Switchgrass growth and morphological changes under established pine-grass agroforestry systems in the lower coastal plain of North Carolina, United States

Tian, Senlin; Cacho, Julian F.; Youssef, Mohamed A.; Chescheir, G. M.; Nettles, Jami E.

doi:10.1016/j.biombioe.2015.10.002

Cited by 11 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 63 publications

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“…A negative effect on the biomass yield of switchgrass was observed in a midrotation (~13 year old) loblolly pine plantation in northwest Louisiana, USA (Blazier et al ., ). Further, a recent field study conducted in eastern North Carolina showed that switchgrass growth was negatively affected by adjacent trees six years after establishment (Tian et al ., ). Results of these studies confirmed that switchgrass growth would be eventually limited by tree growth, similar to many other silvopasture systems (Benavides et al ., ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Switchgrass growth and pine–switchgrass interactions in established intercropping systems

et al. 2016

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Intercropping switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) with loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) has been proposed for producing bioenergy feedstock in the southeastern United States. This study investigated switchgrass growth and pine-switchgrass interactions at two established experimental fields (7-year-old Lenoir site and 5-year-old Carteret site) located on the coastal plain of eastern United States. Position effects (edge and center of switchgrass alley in intercropping plots) and treatment effects (intercropping vs. grass-only) on aboveground switchgrass growth were evaluated. Interspecific interactions with respect to capturing resources (light, soil water, and nitrogen) were investigated by measuring photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) above grass canopy, soil moisture, and soil mineral nitrogen contents. Switchgrass growth was significantly (P = 0.001) affected by treatments in Lenoir and by position (P < 0.0001) in both study sites. Relative to the center, PAR above grass canopy at edge in both sites was about 48% less during the growing season. Soil water content during the growing season at the edge of grass alley was significantly (P = 0.0001) lower by 23% than at the center in Lenoir, while no significant (P = 0.42) difference was observed in Carteret, in spite of more grass growth at center at both sites. Soil mineral nitrogen content at the center of intercropping plots in Lenoir (no fertilization during 2015) was significantly (P < 0.07) lower than at the edge during the peak of growing season (June, July, and August), but not during early and late parts of growing season (May, September, and November). Position effects on soil water and mineral nitrogen were less evident under conditions with higher external inputs (rainfall and fertilization) and lower plant uptake during nongrowing seasons. Results from this study contributed to a better understanding of above-and belowground pine-switchgrass interactions which is necessary to properly manage this new cultivation system for bioenergy production in the southeastern United States.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Switchgrass growth and pine–switchgrass interactions in established intercropping systems

et al. 2016

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“…Gamble et al (2014) in a two year poplar-switchgrass non-irrigated intercropping study reported switchgrass yields ranged 2.8 to 5.2 Mg DM ha -1 (1.2-2.2 Mg C ha -1 ) at two sites in Northern Minnesota. Switchgrass intercropped with pine in the southeastern United States produced 4.1 to 10.3 Mg DM ha -1 after 2 yr of cropping (Albaugh et al, 2012;Krapfl et al, 2015;Tian et al, 2015) compared with yields of established monoculture switchgrass stands of 16 to 36 Mg DM ha -1 (McLaughlin and Kszos, 2005;Albaugh et al, 2012). Compared with other temperate agroforestry systems, the intercropped switchgrass biomass C found in the present study after 2 yr was 4.2 Mg C ha -1 (10 Mg DM ha -1 ) and after 4 yr was 5.3 Mg C ha -1 (13 Mg DM ha -1 ) and were 33% less than the switchgrass monoculture (Table 3).…”

Section: Soil Nh 4 -N and No 3 -Nmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Gamble et al (2014) found that intercropping among rows of poplar and willows provided suitable conditions for establishment of several perennial biomass crops including switchgrass, prairie cordgrass (Spartina pectinate L.), alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and wheatgrass (Thinopyrum intermedium L.), but the potential for resource competition increased with time. Switchgrass and loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) interactions have been investigated in several intercropping studies established on the coastal plain of the southeastern United States Tian et al, 2015;.…”

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confidence: 99%

Intercropping with Switchgrass Improves Net Greenhouse Gas Balance in Hybrid Poplar Plantations on a Sand Soil

Collins

Fay

Kimura³

et al. 2017

Soil Science Society of America Journal

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In the Pacific Northwest, commercial hybrid poplar (Populus generosa Henry × Populus canadensis Moench.) is managed at low stocking densities under irrigation for high-value timber production. The objectives of this study were to measure greenhouse gas emissions (CH4, CO 2 , and N 2 O) during intercropping of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) with hybrid poplar; estimate losses of fertilizer-N as N 2 O, and estimate global warming potentials (GWP) of the intercrop. Cumulative above-ground biomass-C of the poplar monoculture (PM) closely matched the four year growing season (GS) soil CO 2 -C emissions, where aboveground biomass of the switchgrass monoculture (SM) and intercrop (IC) exceeded GS CO 2 -C emissions by 14.1 Mg C ha -1 . Soil CH 4 -C uptake was not significantly different between treatments, while GS N 2 O-N emissions for PM were ~80% lower than both IC and SM. N 2 O emissions factors averaged 0.7% of the applied N-fertilizer. Cumulative contributions of CO 2 emissions to GWP were offset by biomass-C resulting in a near zero balance (−5.1 Mg CO 2eq ha -1 ) for the PM, where, IC and SM sequestered significantly more CO 2 resulting in a net GWP of −42.5 and -32.2 Mg CO 2eq ha -1 , respectively. Intercropping with switchgrass can improve the net greenhouse gas balance of hybrid poplar. Continued research is needed on the effects of irrigated bioenergy production on GHG emissions in intercropped systems as they will become increasingly important as agricultural water use, water availability and quality are challenged by climate change.Abbreviations: DM, dry matter; GHG, greenhouse gas; GS, growing season; GWP, global warming potential; N EF , nitrogen emissions factor; PM, monoculture poplar; IC, poplar/ switchgrass intercrop; SM, switchgrass monoculture M ajor shifts in crop production will occur as farmers prepare to supply the demand for biomass feedstocks for production of renewable biofuels. These shifts will affect agroecosystem services related to water use, carbon storage, nutrient cycling and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that have direct effects on air, water, and soil quality (Popp et al., 2014). Perennial grasses are an important source of feed and fiber and are considered sustainable bioenergy crops because they have the capacity to produce large quantities of biomass, can be grown on marginal lands, improve soil quality and protect soils from erosion (Lemus and Lal, 2005;Sartori et al., 2006; Casler et al., 2009;Gelfand et al., 2013). Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a prominent biomass crop for the US biofuel industry (Sanderson et al., 2007; Casler et al., 2009) because it yields well on a variety of soil types, is drought-tolerant, and has low fertility requirements (McLaughlin and Kszos, 2005;Lemus and Lal, 2005;Kimura et al., 2015). The root system of switchgrass has been shown to offset C losses and promotes C sequestration by adding a Core Ideas• A critical issue in the production of biofuels has been the competition with food crops• Intercropping switchgrass and hybrid poplar wa...

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“…The switchgrass received coated urea Arborite â fertilizer (65.6 kg N ha À1 , 6.6 kg P ha À1 , and 0.2 kg boron ha À1 ) during 2010, 2012, and 2014, but not during 2015 and 2016). Detailed descriptions of the study site, experimental design, and treatments can be found elsewhere (Albaugh et al, 2012(Albaugh et al, , 2014Tian et al, 2015Tian et al, , 2017.…”

Section: Study Sitementioning

confidence: 99%

“…2d). The study site was initiated to investigate sustainability and productivity of loblolly pine and switchgrass intercropping to produce sawtimber and bioenergy feedstocks (Albaugh et al, 2012;Tian et al, 2015Tian et al, , 2017. Multiple experimental treatments including switchgrass and pine monocultures, and pine-switchgrass intercropping were established in a randomized complete block design (Albaugh et al, 2012).…”

Section: Study Sitementioning

confidence: 99%

Microtopography‐induced transient waterlogging affects switchgrass (Alamo) growth in the lower coastal plain of North Carolina, USA

et al. 2018

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Very limited information is currently available on growth responses of switchgrass (lowland cultivars) to transient waterlogging in lowland or poorly drained areas. This study investigated impacts of microtopographyinduced transient waterlogging on switchgrass (Alamo cultivar) growth, represented by leaf-level gas exchange and biomass yield, in an established experimental field located in the Atlantic coastal plain of North Carolina, USA. Intensive leaf-level gas exchange measurements were conducted on switchgrass at paired spots with distinct elevations in three sub-blocks. Aboveground biomass was randomly collected across the study field to explore the potential impacts of the transient waterlogging on biomass yield. The sum of excess water (SEW) was calculated based on measured instantaneous water table depth to generalize the relationship between biomass yield and intensity of transient waterlogging. Results showed significant (P ≤ 0.0001) treatment effects on leaf-level gas exchange, characterized by evident reduction in both CO 2 assimilation rate and stomatal conductance when water table was at or near the soil surface at low positions. Negative impacts of transient waterlogging on leaf-level gas exchange became more evident with the increasing of elevation differences between paired subplots. Stomatal closure was found to be the main mechanism responsible for the decline of net assimilation under transient waterlogging. Aboveground biomass yields of switchgrass showed relatively high spatial variability and were positively and linearly correlated with microtopography (represented by elevation in the analysis) (P < 0.03, R 2 > 0.77). Further analysis showed that biomass yields were negatively correlated with SEW (P < 0.001, R 2 > 0.6) with an exponential relationship. Results of this study strongly demonstrated transient waterlogging could negatively affect switchgrass growth by suppressing leaf-level gas exchange rates and ultimately reducing biomass yield. Findings from this study have critical implications for evaluating the economic viability of growing switchgrass on marginal lands that are subject to transient waterlogging stresses.

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Switchgrass growth and morphological changes under established pine-grass agroforestry systems in the lower coastal plain of North Carolina, United States

Cited by 11 publications

References 63 publications

Switchgrass growth and pine–switchgrass interactions in established intercropping systems

Switchgrass growth and pine–switchgrass interactions in established intercropping systems

Intercropping with Switchgrass Improves Net Greenhouse Gas Balance in Hybrid Poplar Plantations on a Sand Soil

Microtopography‐induced transient waterlogging affects switchgrass (Alamo) growth in the lower coastal plain of North Carolina, USA

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