Biomass production from neglected and underutilized tall perennial grasses on marginal lands in India: a brief review

Abstract

Considering biomass production on marginal lands as one of the important ways for climate change mitigation, ecological restoration and biodiversity conservation and livelihood, the development of high-diversity tall perennial grass-based biomass production system is getting special attention. Although such grasses (e.g., Arundo donax L., Desmostachya bipinnata L. Stapf., Panicum antidotale Retz., Saccharum species, Vetiveria zizanioides L.) are widely distributed in India and naturally grow on marginal lands without external inputs, these are neglected and underutilized. On the other hand, similar species like Panicum virgatum L. and Miscanthus × giganteus Greef and Deuter ex Hodkinson and Renvoize are significantly contributing in bioenergy production in the USA, Europe and Australia. The unavailability of appropriate plant species that can be grown on marginal lands for consistent biomass production, restoration of soil fertility and to support several socioeconomic and ecological services has shifted the attention of policy makers more toward solar and wind energy than bioenergy as evident from India’s Intended Nationally Determined Contributions submitted to United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC 2015). It is, therefore, important to identify appropriate plant species which produce high biomass in various stressful environments without intensive agricultural inputs and have a range of ecological services. This review, therefore, briefly provides information on biomass and bioenergy production, ecological restoration, biodiversity conservation, environmental remediation and cultural perspectives of various tall perennial grasses those are otherwise neglected and underutilized so far in India in the lack of primary research. The major research gaps and opportunities for developing multifunctional cropping systems involving these grasses for harnessing various economic and ecological services have also been identified.