U.S. Department of EnergyOffice of Scientific and Technical Information
Data for Soil Fertility Management for Sustainable Miscanthus × giganteus Production: Increased Tiller Weight from Nitrogen Management Explains Yield Gains in Aged Miscanthus
Abstract
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–56Nmore »
- Authors:
-
;
;
- Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA; Agroecosystem Sustainability Center, Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA; DOE Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
- Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA; DOE Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
- Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA; Agroecosystem Sustainability Center, Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA; DOE Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA; Environmental Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL, USA
- Publication Date:
- DOE Contract Number:
- SC0018420
- Research Org.:
- Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation (CABBI), Urbana, IL (United States); University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
- Sponsoring Org.:
- U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
- Subject:
- miscanthus; nitrogen; soil
- OSTI Identifier:
- 3012121
- DOI:
- https://doi.org/10.13012/B2IDB-7354127_V1
Citation Formats
Namoi, Nictor, Jang, Chunhwa, Voigt, Thomas, and Lee, DoKyoung. Data for Soil Fertility Management for Sustainable Miscanthus × giganteus Production: Increased Tiller Weight from Nitrogen Management Explains Yield Gains in Aged Miscanthus. United States: N. p., 2025.
Web. doi:10.13012/B2IDB-7354127_V1.
Namoi, Nictor, Jang, Chunhwa, Voigt, Thomas, & Lee, DoKyoung. Data for Soil Fertility Management for Sustainable Miscanthus × giganteus Production: Increased Tiller Weight from Nitrogen Management Explains Yield Gains in Aged Miscanthus. United States. doi:https://doi.org/10.13012/B2IDB-7354127_V1
Namoi, Nictor, Jang, Chunhwa, Voigt, Thomas, and Lee, DoKyoung. 2025.
"Data for Soil Fertility Management for Sustainable Miscanthus × giganteus Production: Increased Tiller Weight from Nitrogen Management Explains Yield Gains in Aged Miscanthus". United States. doi:https://doi.org/10.13012/B2IDB-7354127_V1. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/3012121. Pub date:Thu Oct 09 00:00:00 UTC 2025
@article{osti_3012121,
title = {Data for Soil Fertility Management for Sustainable Miscanthus × giganteus Production: Increased Tiller Weight from Nitrogen Management Explains Yield Gains in Aged Miscanthus},
author = {Namoi, Nictor and Jang, Chunhwa and Voigt, Thomas and Lee, DoKyoung},
abstractNote = {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.},
doi = {10.13012/B2IDB-7354127_V1},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Oct 09 00:00:00 UTC 2025},
month = {Thu Oct 09 00:00:00 UTC 2025}
}