Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium removal from perennial energy grasses when grown on wet marginal land

Reduction of nutrient loss from agricultural lands is a major concern facing the agricultural industry. On-farm efforts will lead to a proactive approach that has the potential to confer key ecosystem services. The field study was conducted from 2012 to 2015 on marginal land located at the beginning of a priority IL watershed with the goal of understanding the effects of harvest timing (peak standing crop, H1, and after a killing frost, H2), species (switchgrass, Miscanthus x giganteus, prairie cordgrass, and a native grass mixture), and N-rate (0, 56, and 112 kg N ha-1), on nutrient removal in grass biomass grown on a riparian buffer. Harvest year, harvest timing, species, and N- rate, all significantly affected nutrient concentrations in biomass and removals. Nutrient removal across all species was generally greater at H1 than with H2 and with increasing application of nitrogen. At H1, switchgrass removed the most nitrogen and phosphorus, the most potassium removal occurred in Miscanthus x giganteus. From this study, we inferred there is considerable potential for perennial energy crops to remove excess nutrients when grown on a riparian buffer; however, a specific recommendation for species selection and best management practices including N fertilization and harvest timing will be dependent on the desired outcome for either biomass or forage production.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Crop Sciences

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2019

Author dc:creator

• Cooney, Danielle Rose

Contributors dc:contributor

• Lee, DoKyoung

• marginal land, perennial energy grass, nutrient removal

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2019 Danielle Cooney

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/105708

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/105708