Technology of Miscanthus giant growing for energy purposes in the conditions of drained peatlands of the Left Bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine

Abstract

The paper highlights the peculiarities of growing miscanthus for energy purposes in the conditions of drained peat bogs at the Panfl Experimental Station of the NSC "Institute of Agriculture of the NAAS". The economic and ecological advantages of growing energy plantations on reclaimed organogenic soils in comparison with rainfed lands in the zone of the LeftBank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine are argued. The study substantiates the technology and the influence of its individual elements on the productivity of miscanthus giant growing for energy purposes on old-sown hayfelds of carbonate peatlands of the Forest-Steppe. The optimal biometric parameters of the planting material, as well as the planting density, the depth of the rhizomes embedding, the influence of the planting time on the growth and development indicators of the studied culture were determined. Developed and patented agrotechnical, together with a biological method of combating wireworms, which provides effective protection of miscanthus plants at the beginning of the establishment of energy plantations. An environmentally friendly weed control technology has been applied, which excludes the use of chemicals, the introduction of herbicides, which, in turn, does not allow contaminating soil and river waters with harmful elements. The peculiarities of the nutrient regime of the soil and its biological activity in the experimental plots of Miscanthus giant on the drained carbonate peatlands of the Left Bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine have been investigated. The effect of potash fertilization, as a key element in plant nutrition on organogenic soils, on the productivity of bioenergetic plantations of Miscanthus is studied. The energy output of bioenergy plantations per unit area has been determined depending on the elements of the cultivation technology. Calculations of economic and energy efciency have been carried out. The developed technology for 3 years of miscanthus cultivation ensures the yield of dry biomass at the level of 23.7–26.1 t/ha or 403–444 GJ/ha of energy. The best economic indicators were obtained on the option with a planting scheme (0.7 X 1.4 m) 10 thousand/ha, where the level of proftability made – 56 %, the cost of dry biomass made 529.6 UAH/t and the conditional net proft – 13157 g/ha. Further directions of scientifc research on the creation of bioenergetic plantations from Miscanthus Giganteus on drained carbonate peatlands of the Left Bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine have been substantiated. Key words: miscanthus, mass of rhizomes, planting density, fertilizers, productivity, proftability.