Abstract
Given the mandated increases in fuel production from alternative sources, limited high-quality production land, and predicted climate changes, identification of stress-tolerant biomass crops will be increasingly important. However, existing literature largely focuses on the responses of a small number of crops to a single source of abiotic stress. Here, we provide a much-needed review of several types of stress likely to be encountered by biomass crops on marginal lands and under future climate scenarios: drought, flooding, salinity, cold, and heat. The stress responses of 17 leading biomass crops of all growth habits (e.g., perennial grasses, short-rotation woody crops, and large trees) are summarized, and we identify several that could be considered “all purpose” for multiple stress types. Importantly, we note that some of these crops are or could become invasive in some landscapes. Therefore, growers must take care to avoid dissemination of plants or propagules outside of cultivation.
Highlights
Production of second-generation biomass crops is growing in the USA, principally driven by the federal mandate [1] that requires novel feedstocks to offset greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels and minimize or avoid any negative impact
This paper explores abiotic stressors that may be encountered by biomass crops grown on marginal lands or under changing climate conditions and provides a breadth of options for selecting crops that can tolerate particular types of abiotic stress
We review and summarize the literature on the effects of three sources of abiotic stress that may be common to marginal lands—moisture, salinity, and temperature—and identify biomass crops that display tolerance to these types of stress
Summary
Production of second-generation biomass crops is growing in the USA, principally driven by the federal mandate [1] that requires novel feedstocks to offset greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels and minimize or avoid any negative impact. Prolonged periods of stomatal closure can lead to heat stress (see Moisture Stress Tolerance Strategies below), as plants cannot employ transpirational cooling to reduce heat load Reproductive structures, including both flowers and fruits, can be severely affected by water deficit stress, due to reductions in the availability of photosynthates, inability to achieve turgor required for cellular expansion and tissue growth, and disruption in the activity of key enzymes [27]. Miscanthus × giganteus leaf area and yield reduced under drought stress [59], but water availability does not affect shoot production or plant height at the beginning of the growing season [60].
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