Ligno-cellulose quality and calorific value of green phytomass of Silphium perfoliatum L. cultivated on marginal soils under conditions of moderate continental climate of Central Europe

Abstract

The aim of study was to determine ligno-cellulose quality and calorific value of cup plant Silphium perfoliatum L., whereas impact of nutrition, years and sites on the quality were evaluated as main effects within a huge pilot field experiment. Two complete data sets of acid-detergent fiber (ADF), acid-detergent lignin (ADL), crude cellulose (CE), hemicellulose (HEM), neutral-detergent fiber (NDF) and high heating value (HHV) were evaluated, a primary one in terms of quality content and a secondary one in terms of quality yield. Average, minimal and maximal ADF content was 43.73 – 31.32 – 48.94%, ADL 10.22 – 7.21 – 12.54%, CE 33.51 – 24.11 – 37.30%, HEM 4.17 – 2.33 – 5.75%, NDF 48.12 – 34.94 – 54.69% and HHV 15.83 – 15.21 – 16.79 MJ/kg, respectively. Adequate values of ADF yield was 5.461 – 1.021 – 20.827 t/ha, ADL 1.274 – 0.235 – 5.115 t/ha, CE 4.187 – 0.786 – 15.112 t/ha, HEM 0.569 – 0.055 – 2.447 t/ha, NDF 6.041 – 1.139 – 23.273 t/ha and HHV 195.528 – 36.481 – 704.914 GJ/ha, respectively. Ligno-cellulose quality and calorific value of cup plant vary with environment and management practices. In terms of quality content, the influence of the sites was generally the most significant (valid for ADF, ADL, CE and NDF), or alternately with the influence of the years (HEM and HHV) it was higher than a medium influence of the nutrition. In terms of quality yield the years has been confirmed the most important factor (mainly because great increasing of phytomass yield by utility year of that perennial crop), followed by nutrition and then by sites with the least impact, whereas that impact order was valid for each of parameter.