Dry matter and ash content in leaves and stems of bioenergy crops

Purpose. Determine the content of dry mass and ash in the leaves and stems of bioenergy crops (miscanthus, switchgrass, willow). Methods. Samples were taken at the end of the growing season (October). The dry matter content was determined by thermogravimetric method, ash content by burning in a muffle furnace. Results. The dry matter content of the leaves varied depending on the year of research and crop. Thus, on average over the years of research, this figure was highest in switchgrass and willow, 65.8–66.0% with an ash content of 4.3–4.5%. The content of dry mass in miscanthus leaves was 9–10% lower compared to other energy crops. The ash content was at the level of 2.8% or 1.5–1.6 times. Physico-chemical parameters of the leaves of energy crops have changed since one year of the study. In miscanthus leaves it varied from 59.9 to 60.2%, switchgrass from 54.5 to 76.9%, and willow from 60.7 to 72.2%. The ash content varied in a smaller range of all energy crops. In the stems of miscanthus, the dry matter content was in the range from 57.5% to 58.9%, in switchgrass it was the largest, from 54.9 to 65.3%, and in the stems of willow from 51.3 to 57.1% over the years of research. The stems of all energy crops had a lower ash content compared to the leaves. Thus, this indicator in miscanthus leaves was at the level of 1.5–1.6%, switchgrass 1.3–2.2%, willow 2.0–2.5% (1.5–3.0 times). Conclusions. The content of dry mass and ash in the leaves and stems varies depending on the type of energy crop. The highest content of dry mass is formed in the leaves of switchgrass (54.5–76.9%) and willow 60.7–72.2%. The ash content is 4.1–4.9% and 4.0–4.5%, respectively. The content of dry mass in miscanthus stems is 57.5–58.9%, switchgrass 54.9–65.3%, willow 51.3–57.1%. The content of ash in the stems of miscanthus is 1.5–1.6%, switchgrass 1.3–2.2, willow 2.0–2.5% or 1.5–3.0 times.

Harvesting Technologies and Costs of Biomass Production from Energy Crops Cultivated on Farms in the Małopolska Region

This study aimed to assess biomass production costs from perennial energy crops, such as Miscanthus giganteus, Sida hermaphrodita, and coppiced willow, in selected agricultural holdings. This assessment was based on applied technologies for harvesting the biomass of the energy crops mentioned above. The scope of the study included research on ten farms located in Małopolska and establishing the possibility of biomass production from selected energy crops in these entities. Biomass production costs have been estimated using the computer application “Bioalkylation”. The result of the research was the answer to the question: what can be the cost range of biomass production from perennial energy crops for the crops Miscanthus giganteus, Sida hermaphrodita, and coppiced willow as the most popular plants? The study shows that production costs depend primarily on the harvesting technology used and the machinery used in the farm. The harvest with rotary mowers, small presses, and windrows was applied regarding Miscanthus giganteus and Sida hermaphrodita. The costs of biomass production were, on average, 424.7 EUR ha−1 for Miscanthus giganteus and 278.9 EUR ha−1 for Sida hermaphrodita. Concerning tonne, this was 37.6 EUR t−1 for Miscanthus giganteus and 30.0 EUR t−1 for Sida hermaphrodita, respectively. In the case of harvesting energy willow, in the form of whole shoots, inefficient and labour-intensive technologies using chainsaws and combustion cutters were applied. The biomass production costs were thus the highest among the assessed plants and amounted, on average, to 612.1 EUR ha−1, which in terms of tonne corresponded to a value of 30.6 EUR. The obtained results and the analysis presented in the paper may help in planning the cultivation of perennial energy crops in order to obtain biomass used for heating purposes on a farm.

The role of the «Sugar Beet» magazine in popularization of agricultural energy crops and technologies of their processing for biofuel (1997–2018)

Introduction. Ukraine in the Russian Empire and in Soviet times, as you know, occupied a leading position in the production of beets and sugar. But until 1997, Ukrainian beet growers did not have their own professional Ukrainian-language print publication, although there was an urgent need for it. The industry journal Sugar Beet, which, in fact, became the first communication platform in Ukraine for the implementation of production-scientific and educational-explanatory functions related to the development of beet-growing and bioenergy, was founded in 1997. Sugar Beet was one of the first journals in independent Ukraine in 1998 to be included in the List of Professional Scientific Publications of Ukraine Recommended for the Publication of the Main Results of Doctoral and Candidate's Dissertations in the Department of Agricultural Sciences. The key place in the columns of the publication was occupied not only by sugar beets (Beta vulgaris), but also by the coverage of research work related to the launch of the process of moving some dual-application crops in the research fields and research laboratories of the institute located on Batyi Hill, and some new and until recently little-known for Ukraine so-called ‘energy’ crops (sugar sorghum, miscanthus, switchgrass, Sudan grass, salix, etc.), in special bioenergy plantations to obtain biomass and process it into various types of energy, which later stimulated and, in fact, symbolized a breakthrough in terms of forming a new independent bioenergy (phytoenergy) industry in Ukraine. 1076 original research and production articles were published in the columns, the authors of which are not only scientists and practitioners of the crop industry, but creators of high-yielding varieties in Ukraine and abroad – in Russia, Kazakhstan, Germany, Switzerland, Belarus and others. countries; At the same time, each 5–6 articles published under the headings such as Non-traitional Crops, Biotechnology, Breeding and Genetics, Agrotechnology or Bioenergy directly or indirectly covers the problems of development of so-called special ‘energy’ plants. A section on world and domestic trends in the development of renewable and non-traditional energy sources has found a permanent residence on the pages of the journal. Conclusion. The study shows that one of the oldest scientific and production editions – Sugar Beet – has played an important and timeless role not only in the development of the beet and sugar industry, but also in the history of bioenergy. Its issues are still available online on the official website of the IBCSB (see journal.sugarbeet.gov.ua.).

Integrative Effects of Treated Wastewater and Synthetic Fertilizers on Productivity, Energy Characteristics, and Elements Uptake of Potential Energy Crops in an Arid Agro-Ecosystem

Using wastewater in agriculture is a desirable alternative source of irrigation and is gaining attraction worldwide. Therefore, this study was designed to assess the effect of treated municipal wastewater (TWW) and groundwater (GW), along with half and full doses of the recommended NPK dose on the plant growth, total biomass, gross energy, and macro- and trace element content and uptake of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.), canola (Brassica napus L.), and triticale (X Triticosecale Wittmack) grown in old and virgin soil as potential bioenergy crops. The results showed that crops planted in old or virgin soil irrigated with TWW had higher values of plant height, leaf area per plant, total chlorophyll content, total biomass, and gross and net energy contents compared to those irrigated with GW grown in virgin soil. Similarly, crops grown in old soil irrigated with TWW showed higher concentrations in dry matter and uptake for both macronutrients (N, P, and K) and trace elements (B, Zn, Mn, Cu, Cd, Pb, and Ni) compared to those planted in virgin soil and irrigated with GW. Furthermore, the application of the recommended half dose of NPK in old and virgin soil irrigated with TWW showed occasionally comparable results to that of a full recommended dose of NPK for most of the measured parameters. Importantly, the recommended half dose applied to old soil irrigated with TWW resulted in a significant improvement in all measured parameters compared to virgin soil irrigated with GW, along with a full recommended dose of NPK. Briefly, TWW can be used to irrigate crops grown for bioenergy purposes, since it did not pose any harmful effect for energy crops. In addition, it provides additional nutrients to soil and thus decreases the required rate of synthetic fertilizer by up to 50% without any significant decreases in the final production of crops.