Growth evaluation of several types of energy crops from tropical shrubs species
Abstract
Background: Few species of tropical shrubs potentially produce biomass
to replace fossil fuels for heat production and electricity. The aims of this
study were to determine the growth and nutrient status of leaves of several
types of energy crops from tropical shrub species with NPK fertilizer
application.
Methods: Randomized block design was used with ten replications of four
levels of fertilizer treatment: T0 = 40 g, T1 = 80 g, T2 = 120 g and T4 = 160
g per plant.
Results: The results indicated that fertilization increased plant growth and
the quantity of nutrients in leaves. The plants accumulated a lot of
potassium, followed by nitrogen and phosphorus. The species of tropical
shrubs with the best growth were Vernonia amygdalina, Calliandra
calothyrsus and Gliricidia sepium, which are all potentially cultivated as
sustainable energy crops.
Conclusions: Serious attention must be paid to the availability of soil
nutrients in order to sustain the cultivation of these plants.