At international level the Arundo energy cane can be produced to provide bioethanol factories, biogas plants, biomass power stations, steel and paper mills with raw material. If we compare the biomass potential Arundo donax can demonstrate under temperate climate circumstances with that of other perennial herbaceous plants, we can conclude that in case of Arundo significantly less insecticide, pes
ticide and fertiliser is needed. Without irrigation, one hectare can produce some 20-40 tons of dry matter (based on data from North Italy). This plant can excellently adapt to and thrive on even marginal lands, e.g. on salty, excessively alkaline, temporarily flooded soils or on ones that are contaminated with carbon, agricultural or industrial chemical substances. According to experiences gained so far, the lifecycle of the plant is over 20 years. During this period of time, the most labour and cost intensive parts are plantation and soil preparation. In the following years, Arundo donax does not require any further tillage: its dense and closed foliage covers the soils, stalks touch each other, the soil gets densely overgrown with roots that can help fight and reduce erosion. The water retention and absorption capabilities of such soils are excellent and can also withstand sudden and excessive torrential rains. Due to excessive root mass, the mature plantation can excellently tolerate temporary or prolonged aridity. The root system also transports an extremely large amount of organic material into deeper soil layers while, relying on intensive microbial activity around the roots, decomposes the various kinds of organic contamination of the soil. According to professional literature, due to this special ”edaphic” environment, Arundo does not require fertilisers as an additional source of nitrogen, or this may only be needed in the early stage of the plantation as during autumn and winter atmospheric nitrogen fixed by microbes is denitrificated, lysed and accumulates in the roots. During the next vegetation period, this substance is completely utilised. Although less studied, it still is not an insignificant aspect that due to intensive soil life, so called local carbon dioxide accumulation can develop under the closed foliage and can practically be interpreted as spontaneous carbonic acid fertilisation (Renaud effect). According to experiences gained so far, allocating own Arundo ash (e.g. the by-product of power plants that produce syngas) to the field can sustain the stable circulation of other mineral salts. Arundo donax is extremely capable of resisting climate change. There are surviving plant populations worldwide that have been intact for over 50 years without any agricultural interference or tillage. Arundo donax rhizomes are stubby, but do not grow horizontally with so called rootstocks such as e.g. bamboo or reed. In certain Hungarian botanic gardens there are Arundo populations aged over 30 years that were planted from a cutting of one single plant and now the radius of their stool can reach 4-5 metres. Considering the fact that the plant does not have viable seeds, Italian cane cannot be regarded as a so-called invasive, aggressively expanding, ineradicable plant.
