CULTIVATION COST AND BIOMASS PRODUCTIVITY OF SWITCHGRASS (CV. ALAMO) IN CENTRAL GREECE

摘要

Switchgrass is a native warm-season, perennial crop, which is mostly cultivated in USA. As a C4plant, switchgrass is highly productive in biomass rich in cellulose that makes this crop important for ethanol andmore generally for power production. It is well documented that the crop reaches its potential yield on the third yearof cultivation and continues producing biomass for as long as twelve years. Switchgrass establishment can beseriously hampered by weed competition especially during the first year of establishment before the development ofa deep rooting system. This increases establishment cost that should be considered in any cost-benefit analysis ofcrop’s productivity. Based on the above, the present work focuses on the first year (fresh and dry) biomassproduction potential of switchgrass and the inputs required for its realization in a representative area of centralGreece. For that, a field experiment was established on an aquic soil of Karditsa, representing extensive areas in thewest Thessaly plain, the largest lowland formation of Greece (coordinates: 39°25' N, 22°05'E, altitude 107.5m ASL).The Panicum virgatum cv. Alamo sown on June 1st 2009 in rows (7 rows per meter) and a plant population of 350plants per square meter. Crop growth and development were monitored and related to weather parameters. Completeweather data (air temperature, radiation, air humidity, wind velocity, precipitation and class-A pan evaporation rate)were recorded hourly in an automatic meteorological station, which was installed next to the experimental field.Upon harvest (November 1st 2009), the crop reached a maximum plant height of 160 cm and dry biomass yield of16,4 tons per hectare, composed of 39% by leaves and the rest by stems. The total cultivation cost during the firstyear of establishment was considerable, reaching 1640 €/ha (more detailed data in the paper). Despite the high initialcost, switchgrass may comprise a new alternative crop for bio-energy production in central Greece.