Switchgrass is a potential bioenergy crop that could promote soil C sequestration in some environments. We compared four cultivars on a well-drained Alfisol to test for differences in biomass, C, and N dynamics during the fourth growing season. There was no difference (P > 0.05) among cultivars and no significant cultivar x time interaction in analyses of dry mass, C stocks, or N stocks in aboveground biomass and surface litter. At the end of the growing season, mean (±SE) aboveground biomass was 2.1±0.13 kg m-2, and surface litter dry mass was approximately 50% of aboveground biomass. Prior to harvest, the live root:shoot biomass ratio was 0.76. There was no difference (P > 0.05) among cultivars for total biomass, C, and N stocks belowground. Total belowground biomass (90-cm soil depth) as well as coarse (greater than or equal to 1 mm diameter) and fine (
Revised: April 11, 2011 |
Published: February 15, 2010
Citation
Garten, Jr C.T., J.L. Smith, D.D. Tyler, J.E. Amonette, V.L. Bailey, D.J. Brice, and H.F. Castro, et al. 2010.Intra-annual changes in biomass, carbon, and nitrogen dynamics at 4-year old switchgrass field trials in West Tennessee, USA.Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 136, no. 1-2:177-184.PNNL-SA-66863.