Põllumajandusministeeriumi ja Maaelu ... - bioenergybaltic

Possibilities of cultivation of red canary grass, industrial hemp cereals for energy
production
Jõgeva Plant Breeding Institute
The goals:
1) Characterisation and comparision of crops and varieties in their suitability for different
uses in bioenergy production;
2) Analyse of availability of cultivation mashinery and agrotechnology in different
bioenergy crops;
3) Analyse of impact of different bioenergy crops on maintenance of soil fertility;
4) Analyse of accordance of production of bioenergy crops with EU cross-complience
rules;
5) Analyse of limiting and predisposing factors of production of bioenergy crops (incl
environmental aspects);
6) Environmental influences of energy crops from produstion until the waste
management;
7) Give the recommendations for cultivation
Subtopicses:
1. Initiation of breeding programme in red canary grass for energy production.
Cultivation of red canary grass for bioenergy production has several advantages: taking into
the use of currently sett o side and non-used lands, creatuion of new work positions in urban
areas, positive environmental impact, low demand for specific mashinery. The limiting factor
is high yield losses of currently used varieties what are developed for foder production. The
use of stalk-typed, lodging resistant varieties will substantially increase the productivity and
efficiency of cultivation. Initial breeding collection of seed samples collected from natural
ecotypes in 36 locations was created.
2. Analyse of suitability of cereals (barley, oats, wheat, rye, triticale) and their varieties for
use in bioenergy production. Straw and grain production and suitability for energy
production.
The yield and grain/straw ratio of most common cereal species (barley, oats, wheat, rye,
triticale) was analysed. The highest straw yields could by obtained in cultivation of winter
wheat and winter rye varieties. Winter rye is also characterisised by highest variation in straw
yield between the varieties. Oat and barley straw are not suitable for burning in bioenergy
production because of the chemical composition. Too high content of K, Ca, Mg and C in the
straw causes technological problems with ash in burning and removal of too high amount of
elements and organic matter from the field. High starch content in the grain makes winter rye
and winter wheat beeing most suitable crops for bioethanol production. The guidelines for
starting the breeding program and selection of most suited wheat and rye varieties for
bioethanol production were established. For production of high-starch grain the
agrotechnology of cereal cultivation has to be revised.
3.Suitability of hemp varieties for bioenergy – yield and energy production.
The biomass yield and energy production of hemp variety Santhica 27 was tested at different
fertilizer inputs and in different soils. The harvestable energy production of hemp was in
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