Effects of nitrogen fertilization and strip cultivation with legumes on methane yield and sustainability of maize and amaranth
- Publication Type
- Poster
- Authors
- von Cossel, M., Lewandowski, I.
- Year of publication
- 2014
- Conference name
- Progress in Biogas III
- Conference location
- Stuttgart-Hohenheim
- Conference date
- 10.-11.09.2014
- Keywords
- Biodiversität, Biogas plants, cropping systems
Currently silage maize accounts for nearly 60% of the energy-related biogas substrate in Germany (Figure 1; Witt et al., 2012). According to this in some regions the proportion of maize in crop rotations is up to 60% (legal maximum, EEG reform 2012). This can cause negative environmental impacts, such as a decrease of biodiversity (Otte, 2010), an increase in soil erosion and nitrogen leaching, if best practices for cultivation of maize in crop rotaions are ignored. Furthermore synthetic nutrient additives needed for mainly maize-fed biogas plants (Pobeheim et al., 2010) reduce the sustainability of the nutrient cycle of biogas processing. Investigation of alternative plant species and cultivation systems could help to enhance environmental sustainability of biogas processing by extending the range of species in crop rotation systems and optimizing the cultivation systems related to biomass yield and quality for biogas production. Other C4 plants less developed than maize, such as amaranth, may have a comparable potential for biogas production to maize (Ahrens, 2006). Additionally strip cultivation of maize and amaranth with legumes could be a solution to reduce negative social and environmental impacts (SEI) of biomass cultivation while maintaining appropriate methane yields per hectare (MYH) (Schmidt, 2013). Strip cultivation systems with legumes are partly well developed (Rye with common vetch, spring barley with lupin) or in research (maize with runner bean) (Schmidt , 2013). But there are no informations about strip cultivation of biogas-amaranth with legumes in Germany so far.