In 2008, two projects were completed.

1) The project titled "Efficiency for production of willow, miscanthus and Sida in different habitats of defective air-water relations, and assessment of the environmental impact from production and combustion of these fuels." (2 PO6S 013 1926) was coordinated by prof. Antoni Faber. Field experiments were located on heavy soil (periodically over wet, defective air-water relations) and on medium soil (temporarily dehydrated). In the years of the study was clearly different climatic water balance (KBW). The most profitable was in 2004, when KBW during the growing season ranged from -107 to -121 mm. In the next two years, the drought deepened. In the most preferred for 2004, the plant dry matter yield of willow grown on heavy soil amounted 14.7 t ha^-1, and medium soil 13.3 kg ha^{-1. In subsequent years these were reduced by 0.9 t ha-1} for each 100 mm deficit KBW. Throughout the study period, average yields were 12.9 t ha^-1 on heavy soil and 11.9 t ha^-1 on medium soil. The cultivation of willows effective agrotechnology should focus mainly on protecting the plantation against weeds. An important element is the fertilisation of willow. Applied nitrogen provide management with a negative balance of this component, which is not limited yields, and meant that eliminated the formation of excess of this component in the soil. Despite the negative balance of nitrogen content in biomass willow nitrogen content was relatively high 0.50-0.90% N. However, we are concerned about the ability of willows to cadmium (as detected by the content of 1.6-2.1 mg kg ^-1). The carbon sequestration in soil in an experiment located on a heavy soil C ranged 0.24-0.39 t ha^-1 y^-1, and the medium soil C 0.24-0.39 t ha^-1 y^-1. They ensure the neutrality of the greenhouse gas emissions during the cultivation and combustion of willow. Heat of combustion of willow in the dry state tended to average value of 19.5 MJ kg ^-1. The resulting emissions for CO and NO should be considered high when compared with emissions obtained for wood chips and wood pellets.
Miscanthus has reached its peak yield in the third and fourth season. The average dry matter yield obtained in the autumn was 17.7 t ha^-1 on heavy soil and 18.7 t ha^-1 on medium soil. Acute drought in 2006 limited the yield on average by 17% on heavy soil and by 14% in medium soil. Crops harvested in early spring were on average 18% lower compared to autumn, which was caused by ptosis of leaves in winter. The observed increased biomass content (in%): K-0.87, SiO₂ - 0.67 and Cl - 0.07. During the combustion, this can result in the temperature lowering of ash melting (K), formation of scale (SiO₂), and increased aggressiveness of the corrosive gas (Cl). Carbon sequestration in soil in an experiment located on a heavy soil, the harvesting of plants in early spring, ranged 0.61-0.95 t C ha^-1 y^-1, and the average soil C 0.63-1.17 t ha^-1 r^-1. This ensures the neutrality of the greenhouse gas emissions during the cultivation and combustion of miscanthus. Heat combustion of Miscanthus in the dry state tended to the average value of 18.8 MJ kg^-1. Due to the laxity of Miscanthus chips, was proved to be impossible for automatic feeding of biomass to the boiler (the combustion material was subjected to the palletisation proses).

Sida dry matter yield slightly depend on habitat quality. The average dry matter yield of the crop was 10.0 t ha^-1. Virginia did not react with drop in yield to drought, even on sandy soil. Virginia proved to be sensitive to disease, primarily on sclerotinia rot (causing loss of plants), and ear rot (yellowing of the plants). Applied nitrogen fertilisation allowed managing a small negative balance of this component (average - 4 kg ha^-1). Due to the relatively favourable chemical composition, Sida biomass was the best among the studied plants and is fitted for processing into pellets. Carbon sequestration in crops Sida ranged 0.19-0.24 t C ha^-1 y^-1 and did not provide neutrality in terms of greenhouse gas emissions arising from the cultivation and combustion of the plant. Sida combustion heat in the dry state tended to the average value of 18.9 MJ kg -1. The resulting emissions of CO in the case must be considered relatively high. Combustion of this plant gave the lowest among all investigated plant emissions of NO, comparable to the volume of emissions from combustion of wood chips.

2) The second completed research projects in 2008, (2 PO6R 078 1928), was coordinated by Dr. Jerzy Kozyra. The project was titled: An annual series of spectral characteristics of radiation reflected from the surface of the crop (AGROCICLUS). The aim of the project was to describe the annual cycle of vegetation indices derived from crop ground measurements of radiation reflected from the surface of various crops. Determined the relationships between vegetation indices derived from remote measurements with LAI and SPAD measurements made in the canopy. Measurements were performed using the LI-1800 Spectroradiometer your digital camera and Licor TETRACAM ADC (Agricultural Digital Camera). During the project the leaf area index (LAI) and Soil Plant Analysis Development (SPAD) were determined. Based on three years of spectral measurements of radiation reflected from the surface of the crop (2005-2007) for the 12 sites defined the functions of the annual cycle of vegetation indices. The study confirms the possibility of linking temporal changes of vegetation indices, agricultural crops with the development of plants using the method of effective temperature sum. The best fit of the annual cycle model of NDVI temporal changes were obtained for winter wheat, spring wheat, rye, triticale, barley by using the second-order polynomial, while the winter barley, spring barley, oilseed rape, maize by using third order polynomial. It was shown that the close relationship between the index LAI and vegetation indices can be used for a period of senescent leaves. After this period, the dependencies are less correlated. The developed algorithms have been used in a computer program AGROCYCLUS, which is used to analyse the variability of the field, plant health and crop identification.

In 2008, Robert Borek and Magdalena Borzęcka-Walker defended their doctoral dissertations. Dr. Robert Borek presented his work titled "Empirical-statistical and simulation models yield of willow (Salix viminalis L.) grown for energy purposes." and Magdalena Borzęcka-Walker introduced the work "Productivity of Miscanthus (Miscanthus spp) in different habitats and weather conditions."

In 2008, the employees of the Department were honoured with an award from the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development for work: "Develop and implementation of a system for balanced fertilizer advice". Award received:  Dr. Tamara Jadczyszyn, M.Sc. Czeslaw Pietruch, Prof. Mariusz Fotyma.

Opr. Andrzej Doroszewski