e-infrastructure Roadmap for Open Science in Agriculture

A bibliometric study

The e-ROSA project seeks to build a shared vision of a future sustainable e-infrastructure for research and education in agriculture in order to promote Open Science in this field and as such contribute to addressing related societal challenges. In order to achieve this goal, e-ROSA’s first objective is to bring together the relevant scientific communities and stakeholders and engage them in the process of coelaboration of an ambitious, practical roadmap that provides the basis for the design and implementation of such an e-infrastructure in the years to come.

This website highlights the results of a bibliometric analysis conducted at a global scale in order to identify key scientists and associated research performing organisations (e.g. public research institutes, universities, Research & Development departments of private companies) that work in the field of agricultural data sources and services. If you have any comment or feedback on the bibliometric study, please use the online form.

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Title

Evaluation of Ash Content in Grass Plant Biomass used for Energy Production

en
Abstract

One of the most topical problems in agriculture is related to the production of high-quality perennial grass plants having particular chemical content that would ensure utilisation thereof in the production of bioenergy. Productivity and chemical content of grass plants is largely influenced by fertilisers: their types (nitrogen mineral fertiliser, vermicompost) and norms, especially by ones used during the growing period. Nitrogen (N) is significant for plant life processes, and thus it also influences crop yield. Production of heat requires plants producing high biomass yield, having high combustion ability, high heat output and low ash content; therefore research aims at studying ash content in reed canary grass and tall fescue biomass used for the production of biofuel. Scientists have discovered that reed canary grass (RCG) effectively reacts on the treatment with N mineral fertilisers. Analysis of RCG biomass yield correlation with N doses indicates that increase in the N dose (above 120 kg ha(-1)) reduces the biomass dry weight coefficient by 0.02%. Whereas lowest ash contents were recorded for N90 dose (2.98%), moreover if N dose is increased above 120 kg ha(-1), the ash content grows. Ash content is one of the main indicators in heat production; moreover, standard EN 14961-2 stipulates that its norms can not exceed 1.5%. Higher ash content causes problems in automatic combustion process. Analyses of ash content in RCG biomass depending on doses of N fertiliser indicate the lowest indicators with N90 dose -2.98%; moreover, as N dose is increased above 120 kg ha(-1), the ash content is growing. In its turn, the most suitable tall fescue indicators were found with N180 dose 7.93%; ash content in biomass increases and reaches 8.83% if plants are treated with vermicompost, and ash content in biomass not fertilised comprises 8.41%. Aim of the research is measuring and characterisation of grass plant biomass ash content depending on the types and norms of fertilisers. The study covered following energy crops used for the fuel (pellet) production: culmiferous plants RCG and tall fescue. Mentioned plants were treated with 9 different fertilisers, repeating each tested combination three times. Soil type: sod calcareous (pHKCl 6.7). Main fertiliser: background P2O5-80; K2O-120 kg ha(-1). Ash content in the biomass dry matter was measured in compliance with the ISO 5984: 2002/Cor 1: 2005 standard in Laboratory of Agronomic Analysis of Latvia University of Agriculture. Research data indicated the lowest ash content in grass plant biomass when plants were fertilised with N 150 (75+75) -6.7%, whereas when treating plants with vermicompost (10 t ha(-1)) average ash content comprised 7.21%, and samples not fertilised showed the highest average ash content -7.57%. The lowest ash content was found in RCG biomass: 8.24% in biomass not fertilised, 7.98% in biomass fertilised with N, and the best ash content was found in RCG biomass treated with vermicompost -7.73%. Ash content in tall fescue biomass samples, in turn, was following: 8.41% without fertilisers, 8.42% with N, and 8.83% in biomass fertilised with vermicompost (the most suitable indicator). The data acquired show that grass plant biomass has high ash content (5.91% - 8.46%); therefore pellets should be produced from grass biomass mixed with wood, as ash content - one of the main problems in combustion process - in such combination is decreasing, and it could result in wider use of grass plants in heat production. Fertiliser norms in the research left notable influence on the ash content in both grass plant biomass. Bearing in mind that timber from stem has low ash content, it would be advantageous to mix it with biomass in various proportions. That will facilitate utilisation of biomass (straw, lignin, bark, rapeseed cakes, or grass plants) for the energy production.

en
Year
2013
en
Country
  • LV
Organization
    Data keywords
    • research data
    en
    Agriculture keywords
    • agriculture
    en
    Data topic
    • information systems
    en
    SO
    RURAL DEVELOPMENT 2013: PROCEEDINGS VOL 6, BOOK 3
    Document type

    Inappropriate format for Document type, expected simple value but got array, please use list format

    Institutions 10 co-publis
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      e-ROSA - e-infrastructure Roadmap for Open Science in Agriculture has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 730988.
      Disclaimer: The sole responsibility of the material published in this website lies with the authors. The European Union is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.