Tag Archives: Short rotation coppice

109–122 D. Lazdiņa, S. Šēnhofa, M. Zeps, K. Makovskis, I. Bebre and Ā. Jansons
The early growth and fall frost damage of poplar clones in Latvia
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The early growth and fall frost damage of poplar clones in Latvia

D. Lazdiņa*, S. Šēnhofa, M. Zeps, K. Makovskis, I. Bebre and Ā. Jansons

Latvian State Forest Research Institute ʻSilava’, Rigas 111, LV 2169 Salaspils, Latvia
*Correspondence: dagnija.lazdina@silava.lv

Abstract:

The early growth and frost damage of Populus spp. was studied in two sites. The height of 23 five-year-old poplar clones was measured in the central part of Latvia; and the early-fall frost damage of 19 one-year-old and two-year-old poplar clones were assessed in the eastern part of Latvia. The relation between the height growth and frost damage of 16 clones, which were common for both sites, was assessed. The phenologically dormant stage was denoted for three clones, among which two are collected across Latvia (the origin un-known; introduced in 1960s). All the other clones had trees with damaged leaves and two clones had stem damage. The height of the clones ranged from 273.3 ± 60.2 to 711.0 ± 32.0 cm. The 3 most productive clones (LV3, LV1 and LV4) significantly (P < 0.01) exceeded others, by 34 and 65% for height and biomass, respectively. The mean height of these clones was 649.0 ± 21.5 cm and stem biomass varied from 33.7 ± 4.2 to 55.0 ± 6.4 tfresh=ha-1 (planting density 6,500 trees=ha-1). The clone had significant (P < 0.01) effect on the phenological stage, leaf and stem frost damage, as well as on the height and stem biomass. No relation (P > 0.05) between the frost damage of leaves and both tree height and stem biomass was found. The results suggest that fast-growing frost-tolerant clones might be selected.

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361-371 R. Pecenka and T. Hoffmann
Harvest technology for short rotation coppices and costs of harvest, transport and storage
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Harvest technology for short rotation coppices and costs of harvest, transport and storage

R. Pecenka* and T. Hoffmann

Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering Potsdam-Bornim (ATB), Max-Eyth-Allee
100, 14469 Potsdam, Germany;
*Correspondence: rpecenka@atb-potsdam.de

Abstract:

The lack of knowledge regarding cost-efficient design of whole production chains as
well as the availability of powerful harvest machinery are some of the main obstacles for
competitive production of bioenergy from short rotation coppices (SRC) at practice. In general,
two different harvest lines are available: the cut-and-chip and the cut-and-store lines. Whereas
the cut-and chip line provides wood chips which have to be stored until next heating season, the
product for intermediate storage of the cut-and-store line are whole trees. Both process lines have
major differences not only in harvesting, but also in transport, storage and process losses leading
to different costs of the end product wood chips. On basis of data from several SRC harvest
campaigns, production costs for wood chips have been calculated to identify best practice
solutions taking the following factors into account: chip size determined by the harvest system,
storage including related costs and losses, field size and shape as well as transport to storage.
According to the results, mower-chippers and forage harvesters can provide wood chips at lowest
production costs (43…45€ tdm-1) if field shape is favourable for harvest operations. Under less
favourable field conditions costs are approx. 7 to 14% higher. Highest production costs have to
be accepted if whole trees are harvested with a shoot harvester (64 to 72 € tdm-1). The reduction
in storage losses and storage costs are not sufficient to compensate higher machine costs for
harvest and additional comminution with mobile chippers from forestry

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151-160 R. Pecenka, D. Ehlert and H. Lenz
Efficient harvest lines for Short Rotation Coppices (SRC) in Agriculture and Agroforestry
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Efficient harvest lines for Short Rotation Coppices (SRC) in Agriculture and Agroforestry

R. Pecenka*, D. Ehlert and H. Lenz

Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering Potsdam-Bornim (ATB), Max-Eyth-Allee 100, 14469 Potsdam, Germany; *Correspondence: rpecenka@atb-potsdam.de

Abstract:

Wood from short rotation coppice (SRC) such as poplar, willow and black locust is a promising option for the sustainable production of biofuels and biomaterials. Provided that production technologies, logistic chains and end user structures are well designed in farmers’ regional structures, these cropping systems may provide a secure source of income. One of the key problems at present is the lack of knowledge and powerful harvest machinery at practice. Although a lot of machines were developed and tested during the last 30 years, only a few have exceeded the prototype stage. Analysing the process chain for SRC, chip lines seem to be most cost-efficient for harvest, and the modification of forage harvesters for SRC is a promising option. But the high machine weight of forage harvesters is a serious disadvantage due to the limited trafficability of harvest plots in winter. Furthermore, for economic operation of these expensive harvest systems cultivation areas of more than 300 ha are required. Therefore, ATB has developed a simple and low weight tractor-mounted mower-chipper for medium sized standard tractors (75–150 kW) together with the company JENZ (Germany). The chipper is designed for flexible harvest of wood from SRC and Agroforestry (max. stem diameter 15 cm). The total weight of the harvester (tractor and chipper) is less than 50% of the forage harvester combination resulting in much more flexible field operation and lower harvest costs. The machine has been successfully tested in the last two harvest seasons and is on the market available now.

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