Akademija, Kėdainiai distr.E-mail: vita@lzi.ltE-mail: vita@lzi.lthttp://www.lzi.lthttp://www.lzi.lt

Major changes in grassland management and utilization result from

environmental change. Recently, the demand for biomass for bioenergyenvironmental change. Recently, the demand for biomass for bioenergy

utilization of grasses as forage. Successful development of bioenergy depends

acceptable biochemical quality.acceptable biochemical quality.

The aimThe aim

to estimate the biomass yield and carbon to

nitrogen ratio of cocksfoot, tall fescue and reed

The soil of the experimental

Grasses: tall fescuenitrogen ratio of cocksfoot, tall fescue and reed

canary grass as a raw material for biogas

production.

Grasses: tall fescueHarvested three

The first cut wasproduction. The first cut was

90 kg ha-1 and 180

The total nitrogenThe total nitrogen

(DIN/ ISO 13878

The yield data were

ResultsResults

In our study, the results of dry matter yield suggested that grass speciesIn our study, the results of dry matter yield suggested that grass species

had a significant influence on dry matter yield of all cuts and also on annual

dry matter yielddry matter yield

16

, Mg

/ha

1st cut 2nd cut 3rd cut

14

16

yie

ld, M

g/h

a

1st cut 2nd cut 3rd cut

10

12

mat

ter

yie

ld

6

8

10

Dry

mat

ter

2

4

6Dry

0

2

90 180 90 180 90 180 90 180 90 180 90

CoksfootTall fescue Reed canary grass

1st cut at heading stage 1st cut at heading stage 1st cut at heading stage1st cut at flowering stage 1st cut at flowering stage 1st cut

CoksfootTall fescue Reed canary grass

Conslusions

The highest dry matter yield was produced by tall fescue, while the lowestThe highest dry matter yield was produced by tall fescue, while the lowest

canary grass.

The effect of grass species exerted the greatest influence on annual biomassThe effect of grass species exerted the greatest influence on annual biomass

compared to fertilization and timing of the first cut.

Tall fescue biomass was the best for biogas production because of the

biomass yield and optimal carbon to nitrogen ratio.biomass yield and optimal carbon to nitrogen ratio.

Acknowledgements: The study has been supported by the Research Council

LithuaniaLithuania

Vita Tilvikienė Žydrė Kadžiulienė

Zenonas Dabkevičius

Introductiondistr.

Introduction

from socio-economic, technological, political developments and global

bioenergy and fibre in many countries has been changing the traditionalbioenergy and fibre in many countries has been changing the traditional

depends on identifying species and cultivars with high yield potential and

Materials and methods

experimental site is Endocalcari - Endohypogleyic Cambisol.

fescue (Navas) Cocksfoot (Amba), and reed canary grass (Chiefton)fescue (Navas) Cocksfoot (Amba), and reed canary grass (Chiefton)

three and four times per season.

was taken at heading or flowering growth stages.was taken at heading or flowering growth stages.

180 kg ha-1 of mineral nitrogen fertilizers were applied.

nitrogen and organic carbon were determined using the Dumas methodnitrogen and organic carbon were determined using the Dumas method

13878).

were statistically processed using analysis of variance.

- Optimal C:N for biogas production

speciesC:N

N90 N180species

annual25

30

C:NN90 N180

Tall fescue

20

25

4th cut 10

15

4th cut

5

10

0

1 2 3 4 1 2 3

C:N

1 2 3 4 1 2 3

Cut

First cut at heading stage First cut at flowering stage

30

C:N

Coksfoot

First cut at heading stage First cut at flowering stage

20

25

N, Mg ha-1

Coksfoot

15

2090 180

N, Mg ha-1

10

15

grass

cut at flowering stage

0

5grass

0

1 2 3 4 1 2 3CutCut

First cut at heading stage First cut at flowering stage

C:N

lowest by reed25

30

C:N

Reed canary grasslowest by reed

biomass yield 20

25

biomass yield15

the highest5

10

0

5

1 2 3 4 1 2 3Cut

1 2 3 4 1 2 3Cut

First cut at flowering stageFirst cut at heading stageCouncil of