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Screening Perennial Warm-Season Bioenergy Crops as an Alternative for Phytoremediation of Excess Soil P

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Abstract

A recent alternative strategy to reduce environmental problems associated with P transport from agricultural soils is the use of bioenergy crops to remediate excess soil P. In addition to the positive impacts associated with P mitigation, harvested biomass used as a renewable energy source can also offset the cost associated with plant-based P remediation strategies. The objective of this study was to identify potential crop species that can be used for remediation of soil P and as a cellulosic feedstock for production of renewable energy in South Florida. Fifteen crop entries were investigated for their potential to remove P from a P-enriched soil. Dry matter (DM) yield varied among crop species with greatest yield observed for elephantgrass (Pennisetum purpureum Schum.) and sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) (43 and 39 Mg ha−1 year−1, respectively). Similarly, greater P removal rates were observed for elephantgrass (up to 126 kg P ha−1 year−1 in 2008) followed by sugarcane (62 kg P ha−1 year−1 in 2008). Although there was no effect (P = 0.45) of crop species on P reduction in the soil, soil P concentrations decreased linearly during the 3-year study. Because of its relatively greater DM yield and P removal rates, elephantgrass was shown to be a good candidate for remediation of excess soil P in South Florida Spodosols.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Range Cattle Research and Education Center, University of Florida, 3401 Experiment Station, Ona, FL, 33865, USA

    Maria L. Silveira, Joao M. B. Vendramini & Xiaolin Sui

  2. Agronomy Department, University of Florida, 2185 McCarty Hall, Gainesville, FL, 33611, USA

    Lynn Sollenberger

  3. Soil and Water Science Department, University of Florida, 106 Newell Hall, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA

    George A. O’Connor

Authors
  1. Maria L. Silveira
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  2. Joao M. B. Vendramini
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  3. Xiaolin Sui
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  4. Lynn Sollenberger
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  5. George A. O’Connor
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Correspondence to Maria L. Silveira.

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Silveira, M.L., Vendramini, J.M.B., Sui, X. et al. Screening Perennial Warm-Season Bioenergy Crops as an Alternative for Phytoremediation of Excess Soil P. Bioenerg. Res. 6, 469–475 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12155-012-9267-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12155-012-9267-2

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