20 Jan Annual harvest of the dried shoots of Miscanthus x giganteus at the St-Médard d’Eyrans site (S1)
Miscanthus x giganteus implemented at the St-Médard d’Eyrans site (January 2012) © Mench
Long-term field plots were implemented at the St Médard d’Eyrans site (S1) to assess the phytomanagement of Cu/PAH-contaminated soils with perennial Cu-excluder grasses such as Miscanthus x giganteus. Plots amended with compost (5% w/w) and dolomitic limestone (0.2% w/w) in year 1 were compared to untreated plots. In early 2022 (year 14), the INRAE researchers went to this site to harvest the dried shoots of Miscanthus. The shoot samples were thereafter weighed at the laboratory. Obviously the initial input of compost and dolomitic limestone into the topsoil still improved the biomass production of Miscanthus (maximum stem length around 3 m) in year 14. The annual maintenance was only a low mineral N P K fertilization and a slight weeding. In contrast, no Miscanthus plants are now growing in the untreated plots, after several years of visible symptoms of Cu phytotoxicity.
Cut of the dried shoots of Miscanthus © Mench