{"id":{"repo_id":"vt","oai_identifier":"oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/19267"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/vt/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/19267","repository":{"repo_id":"vt","name":"Virginia Tech","base_url":"https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Effects of Biosolids Application and Harvest Frequency on Switchgrass Yield, Feedstock Quality, and Theoretical Ethanol Yield","abstract":"Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a promising bioenergy crop for biofuel production. However, the effects of biosolids application on biomass yield, nitrogen (N) concentration, feedstock quality and theoretical ethanol yield (TEY) are rarely reported in the literature. The objectives of this research were: 1) to compare the effects of biosolids application on biomass yield, N concentration, feedstock quality and TEY, and 2) to compare the effects of harvest frequency on biomass yield, N concentration, feedstock quality and TEY. This experiment began in 2010 and tested four plant available N (PAN) rates of biosolids (0, 153, 306, 459 kg ha-1), one urea rate (180 kg ha-1), and two harvest frequencies (cut once in November or cut in July and November) on a Davidson soil at Orange, VA. Biosolids and urea applications increased biomass yield and TEY across years relative to control, but had no effects on measures of feedstock quality. Inconsistent biomass yield responses to harvest frequency were observed during three years. Cutting once per year consistently increased biomass lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose concentrations, theoretical ethanol potential (TEP), and reduced N and ash concentrations compared to two cuts. Across years one cut increased TEY by 11% over the two cuts. The results demonstrate that biosolids can be applied as an N source to increase biomass yield and TEY. Two cuts increased biomass yield but reduced TEP, and had inconsistent effects on TEY.","abstract_html":"Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a promising bioenergy crop for biofuel production. However, the effects of biosolids application on biomass yield, nitrogen (N) concentration, feedstock quality and theoretical ethanol yield (TEY) are rarely reported in the literature. The objectives of this research were: 1) to compare the effects of biosolids application on biomass yield, N concentration, feedstock quality and TEY, and 2) to compare the effects of harvest frequency on biomass yield, N concentration, feedstock quality and TEY. This experiment began in 2010 and tested four plant available N (PAN) rates of biosolids (0, 153, 306, 459 kg ha-1), one urea rate (180 kg ha-1), and two harvest frequencies (cut once in November or cut in July and November) on a Davidson soil at Orange, VA. Biosolids and urea applications increased biomass yield and TEY across years relative to control, but had no effects on measures of feedstock quality. Inconsistent biomass yield responses to harvest frequency were observed during three years. Cutting once per year consistently increased biomass lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose concentrations, theoretical ethanol potential (TEP), and reduced N and ash concentrations compared to two cuts. Across years one cut increased TEY by 11% over the two cuts. The results demonstrate that biosolids can be applied as an N source to increase biomass yield and TEY. Two cuts increased biomass yield but reduced TEP, and had inconsistent effects on TEY.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Liu, Xiaojun"],"institution":"Virginia Tech","degree_name":"Master of Science","degree_level":"masters","degree_discipline":"Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences","degree_department":"Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences","school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":["Fike, John H."],"committee_members":["Galbraith, John M.","Evanylo, Gregory K.","Strahm, Brian D.","Parrish, David J."],"year":2013,"date_issued":"2013-02-04","date_published":"2013-02-04","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:19:09Z","subjects":["switchgrass","biosolids","harvest frequency","yield","Nitrogen","biofuel quality"],"languages":[],"rights":["In Copyright"],"rights_urls":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["vt_gsexam:15"],"render_values":[{"text":"vt_gsexam:15","href":null,"code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/10919/19267","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.committeechair","label":"Committee Chair","values":["Fike, John H."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.committeemember","label":"Committee Member","values":["Galbraith, John M.","Evanylo, Gregory K.","Strahm, Brian D.","Parrish, David J."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.department","label":"Department","values":["Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Liu, Xiaojun"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2013-02-19T22:44:21Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2013-02-19T22:44:21Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2013-02-04"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Virginia Tech"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["masters"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["switchgrass","biosolids","harvest frequency","yield","Nitrogen","biofuel quality"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["In Copyright"]},{"key":"dc:rights.uri","label":"Rights URI","values":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["vt_gsexam:15"]},{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["http://hdl.handle.net/10919/19267"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a promising bioenergy crop for biofuel production. However, the effects of biosolids application on biomass yield, nitrogen (N) concentration, feedstock quality and theoretical ethanol yield (TEY) are rarely reported in the literature. The objectives of this research were: 1) to compare the effects of biosolids application on biomass yield, N concentration, feedstock quality and TEY, and 2) to compare the effects of harvest frequency on biomass yield, N concentration, feedstock quality and TEY. This experiment began in 2010 and tested four plant available N (PAN) rates of biosolids (0, 153, 306, 459 kg ha-1), one urea rate (180 kg ha-1), and two harvest frequencies (cut once in November or cut in July and November) on a Davidson soil at Orange, VA. Biosolids and urea applications increased biomass yield and TEY across years relative to control, but had no effects on measures of feedstock quality. Inconsistent biomass yield responses to harvest frequency were observed during three years. Cutting once per year consistently increased biomass lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose concentrations, theoretical ethanol potential (TEP), and reduced N and ash concentrations compared to two cuts. Across years one cut increased TEY by 11% over the two cuts. The results demonstrate that biosolids can be applied as an N source to increase biomass yield and TEY. Two cuts increased biomass yield but reduced TEP, and had inconsistent effects on TEY."]},{"key":"dc:description.degree","label":"Dc Description Degree","values":["Master of Science"]},{"key":"dc:format.medium","label":"Dc Format Medium","values":["ETD"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Effects of Biosolids Application and Harvest Frequency on Switchgrass Yield, Feedstock Quality, and Theoretical Ethanol Yield"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.committeechair":["Fike, John H."],"dc:contributor.committeemember":["Galbraith, John M.","Evanylo, Gregory K.","Strahm, Brian D.","Parrish, David J."],"dc:contributor.department":["Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences"],"dc:creator":["Liu, Xiaojun"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2013-02-19T22:44:21Z"],"dc:date.available":["2013-02-19T22:44:21Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2013-02-04"],"dc:description.abstract":["Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a promising bioenergy crop for biofuel production. However, the effects of biosolids application on biomass yield, nitrogen (N) concentration, feedstock quality and theoretical ethanol yield (TEY) are rarely reported in the literature. The objectives of this research were: 1) to compare the effects of biosolids application on biomass yield, N concentration, feedstock quality and TEY, and 2) to compare the effects of harvest frequency on biomass yield, N concentration, feedstock quality and TEY. This experiment began in 2010 and tested four plant available N (PAN) rates of biosolids (0, 153, 306, 459 kg ha-1), one urea rate (180 kg ha-1), and two harvest frequencies (cut once in November or cut in July and November) on a Davidson soil at Orange, VA. Biosolids and urea applications increased biomass yield and TEY across years relative to control, but had no effects on measures of feedstock quality. Inconsistent biomass yield responses to harvest frequency were observed during three years. Cutting once per year consistently increased biomass lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose concentrations, theoretical ethanol potential (TEP), and reduced N and ash concentrations compared to two cuts. Across years one cut increased TEY by 11% over the two cuts. The results demonstrate that biosolids can be applied as an N source to increase biomass yield and TEY. Two cuts increased biomass yield but reduced TEP, and had inconsistent effects on TEY."],"dc:description.degree":["Master of Science"],"dc:format.medium":["ETD"],"dc:identifier.other":["vt_gsexam:15"],"dc:identifier.uri":["http://hdl.handle.net/10919/19267"],"dc:publisher":["Virginia Tech"],"dc:rights":["In Copyright"],"dc:rights.uri":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"dc:subject":["switchgrass","biosolids","harvest frequency","yield","Nitrogen","biofuel quality"],"dc:title":["Effects of Biosolids Application and Harvest Frequency on Switchgrass Yield, Feedstock Quality, and Theoretical Ethanol Yield"],"dc:type":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences"],"thesis:degree_level":["masters"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science"],"thesis:institution_name":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:19:09Z"}