Abstract
Sustainable development of the bioenergy industry will depend upon the amount and quality of bioenergy feedstock produced. Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a model lignocellulosic bioenergy crop but critical information is lacking for improved management, growth, and development simulation model calibration. A field study was conducted near Ames, IA during 2012–2013 with the objective to evaluate upland (“Cave-in-Rock”, ‘Trailblazer’ and ‘Blackwell’) and lowland (“Kanlow” and “Alamo”) switchgrass ecotypes for harvest timing on morphology (i.e., phenology, leaf area index (LAI), and biomass yield). The experiment used a randomized complete block design, with three upland and two lowland varieties harvested at six dates annually. In both years, delaying harvest to later maturity increased biomass yield; lowland cultivars produced greater biomass yield (6.15 tons ha−1) than upland ecotypes (5.10 tons ha−1). Lowland ecotypes had delayed reproductive development compared with upland ecotypes. At the end of both growing seasons, upland ecotypes had greater mean stage count (MSC) than lowland ecotypes. “Cave-in-Rock” had greatest MSC and LAI, but did not produce the greatest biomass. Relationships were nonlinear between MSC and biomass yield, with significant cultivar–year interaction. The relationship between biomass yield and MSC will be useful for improving switchgrass, including cultivar selection, fertilizer application, and optimum harvest time.
Highlights
Increasing energy demands, uncertainty in crude oil prices, and environmental impacts of using fossil fuels have increased interest in alternative energy sources, including biofuels.Growing biomass crops that can be converted to fuel is one approach to addressing these concerns [1,2,3].Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a C4 perennial grass native to North America [4,5]
It has been selected as a model 2nd generation bioenergy crop alternative to fossil fuel by the Bioenergy
Results from this study revealed significant differences between switchgrass ecotypes for leaf area index (LAI)
Summary
Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a C4 perennial grass native to North America [4,5]. It has been selected as a model 2nd generation bioenergy crop alternative to fossil fuel by the Bioenergy. Switchgrass has already demonstrated great potential as an ideal bioenergy feedstock in Central and North America [1,6,7,8], due to its wide geographic adaptability, suitability for growth on marginal lands, high nutrient and water use efficiency, and by providing natural habitat for migratory birds [9,10,11].
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