WP2. Adaptability and Productivity Field Trials

Results from the first year of the project

E. Alexopoulou CRES

Biomass Department

WP2. Adaptability and Productivity Trials

The main aim of this work package is to determine the sustainable yielding potential of kenaf as an energy crop, at different locations in Southern Europe.

WP2 consists of four tasks:• Task 2.1: Screening trial• Task 2.2: Effect of sowing dates and plant

populations on biomass yields• Task 2.3: Effect of irrigation and nitrogen

fertilisation on biomass yields• Task 2.4: Kenaf field trials with size of

2ha

Established trials in the first year of the project

Organization Country Kenaf trials

CRES Greece • Screening trial• Sowing dates and plant densities• Irrigation and fertilization trial

UTH Greece • Sowing dates and plant densities• Irrigation and fertilization trial

University of Catania

Italy • Sowing dates and plant densities• Irrigation and fertilization trial

University of Bologna

Italy • Sowing dates and plant densities• Irrigation and fertilization trial

CETA Italy • 1 ha field trial

INIA Spain • Sowing dates and plant densities• Irrigation and fertilization trial

UniNOVA Portugal • Sowing dates and plant densities• Irrigation and fertilization trial

INRA France • Sowing dates and plant densities• Irrigation and fertilization trial

Site description (Task 2.1, Task 2.2 and Task 2.3)

Location: Aliartos (central Greece)

Site coordinates: Latitude 380 22’, longitude 230 10’ and altitude 114 m above the sea level

Climate: Dry, mean yearly precipitation less than 400 mm. An automatic weather station is established in the site of experiments recording temperature, precipitation, wind speed, relative humidity, RAR)

Soil: SCL with relatively low organic matter (less than 1%)Soil analysis were carried out before sowing.

Monthly precipitation (mm) and temperature (0C) in Aliartos (long-term mean and 2003)

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Precipitation (long-term)Precipitation 2003Temperature (long-term)Temperature 2003

From June to September the plants received from rainfalls 66.8 mm of water

Results from the soil analyses(Task 2.1)

Soil layers

0-20 20-40 40-60 60-80 80-100

Soil type SCL SCL SCL SCL SC

Electrical conductivity(μMHOS/cm) 85 60 60 120 65

pH 7.8 7.9 7.9 7.9 8

Total Ca (%) 8 9.2 12 36 6

Organic matter (%) 1.2 1.34 1.34 1.2 0.13

Total N (mgr/kg) 0.153 0.137 0.137 0.153 0.058

P2O5 (mgr/kg) 2.862 1.145 1.145 1.717 1.145

K2O (mgr/kg) 6.6 4.2 3.6 6 4.2

MgO (mgr/kg) 5.81 4.98 5.81 13.28 5.81

Na (mgr/kg) 4 2.5 2.5 14 3

Fe (mgr/kg) 1.25 1.25 1 1.25 1

Mn (mgr/kg) 1 1 1.25 3.75 1.5

Results from the soil analyses(Task 2.2 & 2.3)

0-20 20-40 40-60 60-80 80-100Soil type SCL SCL SCL SL SLElectrical conductivity (μMHOS/cm) 55 60 70 90 65pH 7.7 7.7 7.7 7.8 7.8Total Ca (%) 2 2 1.2 1.2 .12Organic matter (%) 0.8 0.87 0.67 0.6 0.13Total N (mgr/kg) 0.102 0.106 0.093 0.089 0.058P2O5 (mgr/kg) 1.145 1.145 1.717 1.717 1.145K2O (mgr/kg) 4.2 5.4 6 6.6 6MgO (mgr/kg) 4.15 6.64 5.81 8.3 4.98Na (mgr/kg) 3 3.5 4.5 5 3Fe (mgr/kg) 1.25 1 1 1 0.5Mn (mgr/kg) 1 1 0.75 0.75 0.75

Layers

Sowing date: 25/5/03 (by hand)

75 kg N/ha was applied through the drip system at the end of June

A drip irrigation system was used and apart from rainfalls the plants received a quantity of 410 mm of water.

5 marked plants/plot was used for height and stem diameter measurements

Harvest dates:20/7/03, 11/8/03,30/8/03, 21/9/03,

5/10/03, 26/10/03, 16/11/2003, 17/12/2003

The distances between the rows were 50 cm and within the rows 10 cm (200,000 pl/ha).

The six tested varieties were:Everglades 41late variety that produce reasonable fiber production and a cotton-like leaf shapeTainung 2late variety, with superior raw fiber production and palmate leaf shapeGreggis a new variety with slightly longer growing period that may contributes to greater fiber production and palmate leaf shapeDowlingnew variety, that may prove to be a very high fiber producer with non-palmate leaf shapeSF 459new variety that is favored for soils with nematode problem and palmate leaf shapeG4it is considered as a photoperiod-insensitive varietythat combines a short maturity cycle (100-130 days between emergence and flowering) and high productivity when grown in the Mediterranean region)

View of the screening trial (10/9/03)

Block IBlock IIBlock III

Task 2.1 – Plant height (cm) and basal stem diameter (mm)

22/11/2003

22/11/2003

380359 362

3 8 7

3 4 73 4 2 3 3 1 3 3 33 5 1

28 3

3 8 3

3 4 9

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T ainung 2 E vergl ades41

G regg D ow l ing SF 459 G 4

V a rieties

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ght

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S t em height

St em height w it hout f l owers

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18,716,5

18,115,9

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Tainung 2 Everglades41

Gregg Dowling SF 459 G4

Varieties

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Core

Task 2.1 – Evolution of dry matter yields (t/ha)

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Tainung 2

Everglades 41

Gregg

Dowling

SF 459

G4

Task 2.1 – Dry yields (t/ha) of the plant fractions (core, bark and leaf)

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Tainung 2 Everglades41

Gregg Dowling SF 459 G4

Varieties

Dry

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ield

s (t

/ha)

LEAVES

BARK

CORE

13 ,0 911 ,7 3

13 ,1510 ,11 10 ,0 7

6 ,17

6 ,165 ,7 9

6 ,5 6

6 ,5 5 5 ,7 5

3 ,4 8

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Ta in u n g 2 E verg la des 4 1 G reg g D o w lin g SF 4 5 9 G 4

Va ri eti es

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/ha)

C o re dry y i e lds (t/ ha )

B a rk dry y i e lds (t/ ha )

27/10/2003

17/12/2003

Fresh stem and dry yields (t/ha) at the two large harvests

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Tainung 2 Everglades 41 Gregg Dowling SF 459 G4

Varieties

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ield

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FSW - Harvest A FSW - Harvest BDSW - Harvest A DSW - Harvest B

Treatments:

S1:18/5/03, S2: 7/6/03

V1: Tainung 2, V2: Everglades 41

D1: 200,000 pl/ha, D2: 400,000 pl/ha

Date of thinning:

S1: 3/6/03

S2: 4/7/03

A quantity of 75 kg N/ha was applied through the drip irrigation system at the end of June

The plants received apart from the rainfalls a total quantity of 400 mm in S1 and 350 mm in S2 of water through a drip irrigation system

The flowering starting at the beginning of October for both varieties and sowing dates. At the moment all the plants had produced flowers.

The plant height was measured on five marked plant per plot every two weeks, while on the same plants the basal stem diameter was measured every four weeks.

Harvest dates:21/7/0311/8/0331/8/0321/9/036/10/0329/10/0317/11/0317/12/03

View of the Task 2.2 trial(10/9/03)

Block I Block II

Task 2.2 – Final plant height (cm) and basal stem diameter (mm)

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S 1 S 2 D 1 D 2 V 1 V 2

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P la n t h e i g h t P la n t h e i g h t w i tho u t f lo w e rs

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S1 S2 D1 D2 V1 V2Treatments

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Bark diameterCore diameter

Task 2.2 – Evolution of leaf area meter (LAI)

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Days from emergence

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S1: 17/5/03

S2: 7/6/03

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D1: 200,000 pl/haD2: 400,000 pl/ha

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V1: Tainung 2V2: Everglades 41

Task 2.2 – Evolution of total dry and stem yields (t/ha)

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Total dry and stem yields (t/ha) at the two large harvests

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FPW-1est harvest FPW-2nd harvest DPW-1est harvest DPW-2nd harvest

S1: 17/5/03S2: 7/6/03

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FPW-1est harvest FPW-2nd harvest DPW-1est harvest DPW-2nd harvest

D1: 200,000 pl/ha

D2: 400,000 pl/ha

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FPW-1est harvest FPW-2nd harvest DPW-1est harvest DPW-2nd harvest

V1: Tainung 2V2: Everglades 41

Date of sowing: 31/5/03

Date of thinning: 30/6/03

The different levels of nitrogen fertilization was applied through the drip irrigation system in the beginning of July (5/7/03)

The plants received apart from the rainfalls the following irrigation quantities:

I1: 120 mm

I2: 240 mm

I3: 480 mm

The flowering starting at the beginning of October (2/10/03) and at the moment the flowering is 100%.

The plant height was measured on five marked plant per plot every two weeks, while on the same plants the basal stem diameter was measured every four weeks.

Harvest dates:

21/7/03

11/8/03

31/8/03

21/9/03

5/10/03

29/10/03

17/11/03

17/12/03

View of the Task 2.3 trial (10/9/03)

Block I

Block II

Block III

Effect of the irrigation on plant growth (10/9/03)

no irrigation

25% of PET

Task 2.3 – Plant height (cm), basal stem diameter (mm)

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no irrigation 25% 50% 100%

Plan

t hei

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Plant heightPlant height without flowers

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0 kg N/ha 75 kg N/ha 150 kg N/ha

Plan

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Plant height without flowers

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no irrigation 25% 50% 100%

Dia

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BarkCore

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0 kg N/ha 75 kg N/ha 150 kg N/ha

Dia

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BarkCore

Task 2.3 Evolution of leaf area meter (LAI)

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Days from emergence

Leaf

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0 kg N/ha

75 kg N/ha

150 kg N/ha

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0 kg N/ha

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150 kg N/ha

Task 2.3 Dry matter yields (t/ha)

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Task 2.3 – Dry matter yields (t/ha)

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FPW - 1est harvest FPW - 2nd harvest DPW - 1est harvest DPW - 2nd harvest

Dry

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FPW - 1est harvest FPW - 2nd harvest DPW - 1est harvest DPW - 2nd harvest

Dry

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0 kg N/ha75 kg N/ha

150 kg N/ha