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| Titel |
Cynara cardunculus suitability as energetic crop in the south east of Spain using compost as amendment |
| VerfasserIn |
A. Lag, I. Gómez, J. Navarro, P. Córdoba, J. Bartual |
| Konferenz |
EGU General Assembly 2009
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| Medientyp |
Artikel
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| Sprache |
Englisch
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| Digitales Dokument |
PDF |
| Erschienen |
In: GRA - Volume 11 (2009) |
| Datensatznummer |
250025055
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| Zusammenfassung |
| Global warming demands urgent actions to reduce problems derivated from it. In this sense,
fossil fuels should be replaced gradually with renewable energy sources, like energetic crops,
to decrease or at least maintain CO2 levels in the atmosphere. For example, net carbon
emissions from generation of a unit of bioenergy are 10 to 20 times lower than emissions
from fossil fuel based generation. Compared with fossil fuels, the use of lignocellulosic
feedstocks has greenhouse gas reduction potential and highly positive net energy returns
because of low input demand and high yields per unit land area. In addition, conversion of
degradated agricultural soils to perennial crops can improve soil quality by increasing C
sequestration due to their perenniality, high biomass production, and deep root systems.
For all these reasons, the aim of this study is to ascertain Cynara cardunculus sp
suitability as energetic crop in the south-east of Spain, using compost as organic
amendment.
Five compost treatments were applied to the soil: 0 (D1), 20 (D2), 40 (D3), 60 (D4) and
80 (D5) t of compost/ha. The experiment lasted 5 months, sampling 3 times (January; April
and June). Twelve Cynara Cardunculus plants were placed in each plot (4x7 m); half
of them were collected at the end of the experiment. Treated sewage water was
used to irrigate the crop. Organic carbon in soil and above ground biomass were
studied.
Dry weight yield production was between 494 (D4) to 740 kg/ha (D3). Considering
that 45 to 50 % of plant dry weight matter could be assumed as carbon, carbon
sequestration range from 0.8 to 1.2 t of CO2/ha for a short period of 5 months. Soil Organic
carbon levels, at the end of the experiment, increased in each compost treatment
compared with control value as follow: 16% (D2); 33% (D3); 43% (D4) and 73%
(D5).
The results show that Cynara cardunculus sp could be used as energetic crop in the south
east of Spain, as it was suggested by the European Environmental Agency. However, further
studies are needed with longer test time to set production potential of biomass, organic matter
evolution and nature, carbon sequestration balance and compost influence in these
properties.
Acknowledgements: The author gratefully acknowledges the Spanish Ministry of
Innovation and Science for a research fellowship (AP2007-01641); the “Estación Agraria
Experimental de Elche” and “Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias” for their
collaboration. |
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