Bioenergy production growth rates in the recent years are leading to waste – digestate and wood ash amount increases, which are essential to be managed in the most efficient and safe way. In the formation of plant nutrient recycling these waste products are useful to be included in the energy crop fertilisation plan. In order to study the waste products application options for energy crops – reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea L.) and festulolium (×Festulolium pabulare) fertilisation trials were arranged in 2012 at the Skriveri Latvian University of Agriculture (LLU) Research Institute of Agriculture. In all fertiliser treatments: wood ash; digestate one time per season; digestate two times per season and mineral fertilisers the same doses of the main plant nutrients (N, P, K) were provided, the missing quantities of elements compensating with mineral fertilisers. To obtain the grass biomass, two cutting regimes were used – two-cut and one-cut harvest system. This article summarizes the findings on the productivity of the 1st year of use grassland swards and sward structure data. The productivity of perennial grass biomass was dependent on the type of applied fertilisers, grass species and cutting regime. In the first production year the highest average dry matter yield (7.30 t haE-1) was produced by reed canary grass. The highest DM yields in average for both grass species were obtained by mowing once per season – in autumn at crop senescence (7.01 t haE-1) and in fertilisation treatments of wood ash (WA) – 8.06 t haE-1 and mineral fertilisers (MF) – 7.24 t haE-1.

In this article, the results of research on WRI of LUA Juodkiškiai experiment field (1999 – 2003) are discussed. Fertilization and other factors influence over potassium fluctuation, its balance and leaching into drainage water during crop rotation are analysed. In order to evaluate the potassium balance and its quantity passed together with rainfall, seeds, fertilizers and take with the yield (secondary and primary production) was established in plant residues and drainage water. When fertilizing with liquid manure, potassium balance was negative while growing perennial grasses as much potassium was needed to mature their yield. The investigations established that potassium concentration in drainage water and its leaching was increased by precipitation during the research period, and it was reduced by the amount of this element taking out with yield. Soil geochemical environment had influence on the increase of potassium supply in soil. It was established that long-term fertilization with liquid manure had raised the potassium supply in soil. However, from an ecological point of view, potassium leaching did not cause any problems. In all treatments the potassium concentration in drainage water did not exceed permissible concentration.

The investigations were carried out during the period 2006-2011 in the land of the Water resources management institute of ASU, in the village of Lipliūnai on Endocalcari Endohypogleyic Cambisol (CMg-n-w-can). The base of investigations is 3 drainage systems, which contain cereals differing in fertilization and grass crop rotations. The aim of investigations is to determine the crop rotations differing in fertilization and these relations with cycles of phosphorus in agroecosystem. Higher productive was perennial grass crop rotation. In the conditions of cereal crop rotations this productive was 3-46% lesser. The highest concentration of P-PO4 3- in drainage water was received in the conditions of higher fertilization cereals crop rotation while highest concentration of total P was in the conditions of grass crop rotation. The concentration of P-PO4 3- in drainage water essentially depends on amount of mobile P2 O5 in soil, fertilization, productivity of field crops, drainage runoff as well as cumulative balance of P. The highest leaching of P-PO4 3- and total P by drainage was received under the conditions of higher fertilization cereals crop rotation. The leaching of P-PO4 3- essentially depends on fertilization, drainage runoff as well as cumulative and yearly balance of P. The application of all crop rotations was distinguished by positive P balance.

To promote the future of abandoned lands management and the reduction of fossil energy consumption in Latvia, the establishment of energy crops plantation facilities, including perennial grasses, was investigated. The objective – suitability of several perennial grasses for bio-energy production under condition of Latvia. The aim of the current research to evaluate the experimental field conditions for the cultivation of perennial grasses. The perennial grasses are modest in terms of soil conditions, they are environmentally friendly, as well as provide high yields of biomass with adequate quality for bio-energy production without large investments. With increasing amounts of bio-energy production the amounts of various by-products which are profitable to utilize as energy crops fertiliser will also increase. It is essential that plant nutrients return back into circulation by creating a complete cycle. In order to test in practice the possibility of creating this complete cycle of growing perennial grasses, an experimental field was chosen at the Research Institute of Agriculture in Skriveri. In the summer of 2011, before trials establishment, the conditions of soil were examined at four depths: 0 – 20 cm; 20 – 40 cm; 40 – 60 cm and 60 – 80 cm. The analyses showed that the experimental field conditions were appropriate for growing of perennial grasses. The results of the soil agrochemical analysis will be a base for future studies of usage efficiency of different fertiliser types on perennial grass productivity and nutrient recycling opportunities in energy crop plantations.

A field trial concerning optimisation of a mineral fertiliser (NPK) in the production of perennial ryegrass 'Spidola' seeds was established at the Skriveri Research Centre of the Latvia University of Agriculture in 1999. Experiments were conducted on sod-podzolic sandy loam soil (Luvic Phaeozem, WRB 1994). In 2000, the first seed production year, which was quite unsuitable in terms of climatic conditions, the nitrogen fertiliser showed significant influence on seed and straw yields. The use of phosphorous and potassium fertilisers in all combinations with nitrogen decreased the resistance of the crop to lodging.

The goal of the present research was to study formation of the productivity of perennial ryegrass at different rates of mineral fertiliser use. Field experiments were carried out on Sod-Podzolic soils during 1999-2001. The following mineral fertiliser rates were used: N and P205 each - 0, 30, 60, 90, 120 kg ha*[-1); K20 - 0, 40, 80, 120, 160 kg ha*[-1). The productivity of DM and seeds was dependent on genetic characteristics of the particular variety, on the rates of mineral fertiliser and as well as on the meteorological conditions prevailing in each investigation year. The average DM yield, depending on the particular variety, constituted 2.21-6.07 t ha*[-1), and the average seed yields were 255-672 and 133-400 kg ha*[-1) in 1st and 2nd years of stand uses, respectively.