Abstract
Land use conversion of row crops to bioenergy cropping systems in the southeastern United States (U.S.) creates concerns associated with water use and NO3-N leaching. Production of energy from biomass is associated with large amounts of byproducts generated during biofuel processing. Biochar and vinasse are two nutrient rich byproducts that could be land-applied to bioenergy crops to reduce reliance on synthetic fertilizer. However, effects on water dynamics of applying these byproducts to support biomass production is poorly understood, particularly when bioenergy crops replace traditional row crops. Thus, this study aimed to compare a cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)-peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) rotation to sweet sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] receiving annual applications of biochar and vinasse, on biomass yield, crop evapotranspiration, water use efficiency (WUE), NO3-N leaching, and soil volumetric water content. A field study was conducted from 2013 to 2015 to assess the following treatments: cotton + 150 kg N ha−1 (COT), peanut + 30 kg N ha−1 (PEA), and sweet sorghum receiving one of the following i) 30 kg N ha−1 (S30); ii) 30 kg N ha−1 + biochar (S30B); iii) 30 kg N ha−1 + vinasse (S30V); and iv) 150 kg N ha−1 (S150). Similar aboveground dry matter yields were obtained in 2013 and 2015 for cotton and all sweet sorghum treatments and were on average 19 Mg ha−1 for both years. S30 and S150 achieved similar yields. Sweet sorghum and COT exhibited the highest WUE (∼5 g kg−1). S30B increased soil moisture retention at 0–0.2 m depth 36, 29, and 24% in 2013, 2014, and 2015, respectively. Biochar incorporated at 0.15 m soil depth increased soil moisture retention down to 0.4 m. Low N rate application combined with biochar in S30B could represent an alternative management practice to minimize N leaching, recycle nutrients, and increase soil water retention if sweet sorghum were to be widely adopted by farmers in the southeastern U.S.
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Claims 9
Claim · model-written summary
Cotton and sweet sorghum treatments had similar aboveground dry matter yields in 2013 and 2015, averaging 19 Mg ha−1.
- Taxon
- cotton
Gossypium hirsutume0 - Outcome
- aboveground dry matter yieldse0
- Direction
- Similare0
- Value
- 19 Mg ha−1e0
- Qualifier
- 2013 and 2015e0
- Comparator
- all sweet sorghum treatmentse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Similar aboveground dry matter yields were obtained in 2013 and 2015 for cotton and all sweet sorghum treatments and were on average 19 Mg ha−1 for both years.”
Claim · model-written summary
S30 and S150 produced similar yields.
Not reportedMaterial
Verbatim
e0“S30 and S150 achieved similar yields.”
t0“sweet sorghum”
Claim · model-written summary
Sweet sorghum had among the highest water use efficiency, approximately 5 g kg−1.
Verbatim
e0“Sweet sorghum and COT exhibited the highest WUE (∼5 g kg−1).”
Claim · model-written summary
COT had among the highest water use efficiency, approximately 5 g kg−1.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Sweet sorghum and COT exhibited the highest WUE (∼5 g kg−1).”
t0“cotton”
Claim · model-written summary
S30B increased soil moisture retention at 0–0.2 m by 36% in 2013.
- Taxon
- sweet sorghumt0
- Treatment
- S30Be0
- Outcome
- soil moisture retentione0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- 36e0
- Qualifier
- 2013e0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“S30B increased soil moisture retention at 0–0.2 m depth 36, 29, and 24% in 2013, 2014, and 2015, respectively.”
t0“sweet sorghum”
Claim · model-written summary
S30B increased soil moisture retention at 0–0.2 m by 29% in 2014.
- Taxon
- sweet sorghumt0
- Treatment
- S30Be0
- Outcome
- soil moisture retentione0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- 29e0
- Qualifier
- 2014e0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“S30B increased soil moisture retention at 0–0.2 m depth 36, 29, and 24% in 2013, 2014, and 2015, respectively.”
t0“sweet sorghum”
Claim · model-written summary
S30B increased soil moisture retention at 0–0.2 m by 24% in 2015.
- Taxon
- sweet sorghumt0
- Treatment
- S30Be0
- Outcome
- soil moisture retentione0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- 24%e0
- Qualifier
- 2015e0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“S30B increased soil moisture retention at 0–0.2 m depth 36, 29, and 24% in 2013, 2014, and 2015, respectively.”
t0“sweet sorghum”
Claim · model-written summary
Biochar incorporated at 0.15 m increased soil moisture retention down to 0.4 m.
- Taxon
- sweet sorghumt0
- Treatment
- Biochar incorporated at 0.15 m soil depthe0
- Outcome
- soil moisture retentione0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Qualifier
- down to 0.4 me0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“Biochar incorporated at 0.15 m soil depth increased soil moisture retention down to 0.4 m.”
t0“sweet sorghum”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors propose low nitrogen plus biochar as an alternative sweet sorghum practice to limit nitrogen leaching, recycle nutrients, and retain soil water.
Verbatim
e0“Low N rate application combined with biochar in S30B could represent an alternative management practice to minimize N leaching, recycle nutrients, and increase soil water retention if sweet sorghum were to be widely adopted by farmers in the southeastern U.S.”
The same questions in other papers
biochar · soil: physics · SorghumResults agree
3 papers in the same direction as this paper
- positive
- positive
- positive
Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.