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Four Biofuel Species’ Responses to Periodic Flooding and High Water Tables on a Florida Histosol

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Abstract

Rising energy costs, decreasing soil depth, and best management practices that require on-farm water retention have led to interest in flood-tolerant bioenergy crops for production in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) of Florida. Information on the effects of high water tables on sugarcane (Saccharum spp. L.) is available; however, little is known about the bioenergy crops elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum Schumach.), energycane (Saccharum spp. L.), and giant reed (Arundo donax L.). The objective of this study was to evaluate the role of water-table depth on the yields, morphology, physiology, and early season growth of these three bioenergy species in relation to sugarcane. The species were grown in a greenhouse and subjected to three water management strategies, −40 or −16 cm constant water-table depths, and bi-weekly flooding with drainage to −40 cm. The experiment was conducted in plant-cane, first-ratoon, and successive plant-cane crop cycles.       Periodic flooding relative to a −40 cm constant water table significantly reduced dry weights and leaf area index and increased aerenchyma development. Averaged among crops, dry weight declined by 32, 49, 37, and 52% while leaf area index (LAI) decreased by 31, 50, 46, and 57% for giant reed, elephant grass, energycane, and sugarcane, respectively, in response to flooding. Aerenchyma proportional area of the stalk increased by 52, 90, and 95% for elephant grass, energycane, and sugarcane, respectively, but aerenchyma in giant reed decreased by 11%. High yields and stalk populations for all water tables were observed in energycane and elephant grass. These two species show potential for bioenergy production in the EAA. Field trials are recommended to confirm production scale yield.

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Abbreviations

16C:

16 cm water table

40C:

40 cm water table

40F:

Water table cycle consisting of 2 weeks of flooding followed by 2 weeks of drainage to −40 cm

DAP:

Days after planting

EAA:

Everglades Agricultural Area

LAI:

Leaf area index

POPCSA:

Proportion of pipe cross-sectional area to stalk cross-sectional area

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Florida, EREC, 3200 E. Palm Beach Rd., Belle Glade, FL, 33430, USA

    Stephen P. Jennewein

  2. University of Florida, P.O. Box 110500, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA

    Robert A. Gilbert, Diane L. Rowland & Jerry M. Bennett

  3. IRREC, University of Florida, 2199 South Rock Road, Fort Pierce, FL, 34945, USA

    Alan L. Wright

  4. USDA-ARS, Sugarcane Field Station, 12990 US Hwy. 441, Canal Point, FL, 33438, USA

    Barry Glaz

Authors
  1. Stephen P. Jennewein
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  2. Robert A. Gilbert
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  3. Diane L. Rowland
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  4. Alan L. Wright
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  5. Barry Glaz
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  6. Jerry M. Bennett
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Correspondence to Stephen P. Jennewein.

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Jennewein, S.P., Gilbert, R.A., Rowland, D.L. et al. Four Biofuel Species’ Responses to Periodic Flooding and High Water Tables on a Florida Histosol. Bioenerg. Res. 10, 688–699 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12155-017-9831-x

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