Nitrogen Fertilization Effects on Productivity and Nitrogen Loss in Three Grass-Based Perennial Bioenergy Cropping Systems

Duran, Brianna E.  L.; Duncan, David S.; Oates, Lawrence G.; Kucharik, Christopher J.; Jackson, Randall D.

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0151919

Title: Nitrogen Fertilization Effects on Productivity and Nitrogen Loss in Three Grass-Based Perennial Bioenergy Cropping Systems

Journal Article · Fri Mar 18 00:00:00 EDT 2016 · PLoS ONE

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0151919· OSTI ID:1255222

Duran, Brianna E. L. ^[1]; Duncan, David S. ^[1]; Oates, Lawrence G. ^[1]; Kucharik, Christopher J. ^[1]; Jackson, Randall D. ^[1]

Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States); Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States). DOE-Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center

Nitrogen (N) fertilization can greatly improve plant productivity but needs to be carefully managed to avoid harmful environmental impacts. Nutrient management guidelines aimed at reducing harmful forms of N loss such as nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions and nitrate (NO₃ ^-) leaching have been tailored for many cropping systems. The developing bioenergy industry is likely to make use of novel cropping systems, such as polycultures of perennial species, for which we have limited nutrient management experience. We studied how a switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) monoculture, a 5-species native grass mixture and an 18- species restored prairie responded to annual fertilizer applications of 56 kg N ha^-1 in a fieldscale agronomic trial in south-central Wisconsin over a 2-year period.We observed greater fertilizer-induced N₂O emissions and sub-rooting zone NO₃ ^- concentrations in the switchgrass monoculture than in either polyculture. Fertilization increased aboveground net primary productivity in the polycultures, but not in the switchgrass monoculture. Switchgrass was generally more productive, while the two polycultures did not differ from each other in productivity or N loss. In conclusion, our results highlight differences between polycultures and a switchgrass monoculture in responding to N fertilization.

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Research Organization:: Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER); USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)

Grant/Contract Number:: FC02-07ER64494; AC05-76RL01830; DEB-1038759

OSTI ID:: 1255222

Journal Information:: PLoS ONE, Vol. 11, Issue 3; ISSN 1932-6203

Publisher:: Public Library of ScienceCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Cited by: 33 works

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