Use of giant reed (<em>Arundo donax</em> L.) to control soil erosion and improve soil quality in a marginal degraded area

Soil erosion is one of the biggest environmental problems throughout European Union causing considerable soil losses. Vegetation cover provides an important soil protection against runoff and soil erosion. To this aim, unlike annual crops, perennial plants have the advantage of covering soil for a longer time and reducing soil erodibility thanks to SOM increase due to litter effect and to reduction of soil disturbance (no-tillage). Two experiments were carried out in marginal hilly areas (10% slope) of Southern Italy: i) long-term experiment in which it was evaluated the effect of two fertilization doses (N: 100 and 50 kg N ha−1 from urea) on Arundo donax L. biomass production as well as its effect on soil erosion; ii) three-year experiment to evaluate the soil cover capacity of the giant reed by analysing the plant leaf area index (LAI). Results of the two experiments showed a good soil protection of Arundo donax L. that reduced soil losses by 78% as compared to fallow and showed soil erosion reduction not different from permanent meadow thanks to the soil covering during the period with the highest rain erosivity and to the reduction in soil erodibility. The protective effect of Arundo donax L. from rain erosivity was also confirmed by LAI analysis that showed a good soil covering of giant reed in the above mentioned period, even during the initial yield increasing phase following crop transplant. According to biomass yield, from the fifteen year of cultivation in a low fertile inland hilly area of Southern Italy, giant reed was characterized by a yield-decreasing phase that resulted postponed as compared to more fertile environments thus ensuring a longstanding soil protection from soil erosion. In addition, the higher nitrogen fertilization dose (100 kg ha−1 of N) allowed interesting biomass yield as compared to the lower dose (50 kg N ha−1) and kept constant SOC along the year of experimentation due to an improved contribution of leaf fall, root exudates and root turnover to soil.

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Biomass yield and energy balance of giant reed (Arundo donax L.) cropped in central Italy as related to different management practices

European Journal of Agronomy ◽

10.1016/j.eja.2004.05.004 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 22 (4) ◽

pp. 375-389 ◽

Cited By ~ 166

Author(s):

L.G. Angelini ◽

L. Ceccarini ◽

E. Bonari

Keyword(s):

Energy Balance ◽

Management Practices ◽

Biomass Yield ◽

Central Italy ◽

Arundo Donax ◽

Giant Reed ◽

Arundo Donax L

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Agronomic and Environmental Impacts of Giant Reed (Arundo donax L.): Results from a Long-Term Field Experiment in Hilly Areas Subject to Soil Erosion

BioEnergy Research ◽

10.1007/s12155-014-9532-7 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

pp. 415-422 ◽

Cited By ~ 48

Author(s):

M. Fagnano ◽

A. Impagliazzo ◽

M. Mori ◽

N. Fiorentino

Keyword(s):

Soil Erosion ◽

Field Experiment ◽

Environmental Impacts ◽

Arundo Donax ◽

Giant Reed ◽

Arundo Donax L ◽

Term Field

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Sewage Sludge as a Soil Amendment for Growing Biomass Plant Arundo donax L.

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy10050678 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (5) ◽

pp. 678

Author(s):

Marcela Gubišová ◽

Miroslav Horník ◽

Katarína Hrčková ◽

Jozef Gubiš ◽

Andrea Jakubcová ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sewage Sludge ◽

Biomass Yield ◽

Growth Parameters ◽

Arundo Donax ◽

Giant Reed ◽

Control Treatment ◽

Growing Seasons ◽

Zn Uptake ◽

Biomass Plant ◽

Arundo Donax L

Sewage sludge (SS) is a waste originated from wastewater treatment that could be considered an interesting source of organic matter and nutrients for agricultural production. Our experiments aimed to assess the effect of SS on the growth parameters and the biomass yield of giant reed (Arundo donax L.) plants. Experiments were carried out in pots during two growing seasons, where samples of dried SS were applied in doses of 5 or 15 t ha−1. The number of shoots per plant was significantly higher with the application of 5 t ha−1 of SS into arable soil compared to the control treatment and did not increase with the dose of SS. On the other hand, the height of the plants was gradually elevated with the dose of SS. The diameter of the shoots was positively affected by the dose of 15 t ha−1, and it was the only parameter with significant differences between the used types of SS. The biomass yield increased by 1.2–2.7× depending on the type and dose of SS. Cu and Zn uptake, as micronutrients present in SS, and their accumulation in the aboveground parts were significantly higher for plants cultivated in the presence of SS.

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Sixteen-Year Biomass Yield and Soil Carbon Storage of Giant Reed (Arundo donax L.) Grown Under Variable Nitrogen Fertilization Rates

BioEnergy Research ◽

10.1007/s12155-015-9685-z ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 248-256 ◽

Cited By ~ 34

Author(s):

Andrea Monti ◽

Walter Zegada-Lizarazu

Keyword(s):

Soil Carbon ◽

Carbon Storage ◽

Nitrogen Fertilization ◽

Biomass Yield ◽

Arundo Donax ◽

Giant Reed ◽

Soil Carbon Storage ◽

Fertilization Rates ◽

Arundo Donax L

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Cattle Slurry Fertilization to Giant Reed (Arundo donax L.): Biomass Yield and Nitrogen Use Efficiency

BioEnergy Research ◽

10.1007/s12155-015-9577-2 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 8 (3) ◽

pp. 1252-1262 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Enrico Ceotto ◽

Fabio Castelli ◽

Anna Moschella ◽

Michele Diozzi ◽

Mario Di Candilo

Keyword(s):

Nitrogen Use Efficiency ◽

Biomass Yield ◽

Arundo Donax ◽

Giant Reed ◽

Cattle Slurry ◽

Nitrogen Use ◽

Use Efficiency ◽

Arundo Donax L

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Shoot cuttings propagation of giant reed (Arundo donax L.) in water and moist soil: The path forward?

Biomass and Bioenergy ◽

10.1016/j.biombioe.2010.06.002 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 34 (11) ◽

pp. 1614-1623 ◽

Cited By ~ 42

Author(s):

Enrico Ceotto ◽

Mario Di Candilo

Keyword(s):

Arundo Donax ◽

Giant Reed ◽

Moist Soil ◽

Arundo Donax L

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Economic and energy analysis of different systems for giant reed ( Arundo donax L.) harvesting in Italy and Spain

Industrial Crops and Products ◽

10.1016/j.indcrop.2016.01.036 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 84 ◽

pp. 176-188 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Luigi Pari ◽

Maria Dolores Curt ◽

Javier Sánchez ◽

Enrico Santangelo

Keyword(s):

Energy Analysis ◽

Arundo Donax ◽

Giant Reed ◽

Arundo Donax L

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Shooting of giant reed (Arundo donax L.) stem cuttings in cold greenhouse

International Journal of Plant Biology ◽

10.4081/pb.2016.6294 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Piergiorgio Gherbin ◽

Simone Milan ◽

Giuseppe Mercurio ◽

Antonio Scopa

Keyword(s):

Arundo Donax ◽

Stem Cutting ◽

Giant Reed ◽

Stem Cuttings ◽

Mother Plants ◽

Propagation Methods ◽

One Year ◽

Arundo Donax L

The increasing interest in<em> Arundo donax,</em> a perennial lignocellulosic species only reproducing by propagation, requires the setup of cheap, simple and reliable techniques. Considering these targets, stem cutting offers considerable advantages. The present investigation aimed to compare: i) plants obtained by different propagation methods (by rhizome and micropropagation mother plants); ii) plants obtained by stem cuttings from basal, central and apical parts of the stem; iii) different planting periods (spring, summer, autumn). The obtained results showed that the number of new shoots from stem buds was: i) higher in the spring and lower in the summer planting period; ii) higher from cuttings obtained by micropropagated than rhizome mother plants, both in spring and summer plantings; iii) decreasing passing from the basal to the apical stem portion; iv) partly unexpressed in the autumn planting period; v) lower from one-year stem cuttings as compared to two-year stem cuttings.

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Agronomic and physiological response of giant reed (Arundo donax L.) to soil salinity

Italian Journal of Agronomy ◽

10.4081/ija.2018.995 ◽

2018 ◽

pp. 31-39 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Ida Di Mola ◽

Gianpiero Guida ◽

Carmela Mistretta ◽

Pasquale Giorio ◽

Rossella Albrizio ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Soil Salinity ◽

Relative Yield ◽

Metal Structure ◽

Arundo Donax ◽

Giant Reed ◽

Yield Losses ◽

Psii Photochemistry ◽

Salinity Increase ◽

Four Levels ◽

Arundo Donax L

The soil salinity increase in the Mediterranean basin is one of the consequences of the climate change. The aim of this study was to evaluate the adaptability of giant reed (Arundo donax L.) to salinity, in conditions of higher temperatures, in order to hypothesise the future use of giant reed under these conditions. The trial was carried out in pots under a permanent metal structure, open on the sides and with a clear PE on the top. Four levels of soil salinity in the range 3.3-15.5 dS m–1 were imposed. The stem number of the most stressed treatment was about 45% lower than the control and also the stem height was lower than in all other treatments. The green and yellow leaf number decreased as the soil salinity increased, and their sum was significantly lower in the two most stressed treatments. Osmotic potential of the leaf sap was not affected by salinity. Leaf water potential and stomatal conduc- conductance in the saline treatments were lower than in the control. tance Assimilation rate showed similar pattern of stomatal conductance. Intrinsic WUE remained almost stable until July and increased during August under the most stressful conditions. PSII photochemistry was not affected by soil salinity. Biomass yield was not different from the control until to soil ECe 12.0 dS m–1: only the most stressed treatment (15.5 dS m–1) caused yield losses (50%). Tolerance threshold to salinity was 11.2 dS m–1 and the relative yield losses were 11.6% per dS m–1.

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