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EVA II FNR FAL Braunschweig Energy plants irrigation. Subproject 5: Influence of additional irrigation on biogas yield of energy crops

Project


Project code: 22002705
Contract period: 01.04.2005 - 31.01.2009
Budget: 263,153 Euro
Purpose of research: Applied research

The original hypothesis that maize varieties with a large transpiration surface show a particularly strong yield depression under dryness could not be confirmed. To the contrary, in the dry year 2006 the mass-rich and late maturing variety Mikado had the highest dry matter yield, both with extensive and intensive irrigation. In mixed crop cultivation of maize/sunflower and maize/sorghum (b. x b.) even a very different water supply resulted in only little changes in methane yields. Due to the fact that in two crop harvests the moisture of winter soil is highly stressed by the main crops, the starting conditions for the secondary crops are often less favorable than for the main crops. Both the need for water and the worthiness for irrigation are therefore greater with two crop harvests then the one crop harvest. The extent of the relative percentage increases in yield of the surveyed energy plants revealed the following order: Jerusalem artichoke and sunflower > corn and fodder beet > sorghum (b. x b.) > sorghum (b. x s.). Through intensived irrigation surplus yields about 30% in average can be achieved, while the decision to irrigate energy crops has to be made considering significant seasonal and crop-related differences. The economic evaluation of irrigation was treated in sub project 3. According to those results it is entirely possible to organise irrigation profitable, even if irrigation technology was not yet available, ie investment is necessary. Detailed results are presented in the FNR-brochure 'Farming Systems for Energy Crops Adapted to Local Cirmustances'.

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