mase rizoma bioenergetskog useva Miscanthus × giganteus na uspešnost zasnivanja i prinos biomase tokom prvih 10 godina gajenja. Ogledni tretmani su obuhvatili 3 mase rizoma: (1) 10-20 g (veoma male); (2) 25-35 g (male); i (3) 40-60 g (srednje mase). Gustina sadnje je bila 2 rizoma m -2 . Žetva košenjem celokupne nadzemne biomase izvođena je svake godine u februaru. Od ukupnog broja posađenih rizoma najslabije nicanje zabeleženo je kod rizoma najmanje mase. U prvoj godini gajenja najveći broj stabala i najveću visinu useva zabeležili smo u tretmanima sa najvećom masom rizoma. Međutim, u drugoj godini gajenja visina useva sva tri tretmana bila je približno ista. U prve dve godine gajenja najveću biomasu prinosa ustanovili smo u tretmanima sa najvećom masom rizoma. Iako su u fazi zasnivanja useva analizirani parametri bili najbolji sa rizomima mase 40-60 g, visoki prinosi nadzemne biomase od treće godine gajenja mogu se dobiti korišćenjem rizoma manjih masa. Jasno se ističe usev zasnovan sa rizomima mase 25-35 g sa najvećim prinosom biomase (25,85±7,36 Mg SM ha -1).