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Multisite Yield Gap Analysis of Miscanthus × giganteus Using the STICS Model

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Abstract

Development and use of models to predict and study the production and the environmental impacts of biomass cropping systems are of great interest for their sustainable development. Improvements were made to the research version of the STICS crop–soil model in order to simulate biomass production and environmental impacts of Miscanthus × giganteus cropping systems in the long term. This research version was then validated on a large database and in various pedoclimatic environments in France and UK. The model accurately simulated biomass production and nitrogen (N) content in aboveground biomass, from planting until 4 to 20 years of cultivation. The model efficiency (EF) was 0.80 and 0.64 for biomass and N content, respectively, and the values of relative RMSE were 23 and 31 %. Soil water and mineral N contents were also satisfactorily predicted (EF = 0.96 and 0.42; relative RMSE = 10 and 72 %). The model accurately reproduced the effect of management practices on the harvested biomass and N export. Yield gap analysis using simulations with and without active stresses revealed that Miscanthus × giganteus biomass production was limited by both water and N availability during the establishment phase but mainly limited by water availability during the post-establishment phase. The STICS crop–soil model can accurately predict Miscanthus × giganteus biomass production and environmental impacts such as water drainage and nitrate leaching and compare strategies with varying N fertilization, irrigation and harvest date.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank the different contributors to the data set which allowed model parameterization and validation: partners of the ‘Lignoguide’ CasDar project (Chambre d’Agriculture Picardie, AgroTransfert RT, ARVALIS – Institut du Végétal, AXEREAL, CA Aisne, CA Loiret, CA Oise), CA Marne (P. Wortham) for the Saint-Hilaire site and INRA URP3F for the Lusignan site. We also thank Météo France for providing climatic data. This study has been funded under the EU seventh Framework Programme by the LogistEC project no. 311858: Logistics for Energy Crops’ Biomass. The views expressed in this work are the sole responsibility of the authors and do not necessary reflect the views of the European Commission. Rothamsted Research receives grant-aided support from the BBSRC.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. INRA, UR1158 AgroImpact, Site de Laon, Pôle du Griffon, 180 rue Pierre-Gilles de Gennes, 02000, Barenton-Bugny, France

    Loïc Strullu, Fabien Ferchaud, Nicolas Beaudoin & Bruno Mary

  2. Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, AL5 2JQ, UK

    Nicola Yates & Ian Shield

  3. INRA, US 1116 AGROCLIM, 84914, Avignon, France

    Iñaki Garcia de Cortazar-Atauri

  4. ARVALIS – Institut du Végétal La Jaillière, 44370, La Chapelle St Sauveur, France

    Alain Besnard

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  1. Loïc Strullu
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  2. Fabien Ferchaud
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Correspondence to Fabien Ferchaud.

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Online Resource 1

Observed and simulated values for different variables concerning M. giganteus root system at Estrées-Mons in 2010. (DOCX 16 kb)

Online Resource 2

Observed yield and N concentration in aboveground organs at harvest of M. giganteus in two experiments located in Rothamsted. (DOCX 21 kb)

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Strullu, L., Ferchaud, F., Yates, N. et al. Multisite Yield Gap Analysis of Miscanthus × giganteus Using the STICS Model. Bioenerg. Res. 8, 1735–1749 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12155-015-9625-y

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