scholarly journals Optimal N Application Rates on Switchgrass for Producers and a Biorefinery

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (23) ◽  
pp. 7912
Author(s):  
Keven Alan Robertson ◽  
Burton C. English ◽  
Christopher D. Clark ◽  
Jada M. Thompson ◽  
Kimberly L. Jensen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Panicum Virgatum ◽  
Fertilizer Application ◽  
Ash Content ◽  
N Fertilizer ◽  
Aviation Fuel ◽  
N Application ◽  
Profitability Analysis ◽  
Biofuel Industry ◽  
Application Rates ◽  
Panicum Virgatum L

This study analyzes the effects of N fertilizer application rates on profitability of growing switchgrass and using the feedstock in a pyrolysis biorefinery facility to create a source of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) supply in Tennessee. Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a perennial bunchgrass native to North America with traits suitable for biofuel and co-product production. Previous chemical analysis has shown that ash content in switchgrass is related to the amount of nitrogen applied to the field, while at the biorefinery level, the percentage ash content reduces the biorefinery fuel output. To obtain optimal nitrogen (N) application rates for the switchgrass producers and the biorefinery, a two-part analysis is employed. First, a partial budgeting profitability analysis is conducted for this cropping enterprise at the farm-gate level without considering downstream implications of biomass quality, i.e., ash content. Second, the effects of higher ash content as a percentage of the feedstock on biorefinery output are analyzed. Results show farm-gate profit is maximized when N fertilizer is applied at 111 kg/ha, while as a result of increased production levels and decreased percentage ash content, biorefinery profit is maximized when N is applied at 157 kg/ha. Lower ash could lead to premium prices paid to switchgrass producers if higher quality feedstock were to be demanded as part of an integrated biofuel industry.

scholarly journals Nitrogen Leaching and Nitrogen Balance under Differing Nitrogen Fertilization for Sugarcane Cultivation on a Subtropical Island

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 740
Author(s):  
Ken Okamoto ◽  
Shinkichi Goto ◽  
Toshihiko Anzai ◽  
Shotaro Ando
Keyword(s):  
N Uptake ◽  
Fertilizer Application ◽  
Application Rate ◽  
N Fertilizer ◽  
N Leaching ◽  
N Recovery ◽  
N Application ◽  
Fertilizer Application Rate ◽  
Sugarcane Yield ◽  
Cropping Seasons

Fertilizer application during sugarcane cultivation is a main source of nitrogen (N) loads to groundwater on small islands in southwestern Japan. The aim of this study was to quantify the effect of reducing the N fertilizer application rate on sugarcane yield, N leaching, and N balance. We conducted a sugarcane cultivation experiment with drainage lysimeters and different N application rates in three cropping seasons (three years). N loads were reduced by reducing the first N application rate in all cropping seasons. The sugarcane yields of the treatment to which the first N application was halved (T2 = 195 kg ha−1 N) were slightly lower than those of the conventional application (T1 = 230 kg ha−1 N) in the first and third seasons (T1 = 91 or 93 tons ha−1, T2 = 89 or 87 tons ha−1). N uptake in T1 and T2 was almost the same in seasons 1 (186–188 kg ha−1) and 3 (147–151 kg ha−1). Based on the responses of sugarcane yield and N uptake to fertilizer reduction in two of the three years, T2 is considered to represent a feasible fertilization practice for farmers. The reduction of the first N fertilizer application reduced the underground amounts of N loads (0–19 kg ha−1). However, application of 0 N in the first fertilization would lead to a substantial reduction in yield in all seasons. Reducing the amount of N in the first application (i.e., replacing T1 with T2) improved N recovery by 9.7–11.9% and reduced N leaching by 13 kg ha−1. These results suggest that halving the amount of N used in the first application can improve N fertilizer use efficiency and reduce N loss to groundwater.

Cadmium accumulation in wheat grain as affected by mineral N fertilizer and soil characteristics

2011 ◽  
Vol 91 (4) ◽  
pp. 521-531 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xianglan Li ◽  
Noura Ziadi ◽  
Gilles Bélanger ◽  
Zucong Cai ◽  
Hua Xu
Keyword(s):  
Nitrogen Nutrition ◽  
Anthropogenic Activities ◽  
Cadmium Accumulation ◽  
Soil Characteristics ◽  
N Fertilizer ◽  
Nutrition Status ◽  
Wheat Grain ◽  
Mineral N ◽  
N Application ◽  
Application Rates

Li, X., Ziadi, N., Bélanger, G., Cai, Z. and Xu, H. 2011. Cadmium accumulation in wheat grain as affected by mineral N fertilizer and soil characteristics. Can. J. Soil Sci. 91: 521–531. Cadmium (Cd) is a heavy metal distributed in soil by natural processes and anthropogenic activities. It can accumulate in crops, such as spring milling wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), and its accumulation depends on crop species, soil factors, and agricultural practices like fertilizer inputs. Our objective was to study the effect of mineral N fertilizer and soil characteristics on wheat grain Cd concentration. A field study was conducted over 12 site-years (2004–2006) in Québec, with four N application rates (0, 40, 120, and 200 kg N ha−1). Wheat grain samples (n=192) were analysed for their Cd and N concentrations. Soil samples (n=48) taken before N fertilizer application were characterised for their chemical and physical properties, including Mehlich-3 extractable Cd concentration. Wheat grain Cd concentration increased significantly with increasing N application rates at 11 of the 12 site-years. Averaged across the 12 site-years, Cd concentration ranged from 53 µg kg−1dry matter (DM) without N applied up to 87 µg kg−1DM when 200 kg N ha−1was applied. Wheat grain Cd concentration also varied significantly with site-years (34–99 µg kg−1DM), but never exceeded the proposed tolerance for wheat grain of 235 µg kg−1DM. Wheat grain Cd concentration was significantly related to Mehlich-3 extractable Cd in soil (R2=0.44, P=0.021) and nitrogen nutrition index (R2=0.69, P=0.001). We conclude that soil Cd concentration and the crop N nutrition status affect Cd accumulation in spring wheat grain produced in eastern Canada.

Carbon footprint of crop production in China: an analysis of National Statistics data

2014 ◽  
Vol 153 (3) ◽  
pp. 422-431 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. CHENG ◽  
M. YAN ◽  
D. NAYAK ◽  
G. X. PAN ◽  
P. SMITH ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Footprint ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Fertilizer Application ◽  
N Fertilization ◽  
Paddy Rice ◽  
N Fertilizer ◽  
Carbon Equivalent ◽  
Ghg Mitigation ◽  
Application Rates

SUMMARYAssessing carbon footprint (CF) of crop production in a whole crop life-cycle could provide insights into the contribution of crop production to climate change and help to identify possible greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation options. In the current study, data for the major crops of China were collected from the national statistical archive on cultivation area, yield, application rates of fertilizer, pesticide, diesel, plastic film, irrigated water, etc. The CF of direct and indirect carbon emissions associated with or caused by these agricultural inputs was quantified with published emission factors. In general, paddy rice, wheat, maize and soybean of China had mean CFs of 2472, 794, 781 and 222 kg carbon equivalent (CE)/ha, and 0·37, 0·14, 0·12 and 0·10 kg CE/kg product, respectively. For dry crops (i.e. those grown without flooding the fields: wheat, maize and soybean), 0·78 of the total CFs was contributed by nitrogen (N) fertilizer use, including both direct soil nitrous oxide (N2O) emission and indirect emissions from N fertilizer manufacture. Meanwhile, direct methane (CH4) emissions contributed 0·69 on average to the total CFs of flooded paddy rice. Moreover, the difference in N fertilizer application rates explained 0·86–0·93 of the provincial variations of dry crop CFs while that in CH4 emissions could explain 0·85 of the provincial variation of paddy rice CFs. When a 30% reduction in N fertilization was considered, a potential reduction in GHGs of 60 megatonne (Mt) carbon dioxide equivalent from production of these crops was projected. The current work highlights opportunities to gain GHG emission reduction in production of crops associated with good management practices in China.

Impact of mineral N fertilizer application rates on N2O emissions from arable soils under winter wheat

2014 ◽  
Vol 100 (1) ◽  
pp. 111-120 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ulrike Lebender ◽  
Mehmet Senbayram ◽  
Joachim Lammel ◽  
Hermann Kuhlmann
Keyword(s):  
Winter Wheat ◽  
Fertilizer Application ◽  
N Fertilizer ◽  
N2o Emissions ◽  
Arable Soils ◽  
Mineral N ◽  
Application Rates

scholarly journals Effect of Differential Rates of Nitrogen Fertilization on Subsequent Recovery of Isotopically Labeled Fertilizer Nitrogen by Mature Almond Trees

HortScience ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 755F-755
Author(s):  
Steven A. Weinbaum ◽  
Wesley P. Asai ◽  
David A. Goldhamer ◽  
Franz J.A. Niederholzer ◽  
Tom T. Muraoka
Keyword(s):  
Fertilizer Application ◽  
N Fertilization ◽  
Fertilizer N ◽  
N Application ◽  
Fertilizer Nitrogen ◽  
Application Rates ◽  
Legitimate Concern ◽  
Almond Trees ◽  
Leaf N Concentration ◽  
Leaf N

There is legitimate concern that excessive fertilizer nitrogen (N) application rates adversely affect groundwater quality in the San Joaquin Valley of California. A 5-year study was conducted to assess the interrelationships between N fertilization rates, tree productivity, leaf [N], soil [NO–3], tree recovery of isotopically labeled fertilizer N, and NO–3 leaching. High N trees recovered <50% as much labeled fertilizer N in the crop as did trees previously receiving low to moderate fertilizer application rates. Our data suggest that the dilution of labeled N in the soil by high residual levels of NO–3 in the soil had a greater effect than tree N status (as expressed by leaf N concentration) on the relative recovery of fertilizer N.

scholarly journals Long-Term Effects of Different Nitrogen Levels on Growth, Yield, and Quality in Sugarcane

Agronomy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 353 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xu-Peng Zeng ◽  
Kai Zhu ◽  
Jian-Ming Lu ◽  
Yuan Jiang ◽  
Li-Tao Yang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fertilizer Application ◽  
Sugar Yield ◽  
N Fertilizer ◽  
Cane Yield ◽  
Sugar Accumulation ◽  
Production Cycle ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
N Application ◽  
Yield And Quality

Nitrogen (N) plays an important role in sugarcane (Saccharum spp. hybrids) growth and development; however, long-term effects of N application levels on cane and sugar production in different sugarcane cultivars under field conditions remain unclear. In this study, we investigate the agronomic, yield, and quality traits in three sugarcane cultivars (GT11, B9, and ROC22) under different N levels (0, 150, and 300 kg/ha urea) from 2015 to 2019. Continuous four-year field experiments of plant and ratoon crops were carried out by using two-factor split-plot design. The results showed that N fertilizer application improved the tillering rate, stalk diameter, plant height, stalk weight, millable stalks/ha, cane yield, sugar yield and juice rate of cane, and the difference between N application and non-N application was significant. The cane yield, millable stalks/ha, juice rate, and juice gravity purity increased with the increase of N application, but the milled juice brix and sucrose % cane decreased with the increase of N application. The sugar yield was the highest at 150 kg/ha urea application, while the cane yield was the highest at 300 kg/ha urea application. Different N fertilizer application levels significantly regulated the activities of glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT) and glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) and the contents of chlorophyll and nitrate N in plant leaves, which reflected the regulation in nitrogen metabolism and alteration in dry matter production and distribution, cane yield and sugar accumulation in different sugarcane cultivars. During the four-year experiment duration, the cane yield and sugar yield generally showed ROC22 > B9 > GT11. These data suggested that 300 kg/ha urea application was suitable for the plant and first ratoon crops, and 150 kg/ha urea application was suitable for the second and third ratoon crops. Both cane and sugar yields could be the highest in a four-year production cycle under this circumstance.

scholarly journals Nitrogen Fertilization and Harvest Timing Affect Switchgrass Quality

Resources ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 61
Author(s):  
Joshua Massey ◽  
João Antonangelo ◽  
Hailin Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Panicum Virgatum ◽  
Animal Feed ◽  
Livestock Grazing ◽  
Biofuel Production ◽  
N Application ◽  
Biofuel Feedstock ◽  
Late Season ◽  
Application Rates ◽  
N Removal ◽  
Harvest Timing

Early season switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) can be used as animal feed and mature late-season biomass as a biofuel feedstock. However, nitrogen (N) application and harvest timing effects on the quality of both end-use need further evaluation. This study evaluated the changes in nutritive quality for animal feed and biofuel feedstock, under different N application rates (0 to 235 kg N ha−1 yr−1) and different harvest times at a fixed N rate. Plant N removal increased with increasing N application rate (P < 0.05). The largest single difference (27%) was found between 0 and 33.6 kg N ha−1 application rates. Nitrogen removal decreased during subsequent harvests at a fixed N rate (P ≤ 0.0001). Forage quality was affected by N rates, although it was especially impacted by harvesting time. Fibers and most minerals in the biomass increased as accumulated growing degree days (AGDD) increased (P ≤ 0.0001), but N and total digestible nutrients (TDN) decreased as AGDD increased (P ≤ 0.0001). High crude protein and minerals with low fiber are desired forage qualities and the opposite is true for biofuel feedstock. Earlier harvests are beneficial for hay production or livestock grazing, and late-season harvests are better for biofuel production.

Effect of fertilizer rate and form on the recovery of 15N-labelled fertilizer applied to wheat in Syria

1997 ◽  
Vol 128 (4) ◽  
pp. 415-424 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. J. PILBEAM ◽  
A.M. McNEILL ◽  
H. C. HARRIS ◽  
R. S. SWIFT
Keyword(s):  
Fertilizer Application ◽  
Application Rate ◽  
N Fertilization ◽  
N Fertilizer ◽  
Organic N ◽  
Inorganic N ◽  
Fertilizer Rate ◽  
Application Rates ◽  
Dry Conditions ◽  
Added Nitrogen Interaction

15N-labelled fertilizer was applied at different rates (0, 30, 60, 90 kg N ha−1) and in different forms (urea or ammonium sulphate) to wheat grown in Syria in three seasons (1991/92, 1992/93 and 1994/95).Recovery of 15N-labelled fertilizer in the above-ground crop at harvest was low (8–22%), with the amount of 15N-labelled fertilizer recovered in the crop increasing as the rate of application increased. Fertilizer application caused a significant increase in the amount of unlabelled soil N in the crop, suggesting that the application of N fertilizer caused a ‘real’ added nitrogen interaction. Recovery of 15N-labelled fertilizer in the crop was unaffected by the form of the fertilizer.On average 31% (14–54%) of the 15N-labelled fertilizer remained in the soil at harvest, mostly in the 0–20 cm layer. At the lowest application rate (30 kg N ha−1) most of the residual fertilizer was as organic N, but at the higher application rates (60 and 90 kg N ha−1), a greater proportion of the 15N-labelled fertilizer was recovered as inorganic N, presumably as the result of top-dressing N in dry conditions in the spring. The amount of 15N-labelled fertilizer remaining in the soil increased as the fertilizer rate increased, but was unaffected by the form of fertilizer applied.Losses of 15N-labelled fertilizer were large (>35%), probably caused by gaseous losses, either through volatilization of N from the calcareous soil, or through denitrification from wet soils rich in organic residues.N fertilization strategies in the West Asia/North Africa (WANA) region should take note of the low recovery of N fertilizer by the crop in the season of application, and the resultant large quantities of residual fertilizer.

Dry matter production by a subtropical grass (Makarikari grass) grown in association with a temperate annual legume (barrel medic) and nitrogen fertilizer in southern Queensland

1985 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 54 ◽  
Author(s):  
DL Lloyd ◽  
TB Hilder
Keyword(s):  
Dry Matter ◽  
N Uptake ◽  
Winter Season ◽  
Fertilizer Application ◽  
N Fertilizer ◽  
Pasture Grass ◽  
Barrel Medic ◽  
Application Rates ◽  
Matter Production ◽  
Cutting Experiment

The effects of a temperate annual legume, barrel medic (Medicago truncatula) cv. Cyprus, and five levels of fertilizer nitrogen (N), from 0 to 400 kg/ha.year, on the dry matter (DM) production and N economy of Makarikari grass (Panicum coloratum var. makarikariense) cv. Pollock, were investigated in a cutting experiment between 1973 and 1979. Each year, N fertilizer on grass alone increased both DM production and N uptake, up to N application rates of 200 and 400 kg/ha.year respectively. The mean annual effect of medic was to increase DM production and N uptake of associated grass each year by 90 and 130% respectively, and of the grass-medic system by 230 and 530%, respectively, for fertilizer rates between 0 and 100 kg N/ha.year. The increased DM production of associated grass occurred in summer and autumn; grass DM production was suppressed in spring, probably by competition with the medic. A trend for the DM yield of grass grown without medic to decline with time was most evident in the treatment without N fertilizer; in the comparable grass-medic pasture, grass DM production was as great in the sixth year as in the first. Medic DM yield varied with winter season rainfall. When the study concluded, the amount of N in the soil (0-10 cm depth) was higher after grassmedic than grass alone, except at the highest level of N fertilizer application. It was estimated that medic had fixed about 71 kg N/ha.year.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document