Miscanthus Sacchariflorus Research Articles

Biomass yields, reproductive fertility, compositional analysis, and genetic diversity of newly developed triploid giant miscanthus hybrids

AbstractMiscanthus ×giganteus (giant miscanthus), first found as a naturally occurring hybrid, has shown promise as a bioenergy/biomass crop throughout much of the temperate world. This allotriploid (2n = 3x = 57) hybrid resulted from a cross between tetraploid Miscanthus sacchariflorus (2n = 4x = 76) and diploid Miscanthus sinensis (2n = 2x = 38) and is particularly desirable due to its low fertility that minimizes reseeding and potential invasiveness. However, there is limited genetic diversity in commonly grown cultivars of triploid M. ×giganteus and breeding and development efforts to improve and domesticate this crop have been minimal. Here, we report on newly developed M. ×giganteus hybrids compared with the industry standard M. ×giganteus '1993‐1780'. Dry biomass yields of new hybrids ranged from 19.5 to 32.4 Mg/ha/year for the fourth growing season, compared with 21.0 Mg/ha/year for M. ×giganteus '1993‐1780'. Plant reproductive fertility remained low for all accessions with overall fertility [(seed set × seed germination)/100] ranging from 0.3% to 4.5% for new hybrids compared to 0.4% for M. ×giganteus '1993‐1780'. Culm density and height varied among accessions and were positively correlated with increased biomass. Based on compositional analyses, theoretical ethanol yields ranged from 9, 740 to 16,278 L/ha/year for new hybrids compared to 10,406 L/ha/year for M. ×giganteus '1993‐1780'. Relative feed value indices were low overall and ranged between 66.0 and 72.8 for new hybrids compared to M. ×giganteus '1993‐1780' with 71.3. The genetic diversity of new hybrids, compared with existing cultivars, was characterized using whole genome sequences. Based on pair‐wise distances, cluster analysis clearly showed increased diversity of new hybrids compared with earlier selections. These results document new triploid hybrids of M. ×giganteus with enhanced biomass and theoretical ethanol yields in combination with broader genetic diversity and lowreproductive fertility.

Effect of Salt-Induced Stress on the Calorific Value of Two Miscanthus sacchariflorus (Amur Silvergrass) Varieties

This study was designed to investigate the relationship between the caloric value and salt tolerance of two varieties of Miscanthus sacchariflorus (Amur silvergrass: M127 and M022). The salt tolerance capacity, photosynthetic characteristics, Na+ and K+ uptake by the roots and aboveground parts, and caloric value of different parts of the aboveground parts were obtained under hydroponic conditions. The results showed that M022 was more tolerant to salt stress than M127 and the former had a higher photosynthetic efficiency as well as a lower aboveground Na+ accumulation, K+ efflux, and larger K+/Na+ ratio. The calorific values of stems, spear leaves, aging leaves, and functional leaves of the two varieties showed a decreasing trend with increasing NaCl concentration. At 270 mM NaCl, the calorific values of the stems, aging leaves, functional leaves, and spear leaves was reduced by 18.10%, 46.73%, 26.11%, and 18.35% for M022 and 41.99%, 39.41%, 34.82%, and 45.09% for M127 compared to the controls, respectively. We observed that the aging leaves of M022 had a faster decline rate in calorific value than those of M127, indicating that the aging leaves of M022 preferentially isolated the harmful Na+ ion, reduced its accumulation in other parts, and increased the K+/Na+ ratio in the corresponding parts, thus inhibiting the decrease in calorific value. Following this result, it can be inferred that M022 inhibited the decline in calorific values during stress by efficiently compartmentalizing the distribution of Na+ and K+. Our results provide a theoretical basis and technical support for the efficient cultivation of salt-tolerant energy plants in saline–alkaline soil.

Photosynthetic variation and detoxification strategies based on cadmium uptake, non-protein thiols, and secondary metabolites in Miscanthus sacchariflorus under cadmium exposure.

Miscanthus sacchariflorus is previously demonstrated to be a potential candidate for remediation of cadmium (Cd) pollution. To explore its resistance strategy to Cd, a hydroponic experiment was conducted to determine the variations of photosynthetic activity in leaves and physiological response in roots of this plant. Results showed that the root of M. sacchariflorus was the primary location for Cd accumulation. The bioconcentration factor in the roots and rhizomes was >1, and the translocation factor from underground to aboveground was <1. Throughout the experimental period, treatment with 0.06 mM Cd2+ did not significantly alter the contents of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, or carotenoid. By contrast, treatment with 0.15 and 0.30 mM Cd2+ decreased the contents of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and carotenoid; caused the deformation of the chlorophyll fluorescence transient curve; reduced the photochemical efficiency of photosystem II; and increased the contents of non-protein thiols, total flavone, and total phenol. These results indicate that M. sacchariflorus has good adaptability to 0.06 mM Cd2+. Moreover, the accumulation of the non-protein thiols, total flavone, and total phenol in roots may promote the chelation of Cd2+, thus alleviating Cd toxicity. This study provides theoretical support for using M. sacchariflorus to remediate Cd-polluted wetlands.

Salt tolerance evaluation and mini-core collection development in Miscanthus sacchariflorus and M. lutarioriparius.

Marginal lands, such as those with saline soils, have potential as alternative resources for cultivating dedicated biomass crops used in the production of renewable energy and chemicals. Optimum utilization of marginal lands can not only alleviate the competition for arable land use with primary food crops, but also contribute to bioenergy products and soil improvement. Miscanthus sacchariflorus and M. lutarioriparius are prominent perennial plants suitable for sustainable bioenergy production in saline soils. However, their responses to salt stress remain largely unexplored. In this study, we utilized 318 genotypes of M. sacchariflorus and M. lutarioriparius to assess their salt tolerance levels under 150 mM NaCl using 14 traits, and subsequently established a mini-core elite collection for salt tolerance. Our results revealed substantial variation in salt tolerance among the evaluated genotypes. Salt-tolerant genotypes exhibited significantly lower Na+ content, and K+ content was positively correlated with Na+ content. Interestingly, a few genotypes with higher Na+ levels in shoots showed improved shoot growth characteristics. This observation suggests that M. sacchariflorus and M. lutarioriparius adapt to salt stress by regulating ion homeostasis, primarily through enhanced K+ uptake, shoot Na+ exclusion, and Na+ sequestration in shoot vacuoles. To evaluate salt tolerance comprehensively, we developed an assessment value (D value) based on the membership function values of the 14 traits. We identified three highly salt-tolerant, 50 salt-tolerant, 127 moderately salt-tolerant, 117 salt-sensitive, and 21 highly salt-sensitive genotypes at the seedling stage by employing the D value. A mathematical evaluation model for salt tolerance was established for M. sacchariflorus and M. lutarioriparius at the seedling stage. Notably, the mini-core collection containing 64 genotypes developed using the Core Hunter algorithm effectively represented the overall variability of the entire collection. This mini-core collection serves as a valuable gene pool for future in-depth investigations of salt tolerance mechanisms in Miscanthus.

Vegetation types and flood water level are dominant factors controlling the carbon sequestration potential in Dongting Lake floodplain, China

Wetlands are important carbon sinks. However, the carbon sequestration potential of flooded wetlands may be weakened owing to water regime changes induced by anthropogenic disturbances. Using the eddy covariance technique, this study quantified the effects of the water level and vegetation types on the net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE), gross primary production (GPP), and ecosystem respiration (Reco) from a reed marsh (Miscanthus sacchariflorus) and a sedge meadow (Carex spp.) in the Dongting Lake floodplain from 2014 to 2016. Our results indicated that the sedge meadow (−89.49 to −186.47 g C m−2 y−1) and reed marsh (−246.12 to −513.94 g C m−2 y−1) were carbon sinks on the interannual timescale. However, the sedge meadow changed from a carbon sink to a carbon source during the flooding season. The effect of flooding on the carbon sink function in the reed marsh was dependent on the water level. The carbon sink function of the reed marsh was enhanced by moderate flooding (water level under 30.5 m in Chenglingji) owing to the inhibition of Reco, but was weakened by extremely high-water levels (over 33 m in Chenglingji) during the flooding season. Seasonal variations in NEE, GPP, and Reco were closely related to photosynthetic photon flux density, soil water content, water level, soil temperature, and air temperature. We can conclude that the increase in reed area combined with the decrease in flooding days in the sedge meadow can potentially enhance the carbon sink function of the Dongting Lake floodplain.

Assessment of the long-term effect of Miscanthus sacchariflorus growth on soil properties

The aim of the study was to assess the effectt of different-age plantations of Miscanthus sacchariflorus cv. Soranovsky on the gray forest soil properties in the forest-steppe of West Siberia, Russia. Location and time of the study. The experimental part of the research was carried out at the Research Experimental Station of the Institute of Cytology and Genetics SB RAS (Novosibirsk) in 2018-2020. Methodology. The methods employed in the stydu were the most common ones for chemical and physical analyses of soils and plant samples. Results. Differently aged plantations of Miscanthus sacchariflorus allowed obtaining 12-15 tons of dry mass per 1 hectare for 14 or more years without reducing the productivity. Miscanthus sacchariflorus can grow effectively in soils with low fertility. The humus content in light-textured soil increased by 0.3-0.4% over 11 years of Miscanthus growth, as compared with the fallow soil. Miscanthus sacchariflorus plantations showed a positive environment-forming effect, favourably affecting ecological and agronomic soil properties of the agrocenoses. Conclusions. Miscanthus has broad adaptation potential in relation to low-fertility lands, preventing their progressive degradation, improving the ecological and agrochemical state of the ecosystems and facilitating agronomic production. Miscanthus has a beneficial environment-forming effect on low-fertility soils by enriching them with mineral nutrients and improving their humus and texture condition.

Adaptation of Giant Miscanthus in North-West Region Conditions

The introduction of a highly productive species of the giant miscanthus (Miscanthus giganteus L.) with high cellulose content in the stems and the extension of the cultivation boundaries of promising varieties and decorative species is relevant. Miscanthus sinensis is native to the southern Primorsky region. This is a perennial herbaceous plant of the Poaceae family, the Panicoideae subfamily. In many countries, the technology of its cultivation is well developed to preserve slowly renewable forest areas. In the early 2000s, in Russia, there was a strong interest in miscanthus, and a promising species was created — the giant miscanthus, a natural hybrid of Miscanthus sinensis and Miscanthus sacchariflorus. This hybrid does not form inflorescences and does not produce seeds, it reproduces only vegetatively in the conditions of moderate climate of the European part of Russia. Domestic breeders have created the Kamis variety, which in the conditions of the middle strip of Russia gives stable yields up to 15 tons of air-dry mass per hectare. Experiments have been carried out on fallow land and agricultural land in the Oratai agricultural production cooperative to study the characteristics of growth, development and formation of the crop of above-ground mass of the Kamis variety in agro-ecological conditions of the Novgorod region. The characteristics of plant growth and development have been identified depending on weather and soil conditions. The region has about 600 mm of rainfall, which is a limiting factor for miscanthus plants. The development of superterrestrial organs of giant miscanthus plants and their role in crop formation have been established. The creation of highly productive plantations of the giant miscanthus will increase the number of species in the flora of the Novgorod region as a biologically renewable resource.

THE EFFECT OF WATER DEFICIENCY ON THE PRODUCTION PROCESS OF MISCANTHUS (MISCANTHUS SPP.)

The article discusses the main physiological features of the formation of productivity elements of three species of miscanthus (Giganteus, Sinensis and Sacchariflorus) in drought conditions. The aim of the study is the comprehensive characterization of the responses of three miscanthus species under conditions of water deficit in order to identify potential mechanisms of drought resistance of this crop and assess the possibility of its cultivation in a more arid climate. The objectives of the study included assessing the level of biomass accumulation by miscanthus plants under normal and drought conditions, determining growth indicators and indicators of functional activity, as well as evaluating indicators of the aquatic regime of miscanthus plants. The results obtained indicate the presence of a wide species-specificity of the responses of miscanthus plants to water deficiency. In the case of prolonged drought, the relative growth rate of all miscanthus species decreases. In Miscanthus sacchariflorus drought leads to the decrease in photosynthesis productivity, but the efficiency of water consumption in these plants remained at the plant level in conditions of normal water supply. Miscanthus giganteus and especially miscanthus sinansis have found a wider range of reactions to drought, which includes not only maintaining photosynthetic productivity, but also optimizing it, as well as increasing the efficiency of water utilization. In the miscanthus of the studied species, two strategies for adaptation to conditions of draught were confirmed - the preservation and maintenance of vital processes in conditions of water deficit, along with the presence of mechanisms that optimize the efficiency of water consumption.

Application of Miscanthus substrates in the cultivation of Ganoderma lingzhi.

Ganoderma lingzhi is a traditional Chinese medicine that has been used to improve health and longevity for thousands of years. It is usually cultivated on hardwood log- or sawdust-based formulations. Conversely, in this study, we used Miscanthus sacchariflorus (MSF), M. floridulus, and M. sinensis (MSS), fast-growing perennial grasses widely distributed in China, for G. lingzhi cultivation. Mycelial growth rate, activities of lignin-degrading enzymes on colonized mushroom substrates, and expression levels of CAZymes and laccase genes based on different substrates were analyzed. Total triterpenoids, sterols, and polysaccharides content of fruiting bodies obtained from different substrates were investigated. The activities of laccase and manganese peroxidase in mycelia increased in the MSF- and MSS-based formulations compared with that in the sawdust-based formulation. The results of mycelial growth- and cultivation-related experiments showed that the Miscanthus substrates could be used as the substrates for cultivating G. lingzhi. The content of activeingredients, namely triterpenoids, sterols, and polysaccharides, in fruiting bodies cultivated on the Miscanthus substrates did not decrease compared with those in substrate obtained from the sawdust-based formulation. Therefore, the present study provides alternative substrates for the cultivation of G. lingzhi, and a reference for better utilization of inexpensive substrate in future.

Impact of genotype-calling methodologies on genome-wide association and genomic prediction in polyploids.

Discovery and analysis of genetic variants underlying agriculturally important traits are key to molecular breeding of crops. Reduced representation approaches have provided cost-efficient genotyping using next-generation sequencing. However, accurate genotype calling from next-generation sequencing data is challenging, particularly in polyploid species due to their genome complexity. Recently developed Bayesian statistical methods implemented in available software packages, polyRAD, EBG, and updog, incorporate error rates and population parameters to accurately estimate allelic dosage across any ploidy. We used empirical and simulated data to evaluate the three Bayesian algorithms and demonstrated their impact on the power of genome-wide association study (GWAS) analysis and the accuracy of genomic prediction. We further incorporated uncertainty in allelic dosage estimation by testing continuous genotype calls and comparing their performance to discrete genotypes in GWAS and genomic prediction. We tested the genotype-calling methods using data from two autotetraploid species, Miscanthus sacchariflorus and Vaccinium corymbosum, and performed GWAS and genomic prediction. In the empirical study, the tested Bayesian genotype-calling algorithms differed in their downstream effects on GWAS and genomic prediction, with some showing advantages over others. Through subsequent simulation studies, we observed that at low read depth, polyRAD was advantageous in its effect on GWAS power and limit of false positives. Additionally, we found that continuous genotypes increased the accuracy of genomic prediction, by reducing genotyping error, particularly at low sequencing depth. Our results indicate that by using the Bayesian algorithm implemented in polyRAD and continuous genotypes, we can accurately and cost-efficiently implement GWAS and genomic prediction in polyploid crops.

Adaptability comparison and application assessment of various bioenergy grasses on different marginal lands in China

To understand the effects of different marginal land and environments on the growth, biomass yield, quality, and theoretical ethanol yield of different bioenergy grasses, and to compare the adaptability of different bioenergy grasses. This study was conducted in four representative marginal lands located in Chongqing, Liuyang, Nanyang, and Beijing. The agronomic traits, cell wall compositions, and theoretical alcohol yield of nine energy grasses containing 22 accessions were compared. The effects of environmental factors on biomass yield, quality, and theoretical ethanol yield of different accessions were evaluated via parametric and non-parametric statistics and AMMI analysis, and the stability and adaptability of all accessions were also compared. The results revealed that there were significant differences in biomass yield, quality, and theoretical alcohol yield among different species at the same trial site, and the same species also showed large differences between trial sites. Grasses exhibited divergent adaptability across trial sites, such as Saccharum arundinaceum and Miscanthus floridulus were sensitive to low temperatures and could not overwinter normally in Beijing. The biomass yield of Miscanthus sacchariflorus declined as the latitude decreased. Miscanthus × giganteus, Miscanthus lutarioriparius × sinensis, and Panicum virgatum exhibited greater resistance to environmental changes, indicating superior stability and environmental adaptability.

Effects of replacing mineral fertilizers with sewage sludge and biogas digestate on ethanol production of Miscanthus sacchariflorus

Effects of replacing mineral fertilizers with sewage sludge and biogas digestate on ethanol production of Miscanthus sacchariflorus

Miscanthus-Derived Biochar Enhanced Soil Fertility and Soybean Growth in Upland Soil

As biochar improves soil fertility and crop productivity, there is a growing interest in it as a resource for sustainable agriculture. Miscanthus sacchariflorus has promising applications in various industries because it has a large amount of biomass. However, research on the agricultural utilization of Miscanthus-derived biochar is insufficient. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the effects of Miscanthus biochar on the soil environment and soybean growth. First, Miscanthus biochar was amended at different levels (3 or 10 tons/ha) in upland soil, after which the soil properties, root development, and yield of soybeans were compared with the control (without biochar). In the soil amended with 10 tons/ha of biochar (BC10), organic matter (OM) and available phosphate increased 1.6 and 2.0 times, respectively, compared with that in the control soil (CON). In addition, the soil dehydrogenase activity increased by 70% in BC10, and 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that the structure of the microbial community changed after amendment with biochar. The bacterial phyla that differed between CON and BC10 were Acidobacteria and Chloroflexi, which are known to be involved in carbon cycling. Owing to these changes in soil properties, the root dry weight and number of nodules in soybeans increased by 23% and 27%, respectively, and the seed yield increased 1.5-fold in BC10. In conclusion, Miscanthus biochar increased the fertility of soybean-growing soil and consequently increased seed yield. This study is valuable for the practical application of biochar for sustainable agriculture.

Time-lag effects of flood stimulation on methane emissions in the Dongting Lake floodplain, China

Natural wetlands are the primary sources of CH4 emissions in the natural environment. However, the understanding of CH4 fluxes in floodplain wetlands remains limited. This study employed eddy covariance methods to observe CH4 fluxes over a three-year period in a subtropical wetland floodplain, specifically the Miscanthus sacchariflorus (M. sacchariflorus) ecosystem in Dongting Lake wetland. Our analysis focused on exploring the impact of flooding frequency on CH4 emissions, flood stimulation effect, time-lag effects, and the environmental factors influencing CH4 fluxes. The M. sacchariflorus ecosystem exhibited an annual CH4 emission rate of 14.54 g CH4C m−2 y−1. During the flood period, the average daily CH4 emissions reached 0.155 g CH4C m−2 d−1, contrasting with the pre-flood period's average of 0.014 g CH4C m−2 d−1. Moreover, the time-lag effect of flooding on CH4 emissions was found to be 10 days, representing the period between inundation and a substantial increase in CH4 emissions. Comparatively, in 2021, following three fluctuations in floodwaters, the average CH4 emission intensity during the flood period decreased by 46.2% and 48.9% when compared to the years 2019 and 2020 which both following one fluctuation, respectively. CH4 emissions during flooding are predominantly influenced by water depth (WD), wherein shallow WD corresponds to higher CH4 emissions. This correlation can be attributed to factors such as vegetation type, water-column pressure, and soil oxygen content. Therefore, increasing frequency of inundation and a higher WD hold promise as effective measures for mitigating CH4 emissions in floodplain wetlands.

Effects of hydrogen sulfide on the growth and physiological characteristics of Miscanthus sacchariflorus seedlings under cadmium stress

As a gas signal molecule, hydrogen sulfide (H2S) can participate in many physiological and biochemical processes such as seed germination and photosynthesis regulation. In order to explore the regulatory effect of H2S on the growth of Miscanthus sacchariflorus under Cd stress and to provide sufficient theoretical basis for the complex action of H2S and energy plants to remediate soil pollution. In this experiment, the effects of different concentrations of H2S (10, 25, 50, 100, 300, 400, 500 μmol·L−1 (μM)) pretreatment on the growth index, lipid peroxidation degree, chlorophyll (Chl) content, osmoregulation substance content, antioxidant enzyme activity and non-enzymatic antioxidant content of M. sacchariflorus under Cd stress (50 μM) were studied. The results showed that under Cd stress, the reactive oxygen species (ROS) content in the body of M. sacchariflorus was unbalanced, and the growth were severely inhibited, the activities of antioxidant enzymes, such as catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) significantly decreased, and the content of osmoregulation substance, ascorbic acid (AsA) and glutathione (GSH) significantly increased. With the increase of H2S concentration, its effect on resisting Cd stress can be shown as "low concentration promotes, high concentration inhibits". When the concentration of H2S ≤ 300 μM, although there was no significant difference in Cd content compared with Cd treatment alone, it can regulate the activities of peroxidase (POD), SOD, glutathione reductase (GR) and monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDHAR), increase the content of osmoregulation substances, oxidized glutathione (GSSG), and the transformation rate of AsA and dehydroascorbic acid (DHA) to reduce the oxidative damage and improve the growth and photosynthetic indicators of plants; when the concentration of H2S ≥ 400 μM, Cd content in the ground and root decreased significantly, but the transport factor increased significantly, the growth status of M. sacchariflorus were more severely inhibited by the combined stress of H2S and Cd. In this experiment, it was found that the concentration of H2S pretreatment ≤ 300 μM could regulate the growth of M. sacchariflorus under Cd stress to normal level, and when the treatment concentration was 50 μM, the effect was the best. It will provide a new idea for the treatment of contaminated soil by energy plants.

MsaH2A.W is identified response to salt tolerance in Miscanthus sacchariflorus

AbstractMiscanthus is a perennial forage plant with great potential for high stress tolerance and biomass yield. It has strong adaptability for growing in saline land and avoids competition with grain crops in arable lands. However, little is known about the underlying genetic basis of Miscanthus adaptation to salt stress. Two diploid species of the genus Miscanthus, Miscanthus sinensis and Miscanthus sacchariflorus, were the focus of this study. The transcriptome variations of these varieties and their hybrid were analysed using RNA‐seq technology under salt treatment. The number of differentially expressed genes in M. sinensis was much higher than that in M. sacchariflorus and their hybrid under salt stress, which indicated that M. sacchariflorus and their hybrid require less transcriptional variation. In addition, most salt‐tolerant genes in the enriched salt‐tolerant pathways were induced in the roots of M. sinensis and constitutively highly expressed in the roots of M. sacchariflorus and their hybrid under salt stress. According to this expression pattern of known salt‐tolerant genes, a histone variant gene MsaH2A.W of M. sacchariflorus was mined and consequently proved for the first time that it could enhance the salt tolerance of transgenic Arabidopsis plants. Overall, this study provides valuable genetic resources for studying the underlying genetic basis of salt stress resistance in Miscanthus. Identification of the salt tolerance gene MsaH2A.W can promote the genetic improvement and molecular breeding of salt‐resistant species.

A dataset of carbon dioxide flux observation of the &amp;lt;italic&amp;gt;Miscanthus sacchariflorus&amp;lt;/italic&amp;gt; ecosystem of Dongting Lake Wetland from 2014 to 2016

With considerable carbon sequestration potential, lakes are active channels of terrestrial carbon cycle. As the second largest freshwater lake in China, Dongting Lake has huge annual water level fluctuations (12–14 m), and the unique hydrological situation is a major challenge and of significance to the study of the carbon and water cycle processes at Dongting Lake, the control mechanism and its response to environmental changes. Miscanthus sacchariflorus is widely distributed at Dongting Lake and is a perennial tall bamboo-like herb with well-developed rhizomes and high carbon sequestration potential. Targeting the Miscanthus sacchariflorus ecosystem of Dongting Lake as the research object, we used the eddy-correlation (EC) system in the study to conduct long-term localized observations of carbon fluxes in the Miscanthus sacchariflorus ecosystem. As the first Dongting Lake ecosystem research station in China, National Field Scientific Observation and Research Station of Dongting Lake Wetland Ecosystem in Hunan Province (Dongting Lake National Station) collated the fluxes and conventional meteorological data of the Dongting Lake Miscanthus sacchariflorus ecosystem from June 2014 to December 2016 based on the data processing system of the China Flux Observation and Research Network (ChinaFLUX). The dataset includes the data files of net ecosystem carbon exchange, ecosystem respiration, ecosystem carbon exchange, latent heat flux, sensible heat flux, air temperature, relative air humidity, water vapor pressure, net radiation, and soil temperature at half-hourly, daily, monthly, and yearly scales. It can provide a strong data base for scientific understanding of the spatial and temporal dynamics of carbon, water and heat in the Miscanthus sacchariflorus ecosystem, material and energy cycles, estimation of global carbon sequestration potential, as well as response and adaptation to global climate change.

Soil erosion effectively alleviated by Miscanthus sacchariflorus, a potential candidate for land deterioration improvement

Plants can reduce runoff and improve soil properties in erosion-prone areas, thereby enhancing resistance to erosion. The main goal of this research was to identify the effects of planting density on the growth and soil fixation ability of Miscanthus sacchariflorus, which is a candidate for application in soil conservation. In this study, four planting densities (low density (I, 70 × 70 cm, row spacing × plant spacing), medium density (II, 50 × 50 cm), high density (III, 30 × 30 cm), and extremely high density (IV, 15 × 15 cm)) were set and plant growth, root architecture and soil erosion resistance were measured. The results showed that tiller number, leaf length, and biomass decreased with increased planting density. Root length and surface area per plant of fibrous roots and rhizomes were significantly (P < 0.05) decreased under density IV relative to density I, indicating that higher densities inhibited the per plant growth of M. sacchariflorus. However, the vegetation coverage and the density of root mass, length (RLD), surface area (RSAD), and volume per unit soil volume of M. sacchariflorus showed opposite trends. Additionally, the water stability and soil anti-erodibility from density III were significantly (P < 0.05) higher than those of other planting densities. Furthermore, correlation analysis showed that the RLD and RSAD of fibrous roots were the most important factors for erosion resistance of the soil. Overall, the density III may be optimal for M. sacchariflorus seedlings planted to alleviate soil erosion and this species may be a suitable and ecological candidate for soil conservation.

Biomass yield in a genetically diverse Miscanthus sacchariflorus germplasm panel phenotyped at five locations in Asia, North America, and Europe

AbstractMiscanthus is a high‐yielding bioenergy crop that is broadly adapted to temperate and tropical environments. Commercial cultivation of Miscanthus is predominantly limited to a single sterile triploid clone of Miscanthus × giganteus, a hybrid between Miscanthus sacchariflorus and M. sinensis. To expand the genetic base of M. × giganteus, the substantial diversity within its progenitor species should be used for cultivar improvement and diversification. Here, we phenotyped a diversity panel of 605 M. sacchariflorus from six previously described genetic groups and 27 M. × giganteus genotypes for dry biomass yield and 16 yield‐component traits, in field trials grown over 3 years at one subtropical location (Zhuji, China) and four temperate locations (Foulum, Denmark; Sapporo, Japan; Urbana, Illinois; and Chuncheon, South Korea). There was considerable diversity in yield and yield‐component traits among and within genetic groups of M. sacchariflorus, and across the five locations. Biomass yield of M. sacchariflorus ranged from 0.003 to 34.0 Mg ha−1 in year 3. Variation among the genetic groups was typically greater than within, so selection of genetic group should be an important first step for breeding with M. sacchariflorus. The Yangtze 2x genetic group (=ssp. lutarioriparius) of M. sacchariflorus had the tallest and thickest culms at all locations tested. Notably, the Yangtze 2x genetic group's exceptional culm length and yield potential were driven primarily by a large number of nodes (&gt;29 nodes culm−1 average over all locations), which was consistent with the especially late flowering of this group. The S Japan 4x, the N China/Korea/Russia 4x, and the N China 2x genetic groups were also promising genetic resources for biomass yield, culm length, and culm thickness, especially for temperate environments. Culm length was the best indicator of yield potential in M. sacchariflorus. These results will inform breeders' selection of M. sacchariflorus genotypes for population improvement and adaptation to target production environments.

Novel Miscanthus hybrids: Modelling productivity on marginal land in Europe using dynamics of canopy development determined by light interception.

New biomass crop hybrids for bioeconomic expansion require yield projections to determine their potential for strategic land use planning in the face of global challenges. Our biomass growth simulation incorporates radiation interception and conversion efficiency. Models often use leaf area to predict interception which is demanding to determine accurately, so instead we use low-cost rapid light interception measurements using a simple laboratory-made line ceptometer and relate the dynamics of canopy closure to thermal time, and to measurements of biomass. We apply the model to project the European biomass potentials of new market-ready hybrids for 2020-2030. Field measurements are easier to collect, the calibration is seasonally dynamic and reduces influence of weather variation between field sites. The model obtained is conservative, being calibrated by crops of varying establishment and varying maturity on less productive (marginal) land. This results in conservative projections of miscanthus hybrids for 2020-2030 based on 10% land use conversion of the least (productive) grassland and arable for farm diversification, which show a European potential of 80.7-89.7Mt year-1 biomass, with potential for 1.2-1.3EJ year-1 energy and 36.3-40.3Mt year-1 carbon capture, with seeded Miscanthus sacchariflorus × sinensis displaying highest yield potential. Simulated biomass projections must be viewed in light of the field measurements on less productive land with high soil water deficits. We are attempting to model the results from an ambitious and novel project combining new hybrids across Europe with agronomy which has not been perfected on less productive sites. Nevertheless, at the time of energy sourcing issues, seed-propagated miscanthus hybrids for the upscaled provision of bioenergy offer an alternative source of renewable energy. If European countries provide incentives for growers to invest, seeded hybrids can improve product availability and biomass yields over the current commercial miscanthus variety.