The Effect of Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium Fertilizers on Prairie Biomass Yield, Ethanol Yield, and Nutrient Harv
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The Effect of Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium Fertilizers on Prairie Biomass Yield, Ethanol Yield, and Nutrient Harvest Jacob M. Jungers & Craig C. Sheaffer & John A. Lamb
# Springer Science+Business Media New York 2014
Abstract Native prairie plants can be managed to provide biomass for cellulosic ethanol production; however, there is inadequate information in northern latitudes regarding the effects of fertilizers on biomass and ethanol yields. We evaluated biomass yield, land ethanol yield (theoretical ethanol production per unit area), and nutrient harvest in grasslands managed across a gradient of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) fertilizers at three locations in MN, USA, from 2008 to 2009. The Austin and Lamberton locations were planted with a mixture of prairie plants, while the Rosemount location was solely switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.). Model-based estimations of agronomically optimum nitrogen rates (AONRs) for land ethanol yield were determined for five of six site-year environments. Five response functions were modeled for land ethanol yield, each predicting a unique AONR with varying degrees of confidence. The linear plateau function was best-supported for four of six environments. Agronomically optimum nitrogen rates ranged from 61 to 87 kg N ha−1 and, on average, yielded 3,160, 2,090, and 3,180 L ethanol ha−1 at Austin, Lamberton, and Rosemount, respectively. On average, predicted ethanol yields increased 52 % when fertilized at AONRs compared to yields without fertilizer. Phosphorus and K fertilizers did not affect land ethanol yield. Nitrogen, P, and K removed during biomass J. M. Jungers (*) : C. C. Sheaffer Department of Agronomy and Plant Genetics, University of Minnesota, 411 Borlaug Hall, 1991 Upper Buford Circle, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA e-mail: [email protected] C. C. Sheaffer e-mail: [email protected] J. A. Lamb Department of Soil, Water, and Climate, University of Minnesota, 439 Borlaug Hall, 1991 Upper Buford Circle, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA e-mail: [email protected]
harvest increased with N fertilization and averaged 31, 6, and 20 kg ha−1 at the AONRs. Nitrogen use efficiency declined with N fertilization during drier years. Modest rates of N fertilizer (between 60 and 90 kg N ha−1) can maximize cellulosic ethanol production in established northern latitude grasslands. Soil P and K should be monitored as nutrients are removed during repeated biomass harvests. Keywords Biomass yield . Cellulosic ethanol . Switchgrass . Prairie . Nitrogen fertilization . Agronomically optimum nitrogen rate
Introduction The US Department of Agriculture estimates that more than 50 billion L of advanced biofuels will be produced from dedicated energy crops by 2022 to meet the larger national target of 80 billion L [1]. One advanced biofuel is cellulosic ethanol, which is an alternative transportation fuel that can be derived from perennial, non-food crops to limit greenhouse gas emissions and promote energy security [2]. Perennial grasses such as switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), Mis
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