Nutrient Movement and Removal in a Switchgrass Biomass–Filter Strip System Treated with Dairy Manure

Abstract

Manure use on cropland has raised concern about nutrient contamination of surface and ground waters. Warm-season perennial grasses may be useful in filter strips to trap manure nutrients and as biomass feedstock for nutrient removal. We explored the use of 'Alamo' switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) in a biomass production-filter strip system treated with dairy manure. We measured changes in extractable P in the soil, NO3 -N in soil water, and changes in total reactive P and chemical oxygen demand (COD) of runoff water before and after a switchgrass filter strip. Five rates of dairy manure (target rates of 0, 50, 100, 150, and 200 kg N ha(-1) from solid manure in 1995; 0, 75, 150, 300, and 600 kg N ha(-1) from lagoon effluent in 1996 and 1997) were surface-applied to field plots of switchgrass (5.2 by 16.4 m) with a 5.2- by 16.4-m switchgrass filter strip below the manured area. Yield of switchgrass from the manured area increased linearly with increasing manure rate in each year. Soil water samples collected at 46 or 91 cm below the soil surface on 30 dates indicated < 3 mg L(-1) of NO3-N in all plots. Concentrations of total reactive P in surface runoff water were reduced an average of 47% for the 150 kg N rate and 76% for the 600 kg N rate in 1996 and 1997 after passing through the strip. Manure could effectively substitute for inorganic fertilizer in switchgrass biomass production with dual use of the switchgrass as a vegetative filter strip.

Switchgrass for bioethanol and other value-added applications: A review

“…Lee et al (1998) compared switchgrass filter strips to cool-season grass filter strips and reported that switchgrass was more effective in removing phosphorous and nitrogen from runoff. Sanderson et al (2001) treated a switchgrass filter strip with dairy manure and noted similar results for phosphorous and nitrogen reduction. They also noted a 40-44% reduction in chemical oxygen demand as a result of the filter strip.…”

Desempenho da mistura forrageira de aveia-preta mais azevém e atributos químicos do solo em função da aplicação de esterco líquido de suínos

“…Sanderson et al (2001) encontraram taxa de 20 % de recuperação de N quando foram aplicados dejetos de bovinos sobre uma pastagem de Panicum virgatum L.…”

Using satellite vegetation and compound topographic indices to map highly erodible cropland buffers for cellulosic biofuel crop developments in eastern Nebraska, USA

“…Growing perennial grasses such as switchgrass and prairie cordgrass for biofuel in riparian zones, stream waterway buffers, and highly erodible cropland areas has been proposed and investigated (Dominguez-Faus et al, 2009;Mersie et al, 2006;Powers et al, 2010;Sanderson, 2008;Sanderson et al, 2001;Tufekcioglu et al, 2003;Koh et al, 2009; http://nac.unl.edu/buffers/guidelines/4 opportunities/6.html; http://www.globalbioenergy.org/uploads/ media/0702 FAO -Water quality and environmental dimensions in biofuel production.pdf; https://bioenergy.ornl.gov/papers/ misc/switgrs.html). Cultivating perennial grass in these high reliefs, intensive agriculture areas can improve local environment conditions and ecosystem services (Dominguez-Faus et al, 2009;Powers et al, 2010;Sanderson et al, 2001;Tufekcioglu et al, 2003).…”

“…Cultivating perennial grass in these high reliefs, intensive agriculture areas can improve local environment conditions and ecosystem services (Dominguez-Faus et al, 2009;Powers et al, 2010;Sanderson et al, 2001;Tufekcioglu et al, 2003). However, thus far, investigations are only at the planning stages or are limited to a few experimental field sites.…”