Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 Lighting Mandate Analysis

Perennial grasses may provide a renewable source of biomass for energy production. Biomass yield, nutrient concentrations, and nutrient removal rates of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), giant miscanthus (Miscanthus x giganteus), giant reed (Arundo donax L.), weeping lovegrass [Eragrostis curvula (Shrad.) Nees], kleingrass (Panicum coloratum L.), and Johnsongrass (Sorghum halepense (L.) Pers.) were evaluated at four N fertilizer rates (0, 56, 112, or 168 kg N ha−1) on a Minco fine sandy loam soil in southern Oklahoma. Species were established in 2008 and harvested for biomass in winter of 2009 and 2010. Biomass yield (dry matter basis) did not show a strong relationship with N fertilizer rate (p = 0.08), but was affected by year and species interactions (p < 0.01). Weeping lovegrass and kleingrass produced 29.0 and 16.0 Mg ha−1 in 2009, but only 13.0 Mg ha−1 and 9.8 Mg ha−1 in 2010, respectively. Biomass yields of giant reed, switchgrass, and Johnsongrass averaged 23.3, 17.8, and 6.0 Mg ha−1, respectively. Giant miscanthus established poorly, producing only 4.7 Mg ha−1. Across years, giant reed had the highest biomass yield, 33.2 Mg ha−1 at 168 kg N ha−1, and the highest nutrient concentrations and removal rates (162 to 228 kg N ha−1, 23 to 25 kg P ha−1, and 121 to 149 kg K ha−1) among the grasses. Although giant reed demonstrated tremendous biomass production, its higher nutrient removal rates indicate a potential for increased fertilization requirements over time. Switchgrass had consistently high biomass yields and relatively low nutrient removal rates (40 to 75 kg N ha−1, 5 to 12 kg P ha−1, and 44 to 110 kg K ha−1) across years, demonstrating its merits as a low-input bioenergy crop.

https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007%2Fs12155-011-9167-x.pdf

Biomass yield and nutrient removal rates of perennial grasses under nitrogen fertilization.

Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum Schumach.) is a fast-growing perennial grass native to Sub-Saharan Africa that is widely grown across the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. It is a multipurpose forage crop, primarily used to feed cattle in cut and carry feeding systems. Characterization and diversity studies on a small collection of Napier grasses have identified a moderate level of genetic variation and highlighted the availability of some good agronomic traits, particularly high biomass production, as a forage crop. However, very little information exists on precise phenotyping, genotyping and the application of molecular technologies to Napier grass improvement using modern genomic tools which have been applied in advancing the selection and breeding of important food crops. In this review paper, existing information on genetic resources, molecular diversity, yield and nutritional quality of Napier grass will be discussed. Recent findings on characterizing disease resistance and abiotic stress (drought) tolerance will also be highlighted. Finally, opportunities and future prospects for better conservation and use arising from the application of modern genomic tools in Napier grass phenotyping and genotyping will be discussed.

Opportunities for Napier Grass ( Pennisetum purpureum ) Improvement Using Molecular Genetics

Giant reed (Arundo donax L.) is a perennial rhizomatous grass that shows promise as a bioenergy crop in the Mediterranean environment. The species has spread throughout the world, catalyzed by human activity, though also as a result of its intrinsic robustness, adaptability, and versatility. Giant reed is able to thrive across a wide range of soil types and is tolerant to drought, salinity, and flooding. This tolerance to environmental stresses is significant and could mean that growing energy crops on marginal land is one possible strategy for reducing competition for land with food production and for improving soil quality. We devised an experiment in which we cultivated giant reed in a sandy loam soil with low nutrient availability. Our goal was to evaluate the dynamics of aboveground and belowground biomass and assess the nutrient dynamics of this grass species, focusing particularly on nutrient accumulation and remobilization. The species demonstrated good productivity potential: In the third year, aboveground dry biomass yield reached around 20 t ha−1, with a corresponding rhizome dry biomass yield of 16 t ha−1. Results for this species were characterized by low nutrient contents in the aboveground biomass at the end of the growing season, and its rhizome proved able to support growth over the spring period and to store nutrients in the autumn. Nevertheless, the adaptability of giant reed to marginal land and the role of its belowground biomass should be investigated over the long-term, and any further research should focus on its potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and maintain soil fertility.

Seasonal Dynamics of Aboveground and Belowground Biomass and Nutrient Accumulation and Remobilization in Giant Reed ( Arundo donax L.): A Three-Year Study on Marginal Land

Dedicated energy crops and crop residues will meet herbaceous feedstock demands for the new bioeconomy in the Central and Eastern USA. Perennial warm-season grasses and corn stover are well-suited to the eastern half of the USA and provide opportunities for expanding agricultural operations in the region. A suite of warm-season grasses and associated management practices have been developed by researchers from the Agricultural Research Service of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and collaborators associated with USDA Regional Biomass Research Centers. Second generation biofuel feedstocks provide an opportunity to increase the production of transportation fuels from recently fixed plant carbon rather than from fossil fuels. Although there is no “one-size-fits-all” bioenergy feedstock, crop residues like corn (Zea mays L.) stover are the most readily available bioenergy feedstocks. However, on marginally productive cropland, perennial grasses provide a feedstock supply while enhancing ecosystem services. Twenty-five years of research has demonstrated that perennial grasses like switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) are profitable and environmentally sustainable on marginally productive cropland in the western Corn Belt and Southeastern USA.

/pdf/dedicated-energy-crops-and-crop-residues-for-bioenergy-lucyg1gxju.pdf

Dedicated Energy Crops and Crop Residues for Bioenergy Feedstocks in the Central and Eastern USA

Warm-season perennial grasses are a promising source of biomass for energy production in Southeast USA, and low-input production is desirable. With only residual fertility in the soil and no irrigation, this test compared biomass yields of eight grasses under low-input production: L 79–1002 energycane (Saccharum hyb.), Merkeron and N51 napiergrass (Pennisetum purpureum Schum.), three clones of giant reed (Arundo donax L.), and two switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) lines. For the first 2 years napiergrass maintained dry matter (DM) yields over 25 Mg DM ha−1 year−1, and energycane yielded over 20 Mg DM ha−1year−1 for 3 years. Switchgrass yields were lower (8.6 Mg DM ha−1 year−1 average of 4 years), but the biomass contained less moisture at harvest than the other, larger-stemmed grasses. Switchgrass biomass also had the lowest concentrations of N, K, and ash. Average yields of giant reeds were also low (6.4 Mg DM ha−1 year−1), while ash and N concentrations were relatively high compared with switchgrass and energycane. In 4 years of production, energycane and napiergrass removed between 269 and 386 kg N ha−1 and 830–1,159 kg K ha−1, while the other grasses removed significantly less of these nutrients. Giant reed removed 126 kg N ha−1 and 193 kg K ha−1, and switchgrass removed 83 kg N ha−1 and 140 kg K ha−1. In Southeast USA, it is possible to produce biomass from perennial grasses with minimal inputs but the high nutrient removal rates of some species suggest that it may not be sustainable for long periods of time.

/pdf/low-input-production-of-biomass-from-perennial-grasses-in-41ecm9pyvv.pdf

Low-Input Production of Biomass from Perennial Grasses in the Coastal Plain of Georgia, USA

Pennisetum purpureum Schum. (napiergrass) is a perennial grass used for forage especially in South America and Africa. Over the last 30 years, a USDA–ARS nursery containing accessions collected from all over the world has been established in Tifton, Georgia. The study reported here was conducted to assess the molecular genetic variation and genetic relatedness among 89 accessions from the Tifton nursery using amplified fragment length polymorphism markers, morphological data and ploidy level. Using 218 polymorphic markers from eight selective primer combinations, the 89 accessions were clustered into five groups using a principal components analysis and a dendrogram based on Dice similarity estimates and unweighted pair group method with arithmetic average clustering. These five groups include three groups collected from Kenya, a group from Puerto Rico, and accessions derived from the cultivar Merkeron. This research provides the first molecular characterization of the Tifton nursery, displays the relationships between accessions, and provides potential heterotic groups for napiergrass and pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.) breeding improvement.

Genetic relationships among napiergrass ( Pennisetum purpureum Schum.) nursery accessions using AFLP markers

Napiergrass (Pennisetum purpureum Schum.) is a high-yielding perennial biomass crop that is well adapted to the Southeast USA where poultry litter is readily available. This research was conducted to compare biomass production and nutrient utilization of napiergrass fertilized with either poultry litter or inorganic fertilizer. Each spring, approximately 100 kg ha−1 of N, 40 kg ha−1 P, and 90 kg ha−1 K were applied as poultry litter or equivalent inorganic fertilizer. Biomass was harvested each winter after senescence. For the first 2 years, dry matter yield did not differ among treatments, but in the third and fourth years, yields declined in all treatments and were lowest in the unfertilized treatment. Biomass N concentration and N removal were greatest in the inorganic treatment. In general, N removal exceeded the amount applied, suggesting that higher application rates may be necessary to maintain yields. Biomass P concentration and total P uptake were greatest in the litter fertilized treatment, demonstrating that napiergrass can remove some of the excess P from applied litter. Soil cores were taken periodically to assess changes in soil properties. After 2 years of production, soil pH in the surface layer (0–15 cm) was lower in the inorganic treatment than in the other treatments. After 4 years, total soil C had increased by an average of 3,180 kg ha−1 though fertilizer treatments did not differ. Yield declined in all treatments after 4 years and N supplementation is recommended for production in upland fields.

/pdf/production-of-napiergrass-as-a-bioenergy-feedstock-under-4elrw5k63l.pdf

Production of Napiergrass as a Bioenergy Feedstock Under Organic Versus Inorganic Fertilization in the Southeast USA

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Low-Input Production of Biomass from Perennial Grasses in the Coastal Plain of Georgia, USA

Genetic relationships among napiergrass ( Pennisetum purpureum Schum.) nursery accessions using AFLP markers

Production of Napiergrass as a Bioenergy Feedstock Under Organic Versus Inorganic Fertilization in the Southeast USA