The Evaluation of Radiation Use Efficiency and Leaf Area Index Development for the Estimation of Biomass Accumulation in Short Rotation Poplar and Annual Field Crops

Abhishek Tripathi,Matěj Orság,Eva Pohanková,Miroslav Trnka,Karel Klem,Milan Fischer,Michal Marek

doi:10.3390/f9040168

Abhishek Tripathi, Matěj Orság + Show 5 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/f9040168

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Abstract

We evaluated the long-term pattern of leaf area index (LAI) dynamics and radiation use efficiency (RUE) in short rotation poplar in uncoppice (single stem) and coppice (multi-stem) plantations, and compared them to annual field crops (AFCs) as an alternative for bioenergy production while being more sensitive to weather fluctuation and climate change. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of LAI and RUE as indicators for bioenergy production and indicators of response to changing environmental conditions. For this study, we selected poplar clone J-105 (Populus nigra L. × P. maximowiczii A. Henry) and AFCs such as barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), maize (Zea mays L.), and oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.), and compared their aboveground dry mass (AGDM) production in relation to their LAI development and RUE. The results of the study showed the long-term maximum LAI (LAImax) to be 9.5 in coppice poplar when compared to AFCs, where LAImax did not exceed the value 6. The RUE varied between 1.02 and 1.48 g MJ−1 in short rotation poplar and between 0.72 and 2.06 g MJ−1 in AFCs. We found both LAI and RUE contributed to AGDM production in short rotation poplar and RUE only contributed in AFCs. The study confirms that RUE may be considered an AGDM predictor of short rotation poplar and AFCs. This may be utilized for empirical estimates of yields and also contribute to improve the models of short rotation poplar and AFCs for the precise prediction of biomass accumulation in different environmental conditions.

Highlights

IPCC [1] reported that the energy security and mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions are major challenges to meet global energy demand
Our study shows leaf area index (LAI) to be high in short rotation coppice (SRC) poplar compared to annual field crops (AFCs) while radiation use efficiency (RUE) was shown to be higher in AFCs than SRC poplar
Both high LAI and RUE could be responsible for high biomass accumulation in SRC poplar; while in AFCs, the biomass accumulation is related mainly to RUE

Summary

Introduction

IPCC [1] reported that the energy security and mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions are major challenges to meet global energy demand. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions, mitigate climate change impacts and, at the same time, fulfill the requirements of food and energy demands, it is important to enhance the sources of biomass production in the short term such as short rotation forestry (SRF) and bioenergy feedstocks (woody and non-woody) [3,4]. Incentives are needed to persuade crop and livestock producers, agro-industries, and ecosystem managers to adopt good practices for mitigating climate change and improving the productivity of crops in different environmental conditions [5]. Besides being a production source of biomass for bioenergy, SRC can contribute to the improvement of ecosystem services such as increasing biodiversity, reducing soil erosion, improving water use efficiency, phytoremediation, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions [6,7]. The suitability of the species for bioenergy production can vary with local soil and climatic conditions and may show differences due to their sensitivity to changing environmental conditions in the context of climate change

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