Published in Scientific Papers. Series "Management, Economic Engineering in Agriculture and rural development", Vol. 21 ISSUE 4
Written by Victor ŢÎŢEI, Mihai GADIBADI, Natalia CÎRLIG, Alexei ABABII, Ana GUŢU

The technological itinerary and the system of machines and equipment used for the cultivation of Jerusalem artichoke, Helianthus tuberosus L., and possibilities to use on the cv. Solar as fodder and energy biomass are presented in this article. We found to planting and harvest Jerusalem artichoke tubers, the same agricultural machinery and equipment will be used as for potatoes crop, and to harvest aerial biomass – agricultural machinery and equipment for harvesting corn and other silage crops. The Jerusalem artichoke energy biomass can be processed into solid fuel with the available briquetting/pelletizing machines, the net calorific value of solid biofuel was 17.7 MJ/kg and the ash content – below 2.2 %. It has been determined that the prepared silage contained 240- 290 g/kg DM, 9.7-13.5 % CP, 8.90-12.96 % CA, 55.9-62.3 % NDF, 31.0-45.8 % ADF, 4.8-6.3 % ADL, 11.25-12.43 MJ/kg DE, 9.23-10.21 MJ/kg ME and 5.96-7.02 MJ/kg NEl. The biochemical methane potential of Jerusalem artichoke silage substrate 4,000-6,000 m3/ha. The lignocellulosic substrate of Jerusalem artichoke dry stems contained 276 g/kg cellulose, 176 g/kg hemicellulose, 98.04 g/kg hexoses sugars and 45.4 g/kg pentoses sugars, the theoretical bioethanol yield from stems was 598 l/kg. Helianthus tuberosus cv. Solar may serve as an alternative crop for producing silage and as a sustainable source of feedstock for renewable energy production.

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