Journal ArticleDOI
Impacts of soil management on root characteristics of switchgrass
Z. Ma,C. W. Wood,David Bransby +2 more
TLDR
In this article, the influence of row spacing, nitrogen (N) rate, switchgrass cultivar, and soil type on switchgrass root characteristics was determined, which indicated that any increase in C sequestration by switchgrass roots will be due to increased root biomass rather than increased carbon concentration.Abstract:
One approach to reducing the concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide, which is a dominant greenhouse gas, is to develop renewable energy sources from biofuel crops. Switchgrass, ( Panicum virgatum L.) as an energy crop, can partly mitigate potential global warming by supplementing fossil fuels and sequestering carbon (C). Although switchgrass grown for energy may impact C sequestration via the input of root biomass, information on the impact of soil management on switchgrass root growth is extremely limited. We determined the influence of row spacing, nitrogen (N) rate, switchgrass cultivar, and soil type on switchgrass root characteristics. Roots were mainly distributed in the surface soil (0–15 cm), and were 90.4 and 68.2% of the total in the intrarow and interrow profile, respectively. Nitrogen application altered root N but not C concentration, implying that any increase in C sequestration by switchgrass roots will be due to increased root biomass rather than increased C concentration. Root weight density generally decreased in the interrow with wider row width, and N application generally did not affect root weight density. Root weight density in the Pacolet soil was higher than in the other four soils, and root density was 4.1 times higher in the Pacolet soil than in the Norfolk soil. Root mass in the Pacolet soil (36,327 kg ha −1 ) was 2.7 times greater than that found in the Norfolk soil (13,204 kg ha −1 ) within 150 cm of the soil surface. Differences in root characteristics were found among cultivars: root weight density with ‘Cave-in-Rock’ switchgrass was 29.4 and 47.6% higher than ‘Alamo’ and ‘Kanlow’, respectively. Variations in switchgrass root biomass production owing to soil type and cultivar suggest that site and cultivar selection will be important determinants of C sequestration by switchgrass roots. A potential benefit of switchgrass is the reduced loss of nutrients associated with non-point pollution, owing to its deep root system that may extend 330 cm below the soil surface.read more
Citations
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Journal ArticleDOI
The Biology and Agronomy of Switchgrass for Biofuels
David J. Parrish,John H. Fike +1 more
TL;DR: Switchgrass has potential as a renewable fuel source, but such use will likely require large infrastructural changes; and, even at maximum output, such systems could not provide the energy currently being derived from fossil fuels.
Journal ArticleDOI
Bioenergy Crops and Carbon Sequestration
Rocky Lemus,Rattan Lal +1 more
TL;DR: The need for agricultural involvement in GHG mitigation has been widely recognized since the 1990s as discussed by the authors and the concept of C sinks, C credits, and emission trading has attracted special interests in herbaceous and woody species as energy crops and source of biofuel feedstock.
Journal ArticleDOI
Breeding crop plants with deep roots: their role in sustainable carbon, nutrient and water sequestration.
TL;DR: Calculations suggest that breeding crop plants with deeper and bushy root ecosystems could simultaneously improve both the soil structure and its steady-state carbon, water and nutrient retention, as well as sustainable plant yields.
Journal ArticleDOI
Biomass and carbon partitioning in switchgrass.
TL;DR: The results suggest that northern Great Plains switchgrass plantings have potential for storing a significant quantity of soil C.
Journal ArticleDOI
Soil carbon under switchgrass stands and cultivated cropland
TL;DR: In this paper, a study was conducted to evaluate soil carbon stocks within established switchgrass stands and nearby cultivated cropland on farms throughout the northern Great Plains and northern Cornbelt.
References
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Journal ArticleDOI
Quantitative Separation of Roots from Compacted Soil Profiles by the Hydropneumatic Elutriation System1
TL;DR: In this article, the authors developed an inexpensive and quantitative method for separating roots from soils of field and greenhouse experiments and to determine the influence of soil type, pretreatment and plant type on the efficiency of separation.
Journal ArticleDOI
Design and placement of a multi-species riparian buffer strip system
Richard C. Schultz,J. P. Collettil,Thomas M. Isenhart,William W. Simpkins,Carl W. Mize,Michael L. Thompson +5 more
TL;DR: A multi-species buffer strip (MSRBS) was designed and placed along a Central Iowa stream in 1990 as discussed by the authors, which is a 20 m wide filter strip consisting of four or five rows of fast-growing trees planted closest to the stream, then two shrub rows, and finally a 7 m wide strip of switchgrass established next to the agricultural fields.
Related Papers (5)
Development of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) as a bioenergy feedstock in the United States.
S.B. McLaughlin,L.A. Kszos +1 more