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Management of Warm- and Cool-Season Grasses for Biomass on Marginal Lands: I. Yield and Soil Fertility Status

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Abstract

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), tall fescue [Lolium arundinaceum (Schreb.)], and reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea L.) are known for high biomass productivity and for various traits that make these species more suitable for marginal environmental growing conditions. The goal of this study was to evaluate the impact of organic vs. inorganic fertilizer application on grass biomass production and soil nutrient status. Switchgrass, tall fescue, and reed canarygrass were established on a sandy soil and a clay soil at the Cornell University Willsboro Research Farm in Willsboro, NY. The experiment was a split-split plot randomized block design with six replicates. Sites were whole plots, grass species were subplots, and fertility treatments were sub-subplots. The six treatments were (1) 168 kg ha−1 of N fertilizer for cool-season grasses, 84 kg ha−1 for switchgrass; (2) 56 kg ha−1 of 0-46-0 P fertilizer plus N (#1); (3) 112 kg ha−1 of 0-0-60 K fertilizer plus N (#1); (4) 89.6 Mg dairy manure ha−1; (5) 44.8 Mg dairy manure compost ha−1; and (6) no fertilizer applied (control plots). Switchgrass with a single harvest per season yielded on average 13.0 Mg ha−1, while tall fescue and reed canarygrass averaged 8.4 and 7.7 Mg ha−1, respectively, under two-cut systems. Switchgrass with no fertilization produced 84% of maximum yield of fertilized treatments. Application of a similar amount of organic N with fresh and composted dairy manure resulted in greater yields for fresh dairy manure. Organic fertilizers strongly impacted the P and K status of soils. Switchgrass is capable of high yields in marginal environments and can provide a land base for environmentally acceptable application of animal manure, although from a yield standpoint it is not very responsive to fertilizer applications.

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Abbreviations

N:

Nitrogen

P:

Phosphorus

K:

Potassium

Ca:

Calcium

Mg:

Magnesium

Cl:

Chloride

TF:

Tall fescue

RC:

Reed canarygrass

SW:

Switchgrass

OM:

Organic matter

IN:

Inflorescence

LB:

Leaf blade

LS:

Leaf sheath

ST:

Stem

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Delvin Meseck and Adam Sayward for assistance with harvesting and plot maintenance. This work was supported by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Multistate project 218756. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) or the USDA.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Section of Soil and Crop Sciences, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA

    J. H. Cherney & K. M. Paddock

  2. Department of Animal Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA

    Q. M. Ketterings & D. J. R. Cherney

  3. Farm Manager, Cornell University Willsboro Research Farm, Willsboro, NY, 12996, USA

    M. Davis

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  1. J. H. Cherney
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  4. D. J. R. Cherney
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Correspondence to J. H. Cherney.

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Cherney, J.H., Ketterings, Q.M., Davis, M. et al. Management of Warm- and Cool-Season Grasses for Biomass on Marginal Lands: I. Yield and Soil Fertility Status. Bioenerg. Res. 10, 959–968 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12155-017-9869-9

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