Influence of Plant Density and Fertilisation on the Growth and Biomass Productivity of Miscanthus Sinensis × Giganteus under Central Greek Conditions

摘要

The effects of three plant densities (6,700, 10,000 and 20,000 plants per hectare) and twornnitrogen rates (60 and 120 kg N per hectare) on growth and biomass productivity of Miscanthusrnsinensis x giganteus were studied in a field experiment carried out in a clay soil in the vicinity ofrnVolos (Velestino), central Greece.rnGrowth analysis was carried out in the first (year of establishment) and third years of growth,rnwhen the crop was harvested periodically during the growing period. Each time, plant height, tillerrnnumber, LAI, fresh and dry weight per plant component was measured. It was found thatrnfertilisation within the studied rates did not affect growth and biomass productivity of the crop, andrnno interaction between fertilization and plant density was observed in any of the samplings. On thernopposite, a strong influence of plant density was found in the studied range. In the third year, therndensely populated crop performed remarkable growth rates of about 450 kg/ha for most of therngrowing period reaching a final yield in excess of 45 t/ha by the end of September. Significantlyrnlower were the yields obtained under populations 10,000 and 6,700 plants per ha, i.e. 29 and 20 t/ha,rnrespectively. Plant height varied among the different plant densities, reaching a maximum value ofrn425 cm. The leaf area index varied also considerably among the different plant density treatmentsrnfollowing the variation in plant height. With such a high yielding potential, particularly with itsrnmodest fertilisation needs, miscanthus can be considered as a very promising crop for biomassrnproduction in Greece in near future.