Effect of Nitrogen Fertilization on Biomass Yield of Sand Bluestem ( Andropogon hallii Hack.)
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Effect of Nitrogen Fertilization on Biomass Yield of Sand Bluestem (Andropogon hallii Hack.) Tim L. Springer 1 Received: 1 September 2020 / Accepted: 6 November 2020 # This is a U.S. Government work and not under copyright protection in the US; foreign copyright protection may apply 2020
Abstract Sand bluestem (Andropogon hallii Hack.) is one of the most productive native grasses on sandy soils in the Great Plains, making it a good candidate for a multispecies approach to biomass production. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the biomass yield, nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), and apparent N fertilizer recovery of sand bluestem grown in a monoculture. Plots were fertilized annually with N at the rates of 0, 40, 80, and 120 kg ha−1. Biomass yield varied with N rate × year interactions (P < 0.01). Averaged over 6 years, which included 2 drought years, biomass yield ranged from 3.0 to 8.3 ± 0.3 Mg ha−1. Nitrogen use efficiency and crop N recovery efficiency varied with year and N rate (P < 0.01). Nitrogen use efficiency was 69, 88, and 154 kg kg−1 of applied N for the 120, 80, and 40 kg N ha−1 rate, respectively. Apparent fertilizer N recovery varied from 0.27 to 0.40 kg kg−1 of applied N among fertilization treatments with the greatest recovery from the 40 kg N ha−1 rate. Under certain environmental conditions, monocultures of sand bluestem can produce biomass yields in excess of 10 Mg ha−1 when fertilized at rates ≥ 80 kg N ha−1. To consistently produce these yields, supplemental irrigation would need to be used; however, the economics of irrigation still needs to be researched to determine the optimum irrigation schedules and amounts of water to apply as well as nutrient management with irrigation. Keywords Apparent nitrogen fertilizer recovery . Biomass . N fertilization . Nitrogen use efficiency . Sand bluestem . Soil organic carbon
Abbreviations USDA United States Department of Agriculture SOC Soil organic carbon N Nitrogen P Phosphorus K Potassium NUE Nitrogen use efficiency
Introduction Sand bluestem (Andropogon hallii Hack.) is a warm-season grass native to North America [1, 2]. It may be found on the sandy soils of the South- and West-Central Semi-arid Prairies and the Cold and Warm Deserts of Level II Ecological Regions of North America [3]. The distribution of sand * Tim L. Springer [email protected] 1
USDA Agricultural Research Service, Southern Plains Range Research Station, 2000 18th Street, Woodward, OK 73801, USA
bluestem within the USA is from Montana and North Dakota in the north to Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas in the south [2]. Sand bluestem and big bluestem (A. gerardii Vitman) are morphologically similar, but sand bluestem differs from big bluestem in rhizome habit, raceme and pedicle pubescence, and drought tolerance [1]. The two species are sympatric in some ecological sites where hybridization has occurred [4]. Gould [5] classified hybrids of these two species as conspecific subspecies. Harlan and Kneebone [6] reported that sand bluestem is one of the most productive native
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