1109 Energy Farm

8/2/2019 1109 Energy Farm

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Instituut voor Landbouw- en VisserijonderzoekEenheid Plant

www.ilvo.vlaanderen.beBeleidsdomein Landbouw en Visserij

Miscanthus :A new crop for Flanders’

Agriculture?

Hilde Muylle

Problem

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Increasing demand for (woody) biomass

Important criteria:

-Decreasing area for agriculture EU

-Sustainable production (soil, water, nutrients, pesticides, energy)

Food

Feed Fibre FuelFun

Fine chemicals



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New crops with high potential?

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Aim:

Comparison during 5 production years of

Annual versus perennial crops

In low input management:

• Dry Matter Yield

• Quality of biomass

• Nutrient Use Efficiency

• Impact on soil


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Annual crops:

monoculture maïs

rotation system :

year 1 : (rye) +mais + italian ryegrass

year 2 : italian ryegrass

year 3 : sorghum + rye



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Perennial grassland

Perennial ryegrass

Fescue

Cocksfoot

TimothyTimothy with clover


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Perennial Woody Crops :

Willow (SRC)

Reed - Phragmites

Reed Canary Grass

Switchgrass

Miscanthus



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• Willow(Belgisch Rood)

– SRC - control

– Harvest once in 3 year

• Reed (Phragmites australis)

– Endogenous species C3

– 10 plants/m²

PERENNIAL WOODY CROPS


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• Reed Canary Grass (Phalaris arundinacea )

– Endogenous C3

– two cultivars (‘Palaton’ & ‘Bamse’)

– sown 1000 gs/m²

• Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum )

- Endofyt-exotic C4

- two cultivars (‘Kanlow’ & ‘CIR’)

- Sown 1000 gs/m²

PERENNIAL WOODY CROPS


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• Miscanthus : – Exotic C4

– two accessions :• Miscanthus x giganteus

• Miscanthus sinensis cv. ‘Goliath’

– Planted with rhizomes (2/m²)

WOODY PERENNIAL CROPS


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Low input management

Minimum of cuts

Annual crops :

1 cutit ryegrass : 4 cuts

Perennial grassland :

3 to 4 cuts

Woody crops :

1 cut => grasses

1 cut every 3 year => SRC



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Low input management

Suboptimal and Minimal Fertilisation

Annual crops :

maïs : 160 versus 60 Units

it ryegrass : 260 versus 160 units

Perennial grassland :

250 versus 150 UnitsWoody Crops :

no fertilisation

Eenjarige teelten

DM YIELD 2008-2009


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0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Maïs in

monocultuur

Maïs in

vruchtwisseling

It. raaigras 1 snede it. rgr +

Sorghum

D M y

i e l d ( t o n D M

/ h a )

2008+ hoge N

2008+lage N

2009+hoge N

2009+lage N



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Eenjarige teelten

DM YIELD 2008-2009


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0

5

10

15

20

25

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Maïs in

monocultuur

Maïs in

vruchtwisseling

It. raaigras 1 snede it. rgr +

Sorghum

D M y

i e l d ( t o n D M / h a )

2008+ hoge N

2008+lage N

2009+hoge N

2009+lage N

Meerjarig grasland

DM YIELD 2008-2009


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0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Engels

raaigras

timothee rietzwenkgras kropaar timothee +

klaver

D M Y

i e l d ( t o n D M / h a )

2008+hoge N

2008+lage N

2009+hoge N

2009+lage N



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Woody Crops

DM YIELD 2008-2009


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0

5

10

15

20

25

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Misc. sin. Misc. x gig rietgras

Bamse

rietgras

Palaton

riet vingergras

CIR

vingergras

Kanlow

wilg

A n n u a l D r y M a t t e r Y i e l d

( t o n D M / h a / y e a r )

2008

2009

2010


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Perspectives

Yield trial continues till 2012

Evaluation of different cropping systems

- yield- quality

Sustainability assessment :

- economics

- nutriënts / inputs



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Miscanthus : a new crop for Flanders?

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Miscanthus :

1. crop

2. cultivation

3. valorisation

4. drawbacks

5. perspectives

Miscanthus : the crop

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Miscanthus spp.

Perennial grass (15-20 y.)

Woody material

Azian origin

C4 metabolism

Rhizomes



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Miscanthus x giganteus

High-Prodcutive Clone

Long growing season

sterile – triploid

multiplied by rhizomes


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Seasonal growth:

Spring

- development of new shoots

- > 5°C soil temperature



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Seasonal growth :

Summer

- quick development

- C4 metabolism

Autumn

- long growth period- flower development beginning ofnovember

- no ripening with M. x giganteus

- first frost = decoloration

Miscanthus : het gewas

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Seasonal growth:

autumn – winter :

- recovery of nutrients

=> in rhizomen=> drop of leaves

- mulching on soil top

=> Protection against frost

=> activation of soil organisms



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Miscanthus : cultivation

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Where :

- few soil demands

sand soils till flooded areas

- temperature

growth from 6°C soil temperature

- water need

700-900 mm precipitation in growth seasonroots go up to 2 m deep (not the rhizomes)


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Installation of the field:

- no seed

- rhizomes

- cheapest (0,15-0,2€/rhizoom)

- take care of direct planting!!

- potted rhizomes or tissue culture plants- expensive (0,4 €/plant)

- more flexible



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Installation:

Good preparation of soil

- weed control

- good water draining in spring

Planting of rhizomes

- in spring (10-12°C soil temperature)

- quality is important :

store at 4°C

humid- depth : 5-10 cm

- density : 1 à 2 rhizomen/m²

Miscanthus : the cultivation

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Installation:

potatoe planter

cabbage machine

0,3 ha/day



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First year:

May June November

Weed control

No yield

No fertilisation


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Following years

july-august October January

No problems with weed control (mulch, quick growth)

Yield 15 till 25 ton DM/ha

No fertilizer!!



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Harvest:

Yearly

- From year 3 during 15 to 20 years

- 15-25 ton DM/ha/year

Harvest with :

- maïs harvester

- Haybaling

When

Autumn (leaf and stems) - 25% more yieldSpring (only stem)

Drying in the field (15-40 % water contente)

Recycling nutrients

Less K and Cl in biomass

Miscanthus : Valorisation

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(Co-)combustion:

- chips

- pellets

- brikets

Combustion Wood Straw Mg Switch grass

Caloric value(MJ/kg DS) 18,5 17,2 17,6 17,3

Ash content (gew%) 0.4 6 3.1 5,8

Moisture content (gew %) 10-60 10-20 10-20 10-20

Ash melting point (°C) 1220-1440 940-980 780 1350

Cl (gew.%) <0,1 0,35 0,074 0,029

K (gew.%) 0,27 0,4 0,49 0,195

Density (kg/m³) 644 117



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Miscanthus : valorisation

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(Co-)combustion– problems :

Clogging of ashes => moving grid

Corrosion

Biomass burners dealing with these problems areavailable (Hargassner, Ökofen, KWB,…)

Miscanthus : valorisation

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Construction material:

- Windows

- Concrete

- Light boards

Mulching :



Miscanthus : Perspectives

Pro :

- Low in put management

- High biomass yield

- Low moisture content

- Annual harvest

- Cultivation is possible without need of specializedmachiner

Drawback :

- Knowledge with farmers- Exotic,

- Long term vision

- Production chain is necessary

Collaborations and funding

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More information?

[email protected]

09/272 2864

1109 Energy Farm

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