Cropping of Miscanthus in Central Europe: biomass production and influence on nutrients and soil organic matter
Abstract
The objective of the present study was to investigate the impact of biomass development of Miscanthus x giganteus (Greef et Deu.) on the concentration of plant nutrients and the accumulation in soil as well as quality of soil organic matter (SOM). Field trials with 4-9 year-old Miscanthus stands were investigated and sampled at four experimental sites in Germany in the years 1994-1999. From 1994 to 1996 the above-ground standing biomass at the end of the vegetation periods ranged from 14.8 to 33.5 t ha(-1) dry matter (DM). The below-ground growing biomass (rhizomes, roots) reached 15 to 25 t DM ha(-1) (before sprouting in spring). Mean pre-harvest losses (harvesting date: February/March of the following year) of 4.5 t DM ha(-1) originated from senescent leaves and shoot-tips fallen to the ground during winter. This amount corresponds to about 26% of the whole above-ground biomass (harvested biomass + pre-harvest losses + harvested residues). Direct harvested residues (stubble mass) varied between 0.7 and 3.1 t DM ha(-1). Therefore 23-51% of the biomass grown could not be harvested. The mean harvested biomass was 11.7 t DM ha(-1). The largest concentrations of N, P, K and Mg in plant materials were observed in the pre-harvest losses, whereas the harvested biomass had the lowest concentrations. The concentration of nutrients in the harvested biomass was 61% (N), 64% (P), 55% (K) and 50% (Mg) of the concentration in the biomass at the end of the vegetation period. These differences are explained by nutrient losses due to fallen leaves and shoot-tips and nutrient translocation into below-ground plant parts. The higher concentrations of plant available K in soil indicate that Miscanthus cropping enhances the cycling of nutrients in the plant-soil system. As a result of the high input of leaves, rhizomes and roots, the sandy soils were characterized by increased concentration of organic carbon (C(org); mean: + 2.0 g kg(-1) and total nitrogen (N(t); mean: + 0.2 g kg(-1)). The storage of SOM in topsoils was increased by 11.7 t ha(-1). Moreover, the Miscanthus residues affected the quality of SOM. In a plot with Miscanthus, increased proportions of alkanes, alkenes, sterols and free fatty acids were observed by pyrolysis-field ionization mass spectrometry.
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Miscanthus has the potential to sequester soil C.
“Miscanthus has the potential to sequester soil C, and prior studies have reported that a considerable amount of miscanthus plant C was allocated to and accumulated in soil (Anderson- Teixeira etal.,2009; Hansen etal.,2004; Kahle et al., 2001; Mishra et al., 2013).”
From Decadal change in soil carbon and nitrogen with a <i>Miscanthus</i> × <i>giganteus</i> crop on abandoned agricultural land in southeast Ohio (2024) · cites this paper as Kahle et al., 2001
Prior studies have reported that a considerable amount of miscanthus plant C was allocated to and accumulated in soil.
“Miscanthus has the potential to sequester soil C, and prior studies have reported that a considerable amount of miscanthus plant C was allocated to and accumulated in soil (Anderson- Teixeira etal.,2009; Hansen etal.,2004; Kahle et al., 2001; Mishra et al., 2013).”
From Decadal change in soil carbon and nitrogen with a <i>Miscanthus</i> × <i>giganteus</i> crop on abandoned agricultural land in southeast Ohio (2024) · cites this paper as Kahle et al., 2001
The tendency for land conversion loss followed by SOC accumulation under Miscanthus was not statistically significant because of one site where SOC was lost following establishment.
“The tendency for there to be a land conversion loss followed by SOC accumulation was not statistically significant because of the effects of one site where SOC was lost following the establishment of Miscanthus (Kahle et al., 2001).”
From Changes in soil organic carbon under biofuel crops (2009) · cites this paper as Kahle et al., 2001
SOC sequestration by the temperate perennial grasses (Miscanthus, switchgrass, and North American native mixtures) would augment the benefits of fossil fuel displacement.
“SOC sequestration by the temperate perennial grasses (i.e., Miscanthus, switchgrass, and North American native mixtures), as observed here and else-where (e.g., Potter et al., 1999;Ma et al., 2000;Kahle et al., 2001;Lemus & Lal, 2005;Liebig et al., 2005Liebig et al., , 2008)), would augment the benefits of fossil fuel displacement.”
From Changes in soil organic carbon under biofuel crops (2009) · cites this paper as Kahle et al., 2001
The increase in fine root biomass, at least for herbaceous perennial energy crops, is similar to that reported for a younger plantation by Kibet et al. (2015), but higher than that reported for plantations of a similar age.
“The increase in the FRB, at least for herbaceous PECs, is similar to that reported for a younger plantation by Kibet et al. (2015), but higher than that reported for plantations of asimilar age (Christensen et al., 2016; Kahle et al., 2001; Richter et al., 2015).”
From Belowground biomass C outweighs soil organic C of perennial energy crops: Insights from a long‐term multispecies trial (2021) · cites this paper as Kahle et al., 2001
Miscanthus litter is higher in lignin than other grasses and seems to reduce the turnover rate of existing soil organic carbon by increasing the insoluble carbon fraction resistant to microbial attack.
“Miscanthus, whose litter is higher in lignin than other grasses [69], seems to reduce the turnover rate of existing SOC by increasing the insoluble C fraction resistant to microbial attack [116, 150].”
From Carbon Sequestration by Perennial Energy Crops: Is the Jury Still Out? (2015) · cites this paper as [150]
There are very few data for Miscanthus, switchgrass, willow or poplar available.
“There are very few data for Miscanthus [62, 65, 150], switchgrass [178, 179], willow [143, 180] or poplar [22] available.”
From Carbon Sequestration by Perennial Energy Crops: Is the Jury Still Out? (2015) · cites this paper as [150]
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“…confidence to the conclusions, the plots measured were small relative to a Clifton-Brown et al., 2007; Dondini et al., 2009; Hansen et al., 2004; Kahle et al., 2001 typical field crop size that would be managed on a work relates level changes to farm-scale changes would be required to refine C…”
Background
- Authors
- Kahle, P., Beuch, S., Boelcke, B., Leinweber, P., & Schulten, H.-R.
- Affiliations
- University of Rostock (DE)
- Landesforschungsanstalt für Landwirtschaft und Fischerei Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (DE)
- Corresponding author
- Kahle, Petra
- ORCID
- Leinweber, Peter
- Venue
- European Journal of Agronomy
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2001-11
- Volume
- 15
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 171-184
- ISSN
- 1161-0301 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2047235917
- Cited by
- 208
- References
- 24
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 14 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 12 · 2017: 11 · 2016: 11 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 21 · 2013: 13 · 2012: 20
- FWCI
- 5.41
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- European Journal of Agronomy (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Agronomy and Crop Science › Bioenergy crop production and management
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Agronomy and Crop Science › Agronomic Practices and Intercropping Systems
- Keywords
- Miscanthus × giganteus, biomass production, nutrient accumulation, soil organic matter, pre-harvest losses, harvest residues, nutrient translocation, potassium cycling, organic carbon storage, nitrogen storage, rhizome, crop rotation, sandy soil, Central Europe, energy crops, soil carbon sequestration, soil phosphorus, soil potassium
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