Biomass production for bioenergy using marginal lands

Abstract. The cultivation of bioenergy plants at fertile, arable lands increasingly results in new land use conflicts with food production and cannot be considered as sustainable, therefore. Marginal lands have been frequently considered as potential alternative for producing bioenergy from biomass. However, clear definitions and assessment methods for selecting marginal lands and for calculating potentials are still widely missing. The project "SEEMLA" aims at triggering the exploitation of currently underused marginal lands for biomass production for energy purposes. Study sites have been selected in different European countries: Germany, Greece and Ukraine. The selected sites represent a wide variety of different types of marginal lands. Based on a soil assessment set given by the Muencheberg Soil Quality Rating (SQR) system potentially "marginal" sites have been investigated. The SQR system allows for clearly distinguishing between soils of higher and lower quality. Soils with SQR scores below 40 are regarded as "marginal". They can be classified into different groups with regard to the importance of soil hazard indicators as valuated by the SQR approach. The calculated SQR scores correlate significantly with biomass yields of bioenergy plants. Further, the SQR method was adapted for use in a GIS study on marginal land potentials in Europe. 46 % of the investigated European area could be classified as "marginal" with SQR scores below 40. From that area 22.6 % can be considered as potentially suitable for producing renewable resources after eliminating protected sites or other places not suitable for any kind of land use. Taking the ecological demands of selected bioenergy plants into account it is possible to give first preliminary recommendations for regional crop cultivation. It can be concluded, that Europe offers a large potential for renewable resources from marginal sites. However, the implementation into practice is often impeded by missing or varying policies and regulation. A proper implementation needs clear regulations and also incentives for farmers at European level.

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Crithmum maritimum L.: First Results on Phenological Development and Biomass Production in Mediterranean Areas

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy11040773 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (4) ◽

pp. 773

Author(s):

Stefano Zenobi ◽

Marco Fiorentini ◽

Silvia Zitti ◽

Lucia Aquilanti ◽

Roberta Foligni ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Biomass Production ◽

Cropping Systems ◽

Main Stem ◽

Chemical Parameters ◽

Marginal Lands ◽

Organic Farm ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Dry Biomass ◽

First Results ◽

And Control

In Mediterranean cropping systems, it is important to utilise marginal lands for the cultivation of native food crops. Previous research on Crithmum maritimum L., a species native to southern Europe, has focused on its alimentary and chemical parameters. The aim of the present study was to identify the effects of irrigation and fertigation systems on C. maritimum in Mediterranean cropping systems. We planted C. maritimum seeds in an organic farm in Italy, and we carried out three experiments (fertigation, irrigation, and control) with three replications each. We evaluated plant phenological development and biomass production. We found that these treatments significantly influenced plant phenology and biomass parameters. Even with low irrigation and fertigation, this species showed a significant difference in the Bundesanstalt, Bundessortenamt, CHemischeIndustrie (BBCH) phase at harvest: in fact, there were 39 and 35 leaves on the main stem in the irrigation and fertigation treatments, respectively, while there were 29 leaves on the main stem in the rainfed unfertilised control. Biomass production also showed the same significant difference: 1.8 and 2.0 t ha−1 of total dry biomass in the irrigation and fertigation treatments, respectively, and 1.2 t ha−1 of total dry biomass in the rainfed unfertilised control. In conclusion, we recommend the use of C. maritimum for food production in Mediterranean organic cropping systems.

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Impact of land classification on potential warm season grass biomass production in Ontario, Canada

Canadian Journal of Plant Science ◽

10.4141/cjps2012-143 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 93 (2) ◽

pp. 249-260 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Hilla Kludze ◽

Bill Deen ◽

Alfons Weersink ◽

Rene van Acker ◽

Ken Janovicek ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Biomass Production ◽

Arable Land ◽

Warm Season ◽

Biomass Productivity ◽

Biomass Energy ◽

Environmental Benefit ◽

Land Classification ◽

Marginal Lands ◽

Warm Season Grass ◽

Grass Biomass

Kludze, H., Deen, B., Weersink, A., van Acker, R., Janovicek, K. and De Laporte, A. 2013. Impact of land classification on potential warm season grass biomass production in Ontario, Canada. Can. J. Plant Sci. 93: 249–260. This paper examines the land base of southern Ontario to determine the capability of land classes for growing two warm-season grasses, switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) and miscanthus (Miscanthus spp.), and discusses implications of a provincial biomass industry strictly based on biomass grown on marginal lands. The development of a biomass energy industry is a priority for many regional governments in Canada as a means to reduce fossil fuel use and improve environmental quality. Biomass productivity of the two crops was determined by assuming percentages of arable land area by quality that could be allocated to them: biomass productivity on “prime lands” was assumed to be higher than those of “marginal lands”. Our analysis indicates that Ontario has an adequate land base for producing miscanthus and/or switchgrass biomass to meet and surpass diverse competitive uses without significantly affecting food crop supply. Locations of marginal lands are scattered in the province and the feasibility of establishing a provincial biomass industry strictly based on biomass grown on these lands may not be economically sound or practical. A relatively small percentage of prime lands is required to achieve substantial biomass production with lower costs of production, and perhaps greater environmental benefit.

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Biomass production and potential ethanol yields of shrub willow hybrids and native willow accessions after a single 3-year harvest cycle on marginal lands in central Minnesota, USA

Agroforestry Systems ◽

10.1007/s10457-014-9693-6 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 88 (4) ◽

pp. 593-606 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Diomides S. Zamora ◽

Kent G. Apostol ◽

Gary J. Wyatt

Keyword(s):

Biomass Production ◽

Marginal Lands ◽

Shrub Willow ◽

Ethanol Yields

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Lignocellulosic Biomass Production and Persistence of Perennial Grass Species Grown in Mediterranean Marginal Lands

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy11102060 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (10) ◽

pp. 2060

Author(s):

Daniel Sacristán ◽

Josep Cifre ◽

Miquel Llompart ◽

Jaume Jaume ◽

Javier Gulias

Keyword(s):

Biomass Production ◽

Festuca Arundinacea ◽

Panicum Virgatum ◽

Arundo Donax ◽

Marginal Lands ◽

Biomass Quality ◽

Seed Biology ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Structural Content ◽

Winter Crops

Biomass production in marginal lands represents one of the most challenging and promising alternatives to sustainably produce biofuels. Native species seem to be the most adequate option to obtain a profitable output when low-input techniques are applied, and biomass is grown in depleted soils and harsh climatic conditions. In this study, a 5-year field trial in the island of Majorca served to investigate different autochthonous and naturalized Mediterranean perennial grasses as novel candidate lignocellulosic bioenergy crops for the semi-arid Mediterranean area and compare them with commercial ones (both Mediterranean and non-Mediterranean). Species and growing season had a significant effect on biomass production, perennialism and biomass quality. Arundo donax (winter crops) and Piptatherum miliaceum (autumn crops) performed better than the commercial species tested (Panicum virgatum for winter crops and Festuca arundinacea for autumn crops) in biomass production and perennialism. In terms of biomass quality, Panicum virgatum was the best species, having high structural content (mainly cellulose and hemicellulose), low non-structural content and the lowest ash. However, Ampelodesmos mauritanicus and Arundo donax rendered similar results, with no significant difference in terms of cellulose production for this latter but with higher lignin content. For the autumn species, Festuca arundinacea was the species with the best biomass quality but with the highest ash production for all the species considered. Hence, both for winter or autumn regimes, native or naturalized plants seem to be better suited than the commercial commonly used for biomass production with energy-producing purposes. Further research must be conducted in terms of seed biology and physiology, seedbed preparation methods, sowing time, seedling density and weed control before they can firmly be proposed as adequate alternatives for energy purposes.

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Morphology and biomass production of prairie cordgrass on marginal lands

GCB Bioenergy ◽

10.1111/j.1757-1707.2009.01018.x ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 1 (3) ◽

pp. 240-250 ◽

Cited By ~ 43

Author(s):

A. BOE ◽

V. OWENS ◽

J. GONZALEZ-HERNANDEZ ◽

J. STEIN ◽

D. K. LEE ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Biomass Production ◽

Marginal Lands ◽

Prairie Cordgrass

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RECLAMATION OF MARGINAL LANDS USING RARE ENERGY CROPS

European vector of development of the modern scientific researches ◽

10.30525/978-9934-26-077-3-27 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Maksym Kulyk ◽

◽

Dmytro Dʼomin ◽

Іlona Rozhkо ◽

◽

...

Keyword(s):

Energy Efficiency ◽

Biomass Production ◽

Biomass Yield ◽

Land Reclamation ◽

Species Traits ◽

Energy Crops ◽

Big Bluestem ◽

Marginal Lands ◽

Dry Biomass ◽

Growing Conditions

The purpose of the paper is to determine the impact of the species of energy crops on biomass yields and the possibility of their involvement in the reclamation of contaminated areas. This is especially important from the point of view of the rational use of land for energy crops cultivation. Methodology. The research object is the processes of growth and development of plants, the peculiarities of the yield formation of energy crops biomass depending on the species traits and growing conditions. The research subject is the following energy crops: Big Bluestem, Indiangrass and Columbus Grass as well as the plant biometric indicators, biomass yield and energy efficiency of biomass production of energy crops (2016-2020). The results of research showed the variability of biometric parameters of energy crops. Over the research years, the dry biomass yield of Indiangrass was 8.9 t/ha in the first year, 10.1 t/ha in the second year and 14.9 t/ha in the third year, Big Bluestem – varied within 4.4–9.3 t/ha. Columbus Grass dry biomass increased from 11.4 t/ha (1st year) to 14.9 t/ha (2nd year) to 18.0 t/ha (3rd year). The developed model for the creation of artificial phytocenoses will allow land reclamation using energy crops based on agroecological monitoring and justification when growing energy crops. Perennial cultivation of Columbus Grass and Indiangrass provided the highest coefficient of energy efficiency (at a level or more than 3.0), which is typical for average efficiency of biomass production. Therefore, Indiangrass and Columbus Grass are recommended to be grown in order to reclaim marginal lands and obtain sustainable plant raw materials. Big Bluestem is recommended to be grown only as a companion crop of stand of grass. Furthermore, energy crops must be cultivated on the basis of ecological and adaptive technology elements, taking into account the defined territorial conditions. For the conditions of Ukraine, this complex will make it possible to reduce the negative impact on the environment as well as to obtain the stable yields of various biomass for its further processing and energy conversion.

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