Abstract
Recently, researchers have drawn their attention to industrial hemp (Canabis sativa L.) and stinging nettle (Urtica dioica L.), as feedstocks, potentially having a wide nonfood application. The aim of the present work was to compare dry matter (DM) and carbon (C) yields as well as C concentration in the above-ground biomass, stems and shives of the mentioned crops. In this chapter, extra attention has been paid to the C accumulation in stems and shives, since stems are a more environmentally friendly resource for solid biofuel compared to the whole above-ground part of the plant, and shives are an agricultural waste.
Field experiments with industrial hemp (eight varieties) and stinging nettle (one wild nettle and two treatments of fibre nettle clone) were carried out during 2010–2012. Dew retting and water retting were used to extract the fibre. C concentration in the samples of hemp and nettle was determined by wet oxidation with dichromate.
DM yield of the above-ground biomass of hemp amounted to an average of 10607 kg ha− 1, of stems 9063 kg ha− 1 with high C concentrations of 555 and 568 g kg− 1 DM, respectively. DM yield of the nettle declined along with a harvest year and ranged from 11604 kg ha− 1 (2010) to 5596 kg ha− 1 (2012) averaging 7589 kg ha−1 per trial. DM yield of wild nettle was more than twice as low as that of fibre nettle clone (on average 3945 kg ha− 1 vs 9411 kg ha− 1).
C stock in stems of hemp and nettle amounted to an average of 5149 and 3719 kg ha− 1, respectively. DM yield was a weighted factor for C yield.
Shives, which are the woody residue left over from the processing of hemp and nettle straw appeared very rich in C the concentration of which in hemp shives varied in the range of 564–602 g kg− 1 DM and in nettle shives 543–596 g kg− 1 DM. The retting method (R) significantly (P < 0.01) affected the C concentration in nettle shives.
The high heating value (HHV) of biomass, stems and shives of hemp and nettle was determined, and the theoretical accumulation of CO2 in biomass per ha was calculated.
Results of this study showed that the hemp and fibre clones of stinging nettle could be promising candidates for bioenergy production. The CO2 content fixed into the biomass of the studied crops might contribute towards the reduction of climate warming.
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The article presents research findings obtained through the long-term programme “Biopotential and Quality of Plants for Multifunctional Use” implemented by Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry.
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Butkutė, B., Liaudanskienė, I., Jankauskienė, Z., Gruzdevienė, E., Cesevičienė, J., Amalevičiūtė, K. (2015). Features of Carbon Stock in the Biomass of Industrial Hemp and Stinging Nettle. In: Sayigh, A. (eds) Renewable Energy in the Service of Mankind Vol I. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-17777-9_2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-17777-9_2
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