The effect of harvest date and the chemical characteristics of biomass from Molinia meadows on methane yield

Utilization of Biomasses from Landscape Conservation Growths Dominated by Common Ragwort (Jacobaea vulgaris Gaertn.) for Biomethanization

“…The distance between the mean values (top of the bars) and estimates of the methane potential based on the biochemical composition of the substrates (dots) is considerable for both ragwort substrates. In order to show a comparison to the most common gramineous-accompanying vegetation associated with J. vulgaris, the results of Meserszmit [ 48 ] have been integrated in Figure 4 . These are Arrhenatherum elatius and Festuca rubra , the dominant grasses of the Arrhenatheretum elatioris grassland association, which is especially prone to common ragwort invasion.…”

“…These were significantly lower yields than can be achieved by herbaceous cultivated crops, such as catch crops (250–350 L N ∙kg −1 oDM) [ 50 ]. Even grass-dominated and extensively used grassland growths have higher specific methane yields of 197–221 L N ∙kg −1 oDM [ 48 ]. Consequently, the usability of ragwort-dominated growths harvested in the flowering stage has to be considered critical, even if the prime costs of the biomass production were not credited to the biogas generation.…”

Species composition of semi‐natural mesic grasslands as a factor influencing the methane yield of plant biomass (Central Europe)

“…For instance, the methane yield from wooded, mesic and alluvial meadows in Estonia was 299, 297 and 269 NL CH 4 kg −1 VS respectively (Melts et al, 2013). Further, the methane yield from the Molinia meadows in Poland ranged from 197 to 221 NL CH 4 kg −1 VS (Meserszmit et al, 2019). Other studies conducted in Germany showed that the methane yield from meadow foxtail and Molinia meadows vegetation ranged from 170 to 200 NL CH 4 kg −1 VS (Hermann et al, 2013).…”

“…In this study, hays were collected before the first cut in the second half of June. Other studies covered this aspect to a small extent, and they were related to the following meadow community types: Molinia meadows, from which 482–867 m 3 CH 4 ha −1 was obtained depending on the harvest time (Meserszmit et al, 2019); wooded meadows (514 m 3 CH 4 ha −1 ), mesic meadows (792 m 3 CH 4 ha −1 ) and alluvial meadows (1375 m 3 CH 4 ha −1 ) in Estonia (Melts et al, 2013); and Arrhenatherion meadows in Germany, from which 845–1355 m 3 CH 4 ha −1 (Boob et al, 2019) or 1903.7–2338.4 m 3 CH 4 ha −1 (Von Cossel et al, 2019) was obtained on the first day of harvest. The average methane yield per hectare calculated in our study was 870.17 m 3 CH 4 ha −1 , which is similar to those in the above‐mentioned studies.…”

“…Studies have demonstrated that it is possible to produce methane from meadow biomass (Heinsoo et al, 2010; Herrmann et al, 2013; Popp et al, 2017; Prochnow et al, 2009). The use of grassland biomass for energy purposes could contribute to the preservation of this type of habitat, particularly in areas with the problem of grassland biomass surplus (Melts et al, 2014; Meserszmit et al, 2019). If alternative solutions are not applied, the decreased demand for this substrate will result in the abandonment of grasslands or their conversion to other agricultural landforms.…”