Partner (7) Faculdade de Ciências e TecnologiaUniversidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal

Scientific team:

Profª Ana Luisa Fernando Prof. Santos Oliveira Profª Benilde Mendes Engª Ana Catroga

Drª Maria Paula Duarte Drª Gorete Serras

Eng. João Morais Dr Nuno Lobato

WP2 Adaptability and Productivity Field Trials

BExperimental fields

Located in Monte de Caparica, in the Peninsula of Setúbal, near the University - near Lisbon, in the south border of river Tejo

Latitude: 38º 40´ NLongitude: 9º WAltitude: 50 m Urban area near the Atlantic coast and the estuarine zone

Fields

Task 2.2

– Effect of different sowing dates and plant populations

on biomass yields

Major conclusions from 2003-2006

sowing dates x 2 varieties x 2 plant densities x 3 replicates

S1: 26/6/2003S2: 11/7/2003S3: 12/7/2004S4: 02/8/2004S5: 04/5/2005S6: 15/6/2005

V1: Tainung 2V2: Everglades 41

D1: 20 plants/m2

D2: 40 plants/m2

Each field: 8 x 4 m2

75 kg N/ha

120 kg K2O/ha

60 kg P2O5/ha

Sowing dates

0

50

100

150

200

250

300H

eig

h o

f th

e cr

op

(cm

)

04-05-2005

15-06-2005

26-06-2003

11-07-2003

12-07-2004

02-08-2004

0

0,2

0,4

0,6

0,8

1

1,2

1,4

1,6

1,8

Dia

met

er o

f th

e st

ems

(cm

)

04-05-2005

15-06-2005

26-06-2003

11-07-2003

12-07-2004

02-08-2004

Best sowing date:

Beggining of May

Sowing dates

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

Pro

du

ctiv

ity

(t/h

a d

ry m

atte

r)

04-05-2005

15-06-2005

26-06-2003

11-07-2003

12-07-2004

02-08-2004

Best sowing date:

Beggining of May

Productivity vs sowing date:

After 15th June productivities could be lower than 10t/ha

Is this profitable?0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

0 50 100 150 200 250

Pro

du

ctiv

ity

(t/h

a d

ry m

atte

r)

Question: What about sowing on the 15th April?

Varieties

Everglades 41 presented always best results

Althought differences were never statistically significative

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

Tainung 2 Everglades 41

Height of the crop (cm)

0,0

0,2

0,4

0,6

0,8

1,0

1,2

1,4

Tainung 2 Everglades 41

Dia

met

er o

f th

e st

ems

(cm

)

01

23

45

67

89

10

Tainung 2 Everglades 41

Pro

du

ctiv

ity

(t/h

a d

ry m

atte

r)

Plant populations

No significative differences

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

20 seeds/m2 40 seeds/m2

Hei

gh

t o

f th

e cr

op

(cm

)

0,0

0,2

0,4

0,6

0,8

1,0

1,2

1,4

20 seeds/m2 40 seeds/m2

Dia

met

er o

f th

e cr

op

(cm

)

0,0

2,0

4,0

6,0

8,0

10,0

12,0

20 seeds/m2 40 seeds/m2

Pro

du

ctiv

ity

(t/h

a d

ry m

atte

r)

But fields with 40 seeds/m2 more productive than with 20 seeds/m2

Harvest dates

No significative differences, between October and January harvests (in terms of productivity)

Are there differences in quality? October harvest is better?

02468

10121416

10thNovember

5thJanuary

3rdNovember

7thDecember

18thOctober

5thDecember

2003-2004 2004-2005 2005-2006

Pro

du

ctiv

ity

(t/h

a d

ry m

atte

r)

Task 2.3

– Effect of irrigation and nitrogen fertilization

on biomass yields

Major conclusions from 2003-2006

And results from 2007

4 irrigation levels x 3 nitrogen fertilization x 3 replicates

I1: 0% PET

I2: 25% PET

I3: 50% PET

I4: 100% PET

N1: 0 kg N/ha

N2: 75 kg N/ha

N3: 150 kg N/ha

Varieties: Tainung 2 (2003-2005)Everglades 41 (2006)

Each field: 8 x 5 m2

120 kg K2O/ha

60 kg P2O5/ha

At early stages of growth, all the fields were fully irrigated in order to compensate the water deficit of the soil (plants with 20 cm height)

41 days after sowing (2003)40 days after sowing (2004)40 days after sowing (2005)52 days after sowing (2006)

Sowing: 04/07/200319/07/200424/05/200504/5/2006

20 plants/m2

2006

No significant difficulties were observed during this 4th period of work.

Due to the fact that the fields were sowed earlier than in the first two years, also contributed to the good results obtained in this reporting period.

Part of the problems experienced in the two first years, namely the intrusion of animals in the field, was clearly eliminated.

Some goats invaded the fields in the end of August (only during one day). No damage was done in the fields except that they liked the leaves of the plants. Tainung 2 better tham Everglades 41.

Climatic conditions at Monte de Caparica2006

Temperatures:

slightly higher than normal values 1961-1990 (1,1 tmin- 1,5ºC tmáx)

Precipitation, lower than normal

values 1961-1990

2006 is being a dry year, exceptions in March and June

Temperature

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug

ºC

minimum minimum 1961-1990

maximum maximum 1961-1990

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug

(mm

)

Precipitation Average Precipitation 1961-1990

Growth stages

Physiological maturity > 50%

Not yet (26th September)Half-bloom > 50%

65 ± 5 %Total emergence

of seeds

5 ± 2 days after sowingEmergence 50%

Not yet (26th September)

Sowing dates

Best sowing date:

May

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Pro

du

ctiv

ity

(t/h

a d

ry m

atte

r)

24-05-2005

04-07-2003

19-07-2004

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

200

Hei

gh

t o

f th

e cr

op

(cm

)

24-05-2005

04-07-2003

19-07-2004

Question: Will be a difference between sowing at 24th May (2005) and 4th May (2006)?

May be we can’t answer, because 24th May sowing was with Tainung 2 and 4th May sowing was with Everglades 41

Irrigation levels

2005, major quantity of water used, but a larger period of irrigation

2003 – 4th July – 30th September

2004 – 19th July – 30th September

2005 – 24th May – 30th September

2003 2004 2005

I100 400 448 842

I50 301 350 559

I25 253 300 418

I0 204 251 277

mm H20

Irrigation levels

Significant differences among irrigation levels,

I0 <<< I25 < I50 < I100

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

Hei

gh

t o

f th

e cr

op

(cm

)

I0

I25

I50

I100

0,0

0,2

0,4

0,6

0,8

1,0

1,2

Dia

met

er o

f th

e st

ems

(cm

)

I0

I25

I50

I100

0,0

1,0

2,0

3,0

4,0

5,0

6,0

7,0

Pro

du

ctiv

ity

(t/h

a d

ry m

atte

r)

I0

I25

I50

I100

Comparison between 2005 and 2006

Significant differences among irrigation levels,

I0 << I25 = I50 = I100

2006, better results for I0 and I25. I50, equal results, I100 lower height

0

50

100

150

200

250

0 50 100 150 200 250

Days after sowing

Hei

gh

t o

f th

e cr

op

(cm

)

I0

I25

I50

I100

I0-2005

I25-2005

I50-2005

I100-2005

Comparison between 2005 and 2006

Significant differences among irrigation levels,

I0 << I25 = I50 = I100

2006, better results for I0, I25 and I50, I100 equal diameter

0,0

0,5

1,0

1,5

2,0

2,5

0 50 100 150 200 250

Days after sowing

Dia

met

er o

f th

e st

ems

(cm

)

I0

I25

I50

I100

I0-2005

I25-2005

I50-2005

I100-2005

Comparison between 2005 and 2006

Significant differences among irrigation levels,

I0 << I25 = I50 = I100

2006, better results (may be because it is Everglades 41!)

0,00

1,00

2,00

3,00

4,00

5,00

6,00

0 50 100 150 200 250

Days after sowing

LA

I (m

2/m

2)

I0

I25

I50

I100

I0

I25

I50

I100

Comparison between 2005 and 2006

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

0 50 100 150 200 250

Days after sowing

Pro

du

ctiv

ity

(t/h

a d

m)

I0

I25

I50

I100

I0

I25

I50

I100

Significant differences among irrigation levels,

I0 << I25 = I50 = I100

2006,

better results for I0 and I25. I50, equal results, I100 lower productivity

Nitrogen levels

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

N0 N75 N150

Hei

gh

t o

f th

e cr

op

(cm

)

0,00

0,20

0,40

0,60

0,80

1,00

1,20

N0 N75 N150

Dia

met

er o

f th

e st

ems

(cm

)

0,00

1,00

2,00

3,00

4,00

5,00

6,00

N0 N75 N150

Pro

du

ctiv

ity

(t/h

a d

ry m

atte

r) No differences among N-fertilization levels, althought N150 presents higher productivities

No differences among N-fertilization levels,

althought N0 presents lower results

Nitrogen levels, 2006 results

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

0 50 100 150

Days after sowing

Hei

gh

t o

f th

e cr

op

(cm

)

N0

N75

N150

0,00,20,40,60,81,01,21,41,61,82,0

0 50 100 150

Days after sowing

Dia

mete

r o

f th

e s

tem

s (

cm

)

N0

N75

N150

No differences among N-fertilization levels,

althought

N0 < N75 < N150

(in terms of productivity)

Nitrogen levels, 2006 results

0,000,501,001,502,002,503,003,504,004,505,00

0 50 100 150

Days after sowing

LA

I (m

2/m

2)

N0

N75

N150

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

0 50 100 150

Days after sowing

Pro

du

ctiv

ity

(t/h

a d

m)

N0

N75

N150

Harvest dates

No significative differences, between October and January harvests (in terms of productivity)

Are there differences in quality? October harvest is better?

0123456789

7thNovember

8thJanuary

9thNovember

13thDecember

25thOctober

3rdDecember

2003-2004 2004-2005 2005-2006

Pro

du

ctiv

ity

(t/h

a d

ry m

atte

r)