Abstract

Two field experiments, one in large plots and the other in small framed plots, were conducted in Umea°, northern Sweden. The objectives were (1) to examine the seasonal patterns of rhizome growth and nutrient dynamics of the energy crop reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea L.) in ley I and II, and (2) to evaluate the roles of soil type (mineral vs. organic), fertilisation level (0, 50, and 100 kg N ha-1), and season/harvest time (Oct-96, May-97, and Aug-97) on the rhizome growth and nutrient dynamics by means of a factorially designed experiment. The general pattern of rhizome growth was that biomass was low in June during initiation of shoot growth, but increased steadily during the growing season, reached a peak in late autumn, and remained high until next spring. The N and P accumulation in rhizomes followed a similar pattern. During ley years I and II, reed canary grass rhizome growth was less dependent on soil type, and more dependent on fertilisation and season, with fertilisation being the most important predictor of growth. The season/harvest time, followed by soil type, was the most important factor for both concentrations and therefore total uptake of N, P, and K in rhizomes. Soil type affected N content in rhizomes significantly, and also interacted with season and enhanced the effect on N, P, and K content in rhizomes. The seasonal dynamics of the nutrient content in rhizomes indicate a remobilisation of the nutrients from rhizomes to the regrowth of shoots and roots in spring and relocation/storage from aboveground shoots to rhizomes during late summer and autumn. The results of this study suggest that delaying the harvest to later than October would result in considerably more energy and nutrient resources being translocated from aboveground shoots to rhizomes for growth in the next season

Published in

Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica, Section B - Soil and Plant Science
2009, Volume: 59, number: 4, pages: 306-316
Publisher: Taylor & Francis: STM, Behavioural Science and Public Health Titles

SLU Authors

• Xiong, Shaojun

  • Department of Forest Biomaterials and Technology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    
  • Beijing Normal University

• Olsson, Rolf

  • Department of Forest Biomaterials and Technology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Renewable Bioenergy Research
Agricultural Science
Environmental Sciences related to Agriculture and Land-use


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09064710802154722

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/18632