A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF BIOMASS PRODUCTION FROM SEVEN ENERGY CROP SPECIES GROWN IN A MEDITERRANEAN ENVIRONMENT

摘要

We re-analyzed 34 experiments (112 sets of biomass and leaf area index, LAI, curves) following acommon protocol for seven energy crop species (sunflower, kenaf, cynara, rapeseed, miscanthus, sorghum andmaize). These experiments were all carried out at 39°N latitude providing, therefore, an appropriate basis for acomparative analysis across the seven species. We calculated the following traits per data set: maximum total drybiomass, maximum crop growth rate, days required to reach maximum yield, days with LAI>3, maximum LAI andtotal water applied. The most important agronomic outcomes are: the perennial crops miscanthus (20–40 t ha~(-1)) andcynara (17–34 t ha~(-1)) give high biomass yields because of a long stay-green period (LAI above 3 for ～150 and ～250days, respectively); sweet and fibre sorghum showed the highest crop growth rates (162–567 kg ha~(-1) d~(-1)) and rapeseedthe lowest (90–160 kg ha~(-1) d~(-1)). Taking also into consideration production costs and other agronomically relevantparameters, we conclude that cynara should be prioritized among other species for bioenergy production inMediterranean environments as soon as current logistic and product quality issues have been solved.