Soil fertility management for sustainable Miscanthus × giganteus production: Increased tiller weight from nitrogen management explains yield gains in aged miscanthus

Namoi, Nictor; Jang, Chunhwa; Voigt, Thomas; Lee, DoKyoung

doi:10.1016/j.biombioe.2025.108394

Soil fertility management for sustainable Miscanthus × giganteus production: Increased tiller weight from nitrogen management explains yield gains in aged miscanthus

Journal Article · Thu Sep 18 00:00:00 EDT 2025 · Biomass and Bioenergy

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biombioe.2025.108394· OSTI ID:2589426

^[1]; ^[1]; Voigt, Thomas ^[1]; ^[2]

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL (United States)
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL (United States); Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)

Aging-related yield decline in Miscanthus × giganteus (miscanthus) remains a major constraint to sustainable biomass production. This study evaluated how nitrogen (N) management and soil fertility influence yield-component traits and productivity in aging miscanthus. Trials were conducted at two sites established in 2008 at the University of Illinois Energy Farm, Urbana, IL. (i) The Sun Grant trial received 0, 60, and 120 kg N ha⁻¹ annually until 2015. Starting 2021, half of each plot received 60 or 120 kg N ha⁻¹, resulting in six legacy-contemporary treatments: 0N–0N, 0N–120N, 60N–0N, 60N–60N, 120N–0N, 120N–120N. (ii) The Energy Farm trial remained unfertilized until 2014, when one half of each plot received 56 kg N ha⁻¹, forming two treatments: 0N–0N, 0N–56N. Sun Grant trial results showed N fertilization increased tiller density (tillers m⁻²) and tiller weight (g tiller⁻¹) in juvenile to early-mature miscanthus (2011–2015). After N withdrawal, both traits declined (20 % and 40 %), though legacy effects persisted in tiller weight in the aging stands (2020–2023). Contemporary N had little effect on tiller density but increased tiller weight by 34 %–77 %, resulting in 23 %–106 % higher machine-harvested biomass yield in 0–120N, 60-60N, and 120-120N plots. At the Energy Farm trial, 0N–56N plots yielded 59 %–108 % more biomass than 0N–0N. Soil total N increased (Sun Grant: 47 % by 2020; Energy Farm: 58 % by 2023), while Mehlich-3 P (42 %–44 %) and K (21 %–46 %) declined. These findings identify tiller weight as a key determinant of biomass yield in aging miscanthus and highlight the need for P and K management for long-term productivity.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER)

Grant/Contract Number:: SC0018420

OSTI ID:: 2589426

Journal Information:: Biomass and Bioenergy, Journal Name: Biomass and Bioenergy Vol. 204; ISSN 0961-9534

Publisher:: Elsevier BVCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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