Open AccessBiomass production and water use efficiency in perennial grasses during and after drought stress
Author(s) -
Kørup Kirsten,
Lærke Poul Erik,
Baadsgaard Helle,
Andersen Mathias N.,
Kristensen Kristian,
Münnich Cora,
Didion Thomas,
Jensen Erik Steen,
Mårtensson LindaMaria,
Jørgensen Uffe
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
gcb bioenergy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.378
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1757-1707
pISSN - 1757-1693
DOI - 10.1111/gcbb.12464
Subject(s) - agronomy , phalaris arundinacea , water use efficiency , panicum virgatum , dactylis glomerata , cultivar , biology , drought tolerance , perennial plant , biomass (ecology) , festuca arundinacea , dry matter , irrigation , environmental science , poaceae , bioenergy , biofuel , ecology , wetland
Drought is a great challenge to agricultural production, and cultivation of drought‐tolerant or water use‐efficient cultivars is important to ensure high biomass yields for bio‐refining and bioenergy. Here, we evaluated drought tolerance of four C 3 species, Dactylis glomerata cvs. Sevenop and Amba, Festuca arundinacea cvs. Jordane and Kora, Phalaris arundinacea cvs. Bamse and Chieftain and Festulolium pabulare cv. Hykor, and two C 4 species Miscanthus × giganteus and M. lutarioriparius . Control (irrigated) and drought‐treated plants were grown on coarse and loamy sand in 1 m 2 lysimeter plots where rain was excluded. Drought periods started after harvest and lasted until 80% of available soil water had been used. Drought caused a decrease in dry matter yield ( DM ; P < 0.001) for all species and cultivars during the drought period. Cultivars Sevenop, Kora and Jordane produced DM at equal levels and higher than the other C 3 cultivars in control and drought‐treated plots both during and after the drought period. Negative correlations were observed between stomatal conductance ( g s ) and leaf water potential ( P < 0.01) and positive correlations between g s and DM ( P < 0.05) indicating that g s might be suitable for assessment of drought stress. There were indications of positive associations between plants carbon isotope composition and water use efficiency ( WUE ) as well as DM under well‐watered conditions. Compared to control, drought‐treated plots showed increased growth in the period after drought stress. Thus, the drought events did not affect total biomass production ( DM total ) of the whole growing season. During drought stress and the whole growing season, WUE was higher in drought‐treated compared to control plots, so it seems possible to save water without loss of biomass. Across soil types, M. lutarioriparius had the highest DM total (15.0 t ha −1 ), WUE total (3.6 g L −1 ) and radiation use efficiency (2.3 g MJ −1 ) of the evaluated grasses.