Research papers of the week – April 18, 2022

Krzysztof Józef Jankowski, Mateusz Sokólski, Artur Szatkowski, Marcin Kozak

Industrial Crops and Products

Ministerial score = 200.0
Journal Impact Factor (2020) = 5.654 (Q1)

Crambe (Crambe abyssinica Hochst. ex R.E. Fries) is an annual oilseed plant belonging to the family of Brassicaceae. It is mostly cultivated for its high level of erucic acid. Crambe was field tested in Bałcyny in north-eastern (NE) Poland in 2017–2019 to evaluate the effects of nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) fertilization on the energy efficiency in the production of hulled seeds and total biomass (hulled seeds and straw). The N fertilizer rate (0, 30, 60, 90, and 120 kg ha−1) and the S fertilizer rate (0, 15, and 30 kg ha−1) were the experimental variables. The energy input in the production technology without N and S fertilization was determined at 5.52 GJ ha−1. The highest N (120 kg ha−1) and S (30 kg ha−1) rates caused a 2.7-fold increase in energy inputs. In NE Poland, crambe yields ranged from 1.14 to 1.78 (hulled seeds) and from 1.70 to 2.53 Mg ha−1 DM (straw). The energy output in crambe production was 26.13–40.56 (seeds only) and 56.06–77.64 GJ ha−1 (seeds and straw). The highest energy gain was noted after the application of 60 kg N ha−1 and 30 kg S ha−1 (25.57 GJ ha−1 in seeds) or 90 kg N ha−1 and 30 kg S ha−1 (50.25 GJ ha−1 in total biomass). The energy efficiency ratio of seeds (4.74–4.96) and total biomass (9.54–9.85) was highest in the production technology without N fertilization. Nitrogen (120 kg ha−1) induced a nearly 2-fold decrease in the energy efficiency ratio of seeds and total biomass. Sulfur had a positive influence on the energy output (increase of 3–20%), energy gain (increase of 3–31%) and the energy efficiency ratio (increase of 3–17%) of crambe. The incorporation of S into the N fertilization regime alleviated the decrease in the energy efficiency ratio of crambe production induced by increasing N fertilizer rates.

DOI:10.1016/j.indcrop.2022.114918

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