VARIETAL RESPONSE OF ELYTRIGIA ELONGATA UNDER SEMIARID CONDITIONS IN SPAIN: ESTABLISHMENT

摘要

This study is part of an extensive network with C3 and C4 perennial energy crops which is beingrncurrently conducted in Spain to develop sustainable alternatives to rain-fed agriculture in marginal lands of thernMediterranean. The aim of this study is to assess the establishment of three varieties of hardy perennial grassrnspecies Tall wheatgrass (Elytrigia elongata cultivars “Alkar” from the USA, “Bamar” from Poland, and “Szarvasi-rn1” from Hungary). All tests plots were established in Spain under semiarid conditions during autumn 2013.rnAboveground productivity was compared with Wheat (Triticum aestivum var. Plethore), a traditional cereal crop inrnthe region. The selected site was characterized by a poor sandy soil, with 0.54 % organic matter and annual monocroppingrnsystems without rotations with perennials. Yields, number of plants per m~2, height, leaf area index, andrnchlorophyll-a index were measured in each cultivar. Moreover, the biomass collected after harvest wasrncharacterized to evaluate its combustion quality. Highest biomass yield was obtained with the Szarvasi-1 cultivarrn(6.6 t DM ha~(-1)), which doubled the one obtained with the Bamar, and triplicated Alkar, indicating, from arnpreliminary point of view, a better adaptation of this variety to the edafoclimatic conditions of the experimentalrnarea.