Effect of Nitrogen Fertilization on the Dynamics of Concentration and Uptake of Selected Microelements in the Biomass of Miscanthus x giganteus

Izabela Gołąb-Bogacz,Waldemar Helios,Marcin Kozak,Andrzej Kotecki,Anna Jama-Rodzeńska

doi:10.3390/agriculture11040360

Izabela Gołąb-Bogacz, Waldemar Helios + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture11040360

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Abstract

This paper presents the effects of nitrogen (N) fertilization on the concentration of selected micronutrients as an important issue in reducing combustion-induced air pollution. We studied the effects of the dose of 60 kg ha−1 N in different terms of biomass sampling on the concentration and uptake of iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), and copper (Cu) in the dry matter of the underground and aerial parts of Miscanthus x giganteus in the years 2014–2016. The order of microelement concentrations (mg kg−1) in rhizomes and the aboveground parts of plants was as follows: Fe > Mn > Zn > Cu. N fertilization had no significant effect on the concentrations of the selected microelements in the Mischanthus biomass (except for the Mn concentration in the stems and Cu in the leaves). The results indicated that the quality of the combustion biomass did not worsen under nitrogen fertilization. During the whole vegetation period, the iron concentration increased in the rhizomes and decreased for Zn and Cu. In the aboveground parts of the plant, the concentrations of all tested elements decreased. In turn, the uptake of Fe, Mn, Zn, and Cu (except for Fe in the stems) by rhizomes and the aboveground parts of Mischanthus depended significantly on the N fertilization.

Highlights

Nitrogen fertilization had no significant impact on the concentration of selected microelements in the rhizomes and aboveground parts of plants
Significant differences were found with respect to the concentration in the stems of Mn (p = 0.0040) and Cu in the leaves (p = 0.0397)
The highest concentrations of microelements in the aboveground parts of Miscanthus x giganteus were found in the third (Mn, Zn, and Cu) and the first year of research (Fe)

Summary

Introduction

Increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases, the global growth of energy demand, and rapidly decreasing reserves of fossil fuels cause renewable energy sources, including biomass, the center of interest for scientists and many sectors of industry [1,2].The benefits of bioenergy crops, apart from the high yield potential, is cultivation on marginal land, which is characterized by low productivity of other field crops [3,4].Due to the specific chemical structure and high calorific value, plant biomass can be destined for various conversion processes to produce liquid, gaseous, and solid fuels [5,6,7].Plant biomass currently accounts for only 3% of basic energy consumption in highly developed countries [6,8]. Increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases, the global growth of energy demand, and rapidly decreasing reserves of fossil fuels cause renewable energy sources, including biomass, the center of interest for scientists and many sectors of industry [1,2]. Due to the specific chemical structure and high calorific value, plant biomass can be destined for various conversion processes to produce liquid, gaseous, and solid fuels [5,6,7]. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is present during the biomass combustion process. Since it comes from harvested or combustion plants that absorbed it from the atmosphere in the first place, these are not additional quantities [6,9]

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