Switchgrass forage yield and biofuel quality with no-tillage interseeded winter legumes in the southern Great Plains. (21st October 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sutradhar, Apurba K.; Miller, Eric C.; Arnall, Daryl B.; Dunn, Bruce L.; Girma, Kefyalew; Raun, William R.
• Is Part Of: Journal of plant nutrition. Volume 40:Number 17(2017)
• Page Start: 2382
• Page End: 2391
• Publication Date: 2017-10-21
• Subjects: biofuel quality -- forage yield -- switchgrass -- winter legumes; Plants -- Nutrition -- Periodicals; Plants -- Effect of minerals on -- Periodicals; Deficiency diseases in plants -- Periodicals; 575.76
• DOI: 10.1080/01904167.2017.1346669
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0190-4167

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Information is limited on using winter legumes as a source of nitrogen (N) intercropped with switchgrass in the southern Great Plains of the United States. The objectives of this study were to evaluate N contribution of several winter legumes to switchgrass, and to determine the influence of winter legumes on biofuel quality and soil fertility status. Field experiments were conducted at two locations in Oklahoma in which six winter legumes and four rates of N fertilizer were studied over a 3-year period. Winter legumes did not increase switchgrass forage yield, cellulose, lignin, and hemicellulose concentrations at any location. Soil organic matter (OM), nitrate-N (NO3 -N), soil test phosphorus (P), soil test potassium (K), and soil pH remained unchanged. In contrast, applying inorganic N only increased switchgrass yield. This study demonstrated that southern Great Plains may not be conducive to utilizing legumes as the primary N source for switchgrass.