ADAPTIVE POTENTIAL OF SORGHASTRUMNUTANS,PENNISETUMSETACEUMANDSPODIOPOGONSIBIRICUSUNDER INTRODUCTION CONDITIONS OF THE STEPPE OF UKRAINE

Abstract

The adaptive potential of three tall grasses (Sorghastrum nutans, Pennisetum setaceum, Spodiopogon sibiricus) under the Ukrainian steppe zone conditions has been detected. Starting from the second year of life, the studied plants actively increased the underground and aboveground biomass, reaching their maximum by the end of the third year. Spodiopogon sibiricus was the tallest. Pennisetum setaceum showed the best parameters of horizontal growth. Two species (Pennisetum setaceum and Sorghastrum nutans) gave a high yield of fresh vegetative biomass (13.5-15.0 t/ha), which opens up prospects for their use as a forage crop.Thermal destruction of dry biomass of the studied plants passes in three stages and has one extremum point at each phase. The decomposition rate of the main components of the carbohydrate complex was significantly higher in Sorghastrum nutans than in other species. A large amount of hemicellulose in biomass causes some loss in caloric content of biofuel. Small values of activation energy indicate relatively weak molecular bonds and low thermal stability of the biomass. Therefore, the raw materials from the studied grasses can be recommended for use as an additive to various types of composite solid fuel.

Keywords

• introduction
• sorghastrum nutans
• pennisetum setaceum
• spodiopogon sibiricus
• morphology
• productivity
• raw materials