Cultivation Of Miscanthus Research Articles

РІСТ, РОЗВИТОК І ПРОДУКТИВНІСТЬ МІСКАНТУСУ ГІГАНТСЬКОГО

Однією з перспективних культур для ґрунтово-кліматичної зони України, що вирощується, як сировина для переробляння у тверде біопаливо, є міскантус гігантський. Однак для промислового використання відсутня технологія його вирощування, яка адаптована для умов України. Одним з перспективних напрямків є дослідження умов підвищення продуктивності міскантусу гігантського на основі визначення особливостей росту і розвитку рослин, удосконалення елементів технології вирощування в умовах Лісостепу Західного. У результаті проведених спостережень і обрахунків проаналізовано особливості росту і розвитку рослин у перший і наступні роки вегетації та формування врожаю надземної маси (біомаси) міскантусу гігантського залежно від ґрунтово-кліматичних умов вирощування. У роботі встановлено закономірності залежності умов росту, розвитку та формування продуктивності міскантусу за рахунок впливу агротехнічних факторів: густоти садіння і маси ризомів. Біометричні показники рослин міскантусу гігантського за висотою пагона на жовтень складають максимальне значення 159 см за густоти садіння 15 тис. шт./га з масою ризомів 41-70 г. Максимальним значенням показника урожайності біомаси відзначений варіант дослідження за густоти садінням 15 тис. шт./га з масою ризомів 41-70 г, що в середньому за роки аналізу встановлено 18,5 т/га. На основі отриманих результатів досліджень, для забезпечення високої продуктивності рослин міскантусу гігантського, як сировини для виробництва біопалива сільгосптоваровиробникам Лісостепу Західного рекомендується садіння за густоти 15 тис. шт./га з масою ризомів 41-70 г. Запропоновано удосконалену технологію вирощування міскантусу гігантського для виробництва біопалива.

Cultivation of miscanthus under conditions of the northeastern Forest-Steppe of Ukraine

The problem of using alternative energy sources from renewable feedstock is becoming more and more of great current interest for modern society due to energy crisis and ecological situation which is getting worse. Among many high-yielding plants, perennial cereal miscanthus is an appreciable one for producing biofuel in the form of fuel granules. 
 Cultivating phytoenergetic cultures it is important to apply fertilizers as an important component of the technology, which is aimed at raising yielding capacity of vegetative mass.
 Unlike other cereals, culm of miscanthus is partially or fully filled with white soft pith. Joints at the bottom of the culm are quite short, and on the top part of the culm they can be of a large length due to the division of intercalary meristem.
 Thus, during the growing season the largest amount of joints on the culm was in the variant N60 – 7.1 pieces which is more comparing with the control on 1.3 pieces and with N30 - on 0.9 pieces. At the end of the growing season the amount of joints raised slightly. Thus, in the control variant the amount of joints was 6.4 pieces, N30 – 7.3 pieces and N60 – 8.0 which is more comparing with the growing season on 0.6 – 0.9 pieces on the culm.
 As the result of the estimated indices we defined the greatest amount of leaves in the growing season by the variant N60 – 9.5 pieces per culm, and the least amount was on the control 7.8 pieces per culm, in the variant N30 – 8.7 pieces per culm. The same tendency was at the end of the growing season. Thus, the largest amount of leaves on the culm was in the variant N60 – 10.5 pieces, on the control – 8.5 pieces, N30 – 9.8. The difference in leaves amount on the culm between growing seasons varied from 0.7 to 1.0 pieces. 
 At the end of vegetation the weight of plants was 48.5–77.0 g. The least weight of plants was on the control – 48.5 g which is more on 20.5 g than in the variant N30, and on 28.5 g of the variant N60. So the maximal weight was 77.0 gr in the variant N60. 
 The weight of dry plant on the control was 25.1 g, N30 – 32.5 g, N60 – 37.1 g. The maximal weight of dry plant was in the variant N60 – 37.1 g, that is more on 4.6 g in the variant N30 and 12 g on the control.
 Pre-harvest density of miskanthus plants by apllying different dozes of fertilizers varied. Thus, the greatest density was in the variant N60 – 42 pieces per m2. The less density was got in the variant N30 – 38 pieces per m2 and the least density was on the control – 37.0 pieces per m2.
 According to the analysis of yield capacity indices of miscanthus during the years of research and different variants we pointed out that the maximal yielding capacity as for fertilizer dozes was in the variant N60 – 15.58 tons per ha, that is more on 20.7 % than in the variant N30 (12.35 tons per ha) and on 40.4 % that in the control variant (9.29 tons per ha).

Assessment of Miscanthus Yield Potential from Strip-Mined Lands (SML) and Its Impacts on Stream Water Quality

Strip-mined land (SML) disturbed by coal mining is a non-crop land resource that can be utilized to cultivate high-yielding energy crops such as miscanthus for bioenergy applications. However, the biomass yield potential, annual availability, and environmental impacts of growing energy crops in SML are less understood. In this study, we estimated the yield potential of miscanthus (Miscanthus sinensis) in SML and its environmental impacts on local streams using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). After calibration and validation of the SWAT model, the results demonstrated that miscanthus yield potentials were 2.6 (0.8−5.53), 10.0 (1.3−16.0), and 16.0 (1.34−26.0) Mg ha−1 with fertilizer application rates of 0, 100, and 200 kg-N ha−1, respectively. Furthermore, cultivation of miscanthus in SML has the potential to reduce sediment (~20%) and nitrate (2.5−10.0%) loads reaching water streams, with a marginal increase in phosphorus load. The available SML in the United States could produce about 10 to 16 dry Tg of biomass per year without negatively impacting the water quality. In conclusion, SML can provide a unique opportunity to produce biomass for bioenergy applications, while improving stream water quality in a highly dense mining area (the Appalachian region) in the United States.

Spatial and life cycle assessment of bioenergy-driven land-use changes in Ireland

Bioenergy crops are forecast to play a significant role if Ireland is to reach the 2020 and beyond targets set by the European Union's Renewable Energy Directive (RED). The aim of this study is to evaluate the environmental impacts associated with the cultivation of bioenergy crops in Ireland including land-use change (LUC) emissions by using geographical information systems (GIS) and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). In this study, GIS is used to identify, and measure LUC changes associated with cultivation of Miscanthus and Short Rotation Coppice (SRC) willow. An LCA study was carried out to estimate the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the LUC caused by the cultivation of bioenergy crops. The results find that miscanthus caused 86% of all LUC with SRC Willow accounting for 14%. The LCA results identify two major processes that contribute to total GHG emissions; field operations and loss of soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks. Land preparation, harvesting and the production of synthetic fertiliser are found to be the most significant contributors to field emissions. SOC emission for the conversion of pasture to SRC willow accounts for a large proportion of the overall GHG emissions. Conversion of arable land to miscanthus and SRC willow both cause a net reduction of GHG emissions. Sensitivity analysis on the type of fertilisers used and the inclusion of indirect land-use changes (iLUC), highlight the impacts that these have on the overall system performance. The replacement of synthetic fertiliser with biogenic fertiliser reduced overall GHG emissions. The inclusion of general iLUC data results in a large increase in total GHG emissions because of displaced food crops that must be grown elsewhere. The study shows that conversion of arable to miscanthus and SRC willow is preferable when cultivating bioenergy crops while conversion of pasture to SRC willow should be avoided.

Life Cycle Impact Assessment of Miscanthus Crop for Sustainable Household Heating in Serbia

This paper investigates the environmental impacts and energy benefits of the cultivation of Miscanthus (Miscanthus × giganteus Greef et Deu.), in order to initiate its use in sustainable household heating in the Republic of Serbia. Based on the analysis of available data regarding the use of agricultural machinery in Serbia, a Miscanthus supply chain is constructed and examined in detail, scrutinizing all relevant operations—from planting of rhizomes to thermal energy production. Results of the life cycle assessment identify the briquetting process as the most environmentally burdensome operation due to high electricity consumption and low productivity. It is concluded that an average yield of 23.5 t dry matter (d.m.) year−1 obtained from 1 ha of chernozem soil would have energy output:energy input (EO:EI) ratio of 51:1, and would release 365.5 gigajoules (GJ) of heat during combustion in a boiler. With this amount of energy, around 383 m2 of a free-standing family house in Serbia can be heated annually. The same amount of energy is obtained by the combustion of 22 t of lignite or 23 t of wood logs. The substitution of lignite and wood with Miscanthus briquettes would lead to significant reduction of CO2 equivalents (eq), SO2 eq, P eq, N eq, 1,4 dichlorobenzene (1,4-DB) eq, Non-methane volatile organic compound (NMVOC), PM10 eq and U235 eq emissions. This designates Miscanthus as a more sustainable energy solution for household heating. In instances where more modern agricultural machinery is used, emission reduction is higher, except for CO2 eq due to higher emission factors predicted for more powerful engines. Depending on Miscanthus’ annual yield, the replacement of set-aside land with Miscanthus plantations result in carbon (C) sequestration from 0.08 t C ha−1 year−1 to 0.91 t C ha−1 year−1. In a modern machinery scenario, C sequestration is only attainable when maximal Miscanthus yield is obtained. The combined use of machinery with different engine power is the best option for Miscanthus cultivation in Serbia.

Miscanthus × Giganteus Growth and Nutrient Export on 22 Producer Fields

On-farm assessments of Miscanthus × giganteus growth and nutrient export across a wide range of management and environmental conditions are needed to determine and model how this crop performs and where it should be placed on the landscape. Therefore, Miscanthus growth and nutrient concentration and nutrient export at harvest were monitored during 2014 and 2015 at several landscape positions within 22 commercial production fields in central and southwestern Missouri and northeast Arkansas. Miscanthus shoot density and/or yield were best when it was grown: (i) following pasture converted to annual row crops or following row crops, (ii) on soils with colluvium parent material, (iii) on north-facing backslopes or footslopes, (iv) on soils with medium to fine texture, and (v) on well-drained/high runoff/low available water soils. Factors influencing nutrient concentrations varied by nutrient, but all concentrations consistently decreased as stands matured and most were more influenced by weather than were yield or nutrient export. Most effects on nutrient export were similar to effects on yield, but some nutrient exports were also influenced by manure history and weather conditions. Overall, cropping history prior to Miscanthus, landscape position, and soil properties such as parent material, soil textural class, and drainage class had the largest influence on Miscanthus growth and nutrient concentrations and exports. Weather conditions and inferior soils did not strongly influence Miscanthus production, but excessive soil moisture caused by various soil and weather factors often limited its growth. Thus, Miscanthus may be especially well-suited following annual crops on erosion-prone soils that drain well and have slope. These results will assist with the strategic cultivation of Miscanthus on Midwest landscapes.

Establishment, Growth, and Yield Potential of the Perennial Grass Miscanthus × Giganteus on Degraded Coal Mine Soils.

Miscanthus × giganteus is a giant C4 grass native to Asia. Unlike most C4 species, it is relatively cold tolerant due to adaptations across a wide range of altitudes. These grasses are characterized by high productivity and low input requirements, making them excellent candidates for bioenergy feedstock production. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential for growing Miscanthus on extremely marginal soils, degraded by open lignite (brown coal) mining. Field experiments were established within three blocks situated on waste heaps originating from the lignite mine. Analyses were conducted over the first 3 years following Miscanthus cultivation, focusing on the effect of organic and mineral fertilization on crop growth, development and yield in this extreme environment. The following levels of fertilization were implemented between the blocks: the control plot with no fertilization (D0), a plot with sewage sludge (D1), a plot with an identical amount of sewage sludge plus one dose of mineral fertilizer (D2) and a plot with an identical amount of sewage sludge plus a double dose of mineral fertilizer (D3). Crop development and characteristics (plant height, tillering, and biomass yield [dry matter]) were measured throughout the study period and analyzed using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Significant differences were apparent between plant development and 3rd year biomass production over the course of the study (0.964 kg plant-1 for DO compared to 1.503 kg plant-1 for D1). Soil analyses conducted over the course of the experiment showed that organic carbon levels within the soil increased significantly following the cultivation of Miscanthus, and overall, pH decreased. With the exception of iron, macronutrient concentrations remained stable throughout. The promising yields and positive effects of Miscanthus on the degraded soil suggests that long term plantations on land otherwise unsuitable for agriculture may prove to be of great environmental and economic significance.

Influence of fertilization on Miscanthus × giganteus (Greef et Deu) yield and biomass traits in three experiments in Serbia

Miscanthus × giganteus (Greef et Deu) is an agro-energy crop of the second generation cultivated in purpose to obtain annually renewable bio-fuel produced from the aboveground biomass. Cultivation is preferred on marginal lands to avoid occupation of arable lands. Influence of fertilization and soil type Gleysol, Planosol and Technosol (open pit coal mine overburden) on yield and biomass traits of miscanthus were investigated during five years’ field experiment. Among biometric characteristics: stem height, length and width of leaves, the number of leaves (dry and green) per stem and number of stems per rhizome, only the last one has a strong positive correlation with yield. Fertilization increased yield during fourth and fifth year of development on Gleysol and Technosol. The highest yield on Gleysol was 23.12 t/ha in 2014, on Planosol 10.16 t/ha, and 4.77 t/ha in 2015 on Technosol. The yield of miscanthus, beside fertilization, depends on weather conditions and weeds. Cultivation of miscanthus is possible on marginal soils with minimum application of agricultural measures only in the year of establishment. Gleysol is a type of soil that can be recommended for miscanthus cultivation.

Microbial properties of soil fertilized by sewage sludge and cultivated with energy crops

The microbial activity of soil enriched with sewage sludge and cultivated with energy crops, is little known. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of sewage sludge fertilization on selected microorganisms in soil cultivated with the following crops: Miscanthus (Miscanthus x giganteus Greef et Deu), Virginia mallow (Sida hermaphrodita (L.) Rusby) and Common Osier willow (Salix viminalis L.). Sewage sludge was used in two rates 10 and 20 t/ha dry weight (DW). The numbers of total coliforms bacteria, sulphate-reducing spore-forming bacteria, Proteus sp., saprophytic, thermophilic and aerobic spore-forming bacteria were examined. Sewage sludge increased the number of coliforms and sulphate-reducing spore-forming bacteria, and stimulated the growth of saprophytic and thermophilic bacteria. Cultivation of Miscanthus limited the number of coliforms bacteria, while Virginia mallow and Miscanthus reduced the number of sulphate- -reducing spore-forming bacteria. Common Osier willow stimulated the growth of saprophytic bacteria in the soil, while Virginia mallow the number of spore-forming bacteria. Our results revealed that microbial activity of soil expressed as the number of selected bacterial groups, depends not only on the applied rate of sewage sludge fertilizer, but also on the cultivated energy crop.

Miscanthus as energy crop: Environmental assessment of a miscanthus biomass production case study in France

The cultivation of miscanthus (Miscanthus x Giganteus) as biomass for energy production has increased year by year due to its agronomical performances. In particular, in France, miscanthus is cultivated in the Bourgogne region and it is used as feedstock to produce pellet. In this paper, emergy assessment of different logistic (harvesting) strategies for miscanthus production in the Bourgogne region is presented. Emergy assessment is a particular methodology suited to quantify the resource use of a process and to estimate the percentage of renewability of products or services. The case study includes all phases to grow miscanthus, harvest the biomass as chips or short- or long-stranded bales and distribute it to a bioenergy plant. The aim of this study is to evaluate the sustainability performance of the whole process, from the field to the plant's gate. The emergy flow that represents the environmental cost of the whole process, the percentage of renewability (%R) and the Unit Emergy Values (UEV) that represent the resource use efficiency of the final products for each phase are calculated. Since miscanthus is reproduced by rhizomes, in addition to the system for growing and distributing miscanthus biomass, the system for producing miscanthus rhizomes is also analysed and a UEV for miscanthus rhizomes of 1.19E+05 seJ/J was obtained. Moreover, due the absence of other emergy assessments for miscanthus biomass for comparison, a sensitivity analysis has been made by considering different transport distances and different aboveground biomass yields. Comparing the harvesting methodologies, the bales made with short strands has the best performance. The aboveground biomass production was found to have an Energy Return On energy Investment (EROI), which is the double of that from an experimental miscanthus field in Italy. However, this implied a trade-off for the net energy production of about 50%.

Comparative evaluation of GHG emissions from the use of Miscanthus for bio-hydrocarbon production via fast pyrolysis and bio-oil upgrading

This study examines the GHG emissions associated with producing bio-hydrocarbons via fast pyrolysis of Miscanthus. The feedstock is then upgraded to bio-oil products via hydroprocessing and zeolite cracking. Inventory data for this study were obtained from current commercial cultivation practices of Miscanthus in the UK and state-of-the-art process models developed in Aspen Plus®. The system boundary considered spans from the cultivation of Miscanthus to conversion of the pyrolysis-derived bio-oil into bio-hydrocarbons up to the refinery gate. The Miscanthus cultivation subsystem considers three scenarios for soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration rates. These were assumed as follows: (i) excluding (SOC), (ii) low SOC and (iii) high (SOC) for best and worst cases. Overall, Miscanthus cultivation contributed moderate to negative values to GHG emissions, from analysis of excluding SOC to high SOC scenarios. Furthermore, the rate of SOC in the Miscanthus cultivation subsystem has significant effects on total GHG emissions. Where SOC is excluded, the fast pyrolysis subsystem shows the highest positive contribution to GHG emissions, while the credit for exported electricity was the main ‘negative’ GHG emission contributor for both upgrading pathways. Comparison between the bio-hydrocarbons produced from the two upgrading routes and fossil fuels indicates GHG emission savings between 68% and 87%. Sensitivity analysis reveals that bio-hydrocarbon yield and nitrogen gas feed to the fast pyrolysis reactor are the main parameters that influence the total GHG emissions for both pathways.

Economic Aspects of Bioenergy Production from Perennial Grasses in Marginal Lands of South Europe

The pressure for environmental protection and reduction of energy dependence combined with strong economic motivation for lowering fossil fuel consumption and energy prices has driven Europe and other countries toward the exploitation of biomass for energy. More recently, after a good number of very ambitious national programmes for the promotion of energy from dedicated crops, we are facing the problem of food shortages and food price pressures worldwide, due to changes in the use of land. This article examines the economics of cultivation of giant reed (Arundo donax L.), miscanthus (Miscanthus × giganteus) and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), in marginal lands of South Europe, and investigates the conditions under which such cultivations would be justified on economic grounds. By using life cycle costing analysis (LCCA) and discounted cash flow (DCF) methodology, the annual equivalent costs estimated are expressing in the most comprehensive way lifetime costs. It has been found that under current economic and climatic conditions in South Europe, perennial grass production cost in marginal lands is significantly affected by the degree of “land marginality”. We estimate an average yield loss of approximately 40 % due to land marginality. In northern regions of Mediterranean Europe with high precipitation levels, irrigation costs are lower and yields are higher. In the south, the cost of irrigation can be as high as 20 % of total cost. The cost of producing and delivering biomass to the market ranges between 60 and 80 €/dry tonne. Giant reed has been found to be the most cost-effective of the three crops, mainly because of its relatively high yields in comparison to the other two crops. Considerable data variability, indicative of regional distinctiveness, does not allow definitive conclusions.

Miscanthus as cellulosic biomass for bioethanol production.

The members of the genus Miscanthus are potential feedstocks for biofuels because of the promising high yields of biomass per unit of planted area. This review addresses species, cultivation, and lignocellulose composition of Miscanthus, as well as pretreatment and enzyme saccharification of Miscanthus biomass for ethanol fermentation. The average cellulose contents in dried biomass of Miscanthus floridulus, Miscanthus sinensis, Miscanthus sacchariflorus, and Miscanthus × giganteus (M × G) are 37.2, 37.6, 38.9, and 41.1% wt/wt, respectively. A number of pretreatment methods have been applied in order to enhance digestibility of Miscanthus biomass for enzymatic saccharification. Pretreatment of Miscanthus using liquid hot water or alkaline results in a significant release of glucose; while glucose yields can be 90% or higher if a pretreatment like AFEX that combines both chemical and physical processes is used. As ethanol is produced by yeast fermentation of the hydrolysate from enzymatic hydrolysis of residual solids (pulp) after pretreatment, theoretical ethanol yields are 0.211-0.233 g/g-raw biomass if only cellulose is taken into account. Simultaneous saccharification and fermentation of pretreated M × G and M. lutarioriparius results in experimental ethanol yields of 0.13 and 0.15 g/g-raw biomass, respectively. Co-production of value-added products can reduce the overall production cost of bioethanol.

Feasibility of Miscanthus as alternative bedding for dairy cows

Despite dairy farmers' awareness of the importance of correct bedding for the health and comfort of their cows, they are often frugal with respect to these bedding materials in order to reduce costs. In addition, farmers are currently dependent on the availability and price fluctuations of traditional bedding materials. For these reasons, the scientific literature as well as the trade press point to an intensifying search for affordable alternative bedding materials. The aim of this study was to investigate whether Miscanthus, a woody grass that requires low input but generates high yield, could replace straw in deep little dairy cow cubicles. The cows' cubicles were lined for two consecutive 14-day periods with straw/chalk/water bedding, followed by two consecutive 14-day periods with ground- Miscanthus/chalk bedding. No significant differences were found in the following parameters: loss/ waste of bedding material, bacterial growth in cubicles, cow skin lesions (except for carpus lesions), cow cleanli - ness or cow comfort. Dust concentrations measured as PM 10 were higher when cubicles were filled with straw- based bedding, but never exceeded workspace quality safety limits. Based on these results, one can conclude that Miscanthus has potential as a viable alternative to straw when used as a bedding material. On-farm cultivation of Miscanthus may increase dairy farmer self-sufficiency and could reduce bedding costs.

Perennial biomass crop cultivation and its territorial patterns

The cultivation of miscanthus, a new agricultural crop used in the production of energy and biomaterial, is a potential competitor for agricultural land use. Modelling approaches are therefore needed to predict the spatial patterns of changing land use throughout a territory. Given the lack of information about how crop location is determined within the territory, a detailed understanding of farmers' choices is a prerequisite for the construction of such models. This paper presents the results of a study involving ten farmers; it shows the complexity of their decision-making processes and the diversity of practices in crop location.

A GIS based assessment of bioenergy potential in England within existing energy systems

This paper presents an analysis of the spatial supply and demand relationships for biomass energy potential for England, using Geographical Information System (GIS) mapping techniques. Due to energy use and cost of biomass feedstock transportation, the spatial relationship between potential supply and demand is crucial to efficient usage of this distributed feedstock. Previous studies have identified potential for biomass generation at individual sites, according to local factors dictating viable transport distances and costs. The research presented here necessarily takes a more generalised approach, to allow national scale assessment of capability to meet fixed location demands, and quantify theoretical potential generation under relevant scenarios. The approach is illustrated for England, although techniques are applicable elsewhere when suitable data are available.Mapping for England indicates that of the 2,521,996 ha viable for cultivation of Miscanthus, 1,998,435 ha are within 25 km of the identified potential end uses of feedstock, and 2,409,541 ha are within 40 km. Potential generation exceeds the 2020 UK biomass generation target of 259 PJ, whichever radius is applied. However, predictions assume Miscanthus cultivation at all appropriate sites, and no policy interventions to limit transport distance.Results from national scale analysis may be useful in informing government decisions, for example to identify impacts on total generation potential of incentives affecting decisions on allocation of overlap feedstock. Variation in GHG balance and environmental impacts between cultivation sites creates spatial variation in benefits of bioenergy, which should be taken into account in addition to the spatial relationship between supply and demand.

Accumulation of Miscanthus‐derived carbon in soils in relation to soil depth and duration of land use under commercial farming conditions

AbstractBioenergy is becoming an important option in Global Change mitigation policy world‐wide. In agriculture, cultivation of energy crops for biodiesel, biogas, or bioethanol production received considerable attention in the past decades. Beyond this, the cultivation of Miscanthus, used as solid fuel for combustion, may lead to an increase in soil organic matter content compared to other agricultural land use, since C‐sequestration potential in soils of Miscanthus crops is high due to, e.g., high amounts of harvest residues. This may indirectly contribute to a reduction of atmospheric CO2 concentration. The objective of the present work was to investigate the development of soil organic carbon and Miscanthus‐derived C contents, as well as to estimate carbon stocks in soils cultivated with Miscanthus using 13C‐natural‐abundance technique. The investigations were carried out in relation to soil depth up to 150 cm in a sequence of 2, 5, and 16 y of cultivation relative to a reference soil cultivated with cereals. Amounts of total organic C (TOC) and Miscanthus‐derived C (Miscanthus‐C) increased with increasing duration of cultivation. For example, TOC increased from 12.8 to 21.3 g C kg–1 after 16 y of cultivation at the depth of 0–15 cm, whereby the portion of Miscanthus‐C reached 5.8 g C kg–1. Also within deeper soil layers down to 60 cm depth a significant enhancement of Miscanthus‐C was detectable even though TOC contents were not significantly enhanced. At soil depth below 60 cm, no significant differences between treatments were found for Miscanthus‐C. Within 16 y of continuous commercial farming, Miscanthus stands accumulated a total of 17.7 Mg C ha–1 derived from Miscanthus residues (C4‐C), which is equivalent to 1.1 Mg C4‐C ha–1 y–1. The annual surplus might function as CO2 credit within a greenhouse‐gas balance. Moreover, the beneficial properties of Miscanthus cultivation combined with a low requirement on fertilization may justify the status of Miscanthus as a sustainable low‐input bioenergy crop.

유망 바이오에너지작물 "억새" 개발

억새의 식물학적인 분류 및 형태, 선진국의 억새 육종, 재배 및 이용 현황 그리고 우리나라의 억새 연구성과 등을 고찰함으로서 향후 우리나라 에너지 자급율 제고를 위한 억새 연구방향을 제시하고자 국내외 연구결과를 요약하면 다음과 같다. 억새속 식물에는 17개종이 존재하는데 이 중 바이오 에너지용으로 중요한 종은 한국 등 동아시아가 원산인 참억새(M. sinensis)와 물억새(M. sacchariflorus) 그리고 이들 두 종의 종간 교잡종인 3배체 억새(M. x giganteous) 등이다. 여러 가지 에너지작물 중 억새는 연간 바이오매스 수량이 많고 저온, 염해, 습해 등 열악 환경 적응성과 질소이용효율이 우수하며 에너지 산출/투입 수지가 가장 높고 지상부 줄기와 땅속줄기에 다량의 탄소를 저장하기 때문에 탄수수지가 가장 높다. 유럽, 미국 및 캐나다 에서는 1930년대부터 일본으로부터 3배체 억새를 도입하여 연료용 펠릿 생산, 열병합발전, 양액재배 배지, 건축자재 및 강화 플라스틱 원료로 이용한다. 현재 재배되는 3배체 억새 단점보완을 위한 품종육성연구와 사탕수수와 억새교잡종인 "Miscane" 육성 연구가 진행되고 있다. 우리나라에서는 2007년 억새 유전자원 수집이 착수된 이후 2009년에 바이오매스 수량이 많은 "거대억새1호"와 억새를 증식효율을 높일 수 있는 "억새대량증식방법"을 개발하였다. 향후 우리나라 억새산업 발전을 위해서는 분자육종 등 새로운 육종기법을 활용하여 우리나라뿐만 아니라 해외에서도 재배할 수 있는 우량 신품종을 육성하는 한편 바이오매스의 전처리, 당화 및 발효 등 셀룰로오스계 에탄올 생산공정에 관한 연구도 강화해야 할 것이다. In order to suggest correct direction of researches on Miscanthus spp. which are promising bioenergy crop, authors had reviewed and summarized various literature about botanical taxonomy, morphology and present condition of breeding, cultivation and utilization of miscanthus. Among the genus of Miscanthus which are known 17 species, the most important species are M. sinensis and M. sacchariflorus which origin are East Asia including Korea, and M. x giganteus which is inter-specific hybrid of tetraploid M. sacchariflorus and diploid M. sinensis. Miscanthus is superior to other energy crops in resistance to poor environments including cold, saline and damp soil, nitrogen utilization efficiency, budget of input energy and carbon which are required for producing biomass and output which are stored in biomass. The major species for production of energy and industrial products including construction material in Europe, USA and Canada is M. x giganteus which was introduced from Japan in 1930s. In present, many breeding programs are conducted to supplement demerits of present varieties and to develop "Miscanes" which is hybrid of miscanthus and sugar cane. In Korea, the researches on breeding and cultivation of miscanthus were initiated in 2007 by collecting germplasms, and developed "Goedae-Uksae 1" which is high biomass yield and "mass propagation method of miscanthus" which can improve propagation efficiency in 2009. In order to develop "Korean miscanthus industry" in future, the superior varieties available not only domestic but also foreign market should be developed by new breeding method including molecular markers. Researches on production process of cellulosic bio-ethanol including pre-treatment and saccharification of miscanthus biomass also should be strengthen.

Miscanthus × Giganteus straw and pellets as sustainable fuels

In this paper we present, for the first time, data on the combustion of Miscanthus × Giganteus straw and pellets. We found that the heating value of Miscanthus is 17.744 MJ/kg. The gaseous emission indices of SO2, NO x and total organic carbon (TOC) in the exhaust are reported and compared with the European standards for biomass boilers. On the basis of our results, it is possible to evaluate a net energy yield between 152 and 326 MJ/hectare/year for the cultivation of Miscanthus with an energy balance estimated to be in the range of 7.7–15.4. According to the presented results, it seems reasonable to consider Miscanthus as a promising candidate as alternative fuel.

06/00187 The cultivation and energy balance of Miscanthus×giganteus production in Turkey : Acarolu, M. and Aksoy, Ş. Biomass and Bioenergy, 2005, 29, (1), 42–48

06/00187 The cultivation and energy balance of Miscanthus×giganteus production in Turkey : Acarolu, M. and Aksoy, Ş. Biomass and Bioenergy, 2005, 29, (1), 42–48