Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • Publication
    Content of Heavy Metals in the Reed Canarygrass (Phalaris Arundinacea L.) in the First Year of Harvest
    (2011-03-05)
    Rasma Platace
    ;
    Aleksandrs Adamovics
    ;
    One of the major factors in achieving more biofuel is the amount of crop yield, but that is not synonymous with the yield quality. Plants are contaminated by heavy metals not only through the soil, but also from atmospheric pollution. The aim of this research was to establish the amount of heavy metals in the dry matter of reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea L.). The Marathon variety of reed canarygrass was studied with two sowing periods and four Nfertilizer rate applications. The concentration level of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb) and titanium (Ti) in the samples of reed canarygrass were analysed with the coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer Perkin Elmer 2100 DV. The samples of reed canarygrass taken in April had a greater concentration of As, Cd, Pb, which means that the plants absorb the heavy metals also from the snow covering. The first year yield of reed canarygrass established a fundamental negative correlation between the amount of As, Cd, Pb and the ash content. The samples taken in April have a greater heavy metal contamination, than the samples taken in October. The sowing period fundamentally affected the concentration of lead in reed canarygrass samples, but the level of N-fertilizer rate application affected the amount of cadmium and arsenic.
  • Publication
    Evaluation of the Factors that Affect The Lignin Content in The Reed Canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea L.) in Latvia
    (2011) ;
    Aleksandrs Adamovics
    ;
    Rasma Platace
    ;
    : In the production of granules from plants the cohesive substance lignin has a great importance, as it holds the granule together and does not allow it to disintegrate. The objective of this research was to evaluate the influencing factors of lignin content in reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea L.) crop yield. In this research the varieties of reed canarygrass ‘Marathon’ and ‘Bamse’ were analysed for yields of first and second year. The lignin content of the samples was established by Classon's method. Arsenic (As), Cadmium (Cd), and Lead (Pb) and other chemical elements were established in the reed canarygrass samples with the spectrometer Optima 2100DV. The reed canarygrass second year crop yield was 3-4 times greater than the first year crop yield. A significantly correlation (p<0.05) was established in the first crop yield October samples between lignin and natrium (Na). Some correlation relationships are contradictory, which confirms that within the plant growth period the meteorological conditions are of great importance. Analysing the determining factors of lignin content it can be seen that they were influenced by the interaction of various factors - the sowing and growing period, the variety and the N-fertilizer rate application.