Agronomics of Producing Switchgrass and Miscanthus x Giganteus

8/13/2019 Agronomics of Producing Switchgrass and Miscanthus x Giganteus

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Agronomics of producing

Switchgrass and Miscanthus x giganteus

Kurt Thelen, Juan Gao,

,Michigan State University


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Main drivers for cellulosic-based renewable fuels

+ -

.


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Idealtraitsofabiomassenergycrop C4photosynthesis

Longcanopyduration

Accessiblecelluloseinshoots

Recalcitrantcarboninroots

Perennial

Easeofrotation

Noknownpestsordiseases

Providewildlifehabitat

Rapidspring

growth

(out

compete

weeds)

ap a ry own

Sterility

Partitionsnutrientstorootsinfall

Highwateruseefficiency

Multipleuse(animalfeed)

Useexistin farme ui ment

Source: modified from Raghu et al. Science 313:1742


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Switchgrass Miscanthus Annual grass


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Switchgrass Miscanthus Annual grass

C4photosynthesis

Long canopy duration

Accessible cellulose in shootsRecalci trant carbon in roots

Aggressive root system

Perennial

Ease of rotation

No known pests or diseasesProvide wildlife habitat

Rapid spring growth

Rapid fall drydown

Sterility

Partitions nutrients to roots in fall

High water use efficiencyMult iple use (animal feed) se ex st ng arm equ pment


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Environmental Grower Biorefiner


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Bottom Line $$$

Environmental Grower Biorefinery

incentives d namics rice function ofshaped nationallyin farm and energypolicy

shaped locally bycropping system,soils, climate,

national supply-demand with alocalized price

mar e ex y as s


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ThegenusMiscanthusincludesagroupofmorethan10grassspecies.

Miscanthus speciesarenativetoSoutheasternAsia,China,Japan,

Polynesia,and Africaand

are

currently

distributed

throughout

temperate

andtropicalareasoftheworld.

CultivarsofM.sacchari lorus M.sinensis theirh brids andothermiscanthusspeciesaregrowninNorthAmerica asornamentalcrops.

Themiscanthus genotypewiththegreatestbiomasspotentialisasterile,

hybrid(Miscanthus xgiganteus)likelyofM.sacchariflorus (tetraploid)and. .

Thecrossbetweenthetetraploid anddiploidproducesatriploidwhichisunabletoproduceviableseed.

BothM.sacchariflorus andM.sinensishaveescapedcultivationandcaneinvasive

in

t e

an scape.

BecauseMiscanthus xgiganteus hybridsareunlikelytoproduceseedtheyarelesslikelytobeinvasivethanothervarieties.


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(top) Miscanthus sinensis (diploid) and

(tetraploid). M. sinensis and M.

sacchariflorus are parents of

Miscanthus x giganteous (center)

w c s a s er e r p o .


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Miscanthusgiganteus:

life

cycle

Miscanthusxgiganteusisaperennial,warmseasongrasswithaC4 hotos nthetic athwa .UnlikemostC4s ecies,

photosynthesis

and

leaf

growth

can

be

sustained

at

relatively

lowtemperatures(aslowas43F).

propagatedvegetativelyfromrootstock.

Miscanthusxgiganteusgrowsasabunchgrassandwillspreads ow ywit s ortr izomes.It aserectstems,5to12 eetta .

DrymatteraccumulationincreasesrapidlyduringJune,July,

andAugust,reachingitsmaximumdrymatteryieldinlate

summer.Autumnfroststopsannualgrowthofmiscanthus.Regrowth

.

Miscanthushasalengthystandlife.Replantingisnecessary

after15years.


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Progressionof

Miscanthus giganteusgrowthin

Michigan

Rhizomes (used for planting) Initial growth (Year 1) Mid summer (Year 2) Early fall (Year 2)

Mature plant inflorescence


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adaptation

Miscanthusxgiganteusisadaptedtoawiderangeofsoilconditions,butismostproductiveonsoilswellsuitedforcornproduction.Itsbiomassyieldwill

belimited

on

shallow,

droughty,

cold,

and

waterlogged

soils.

Biomassproductionispositivelylinkedtoseasonalprecipitationandcan

declineconsiderablyunderwaterstressedconditions.

MiscanthusxgiganteushasbeengrowninEuropefromsouthernItaly(37Nlatitude)

to

Denmark

(56N

latitude).

It

may

not

be

adapted

as

far

north

in

duringthewinterthaninEurope.

InNorthAmericaMiscanthusxgiganteusplantingshavebeenestablished, , , , .

200809

we

had

near

complete

winter

kill

at

Arlington

Wisconsin,

but

near

totalsurvivalatMichiganlocations.


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production.

Biomass ieldwillbelimitedonshallow

droughty,cold,andwaterloggedsoils.

Winterkill

has

been

observed

at

various

sites

dependson:

winterconditionsmultiplefreezethaw

cycles,

harvestinginthefirstyear


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establishment

Miscanthusxgiganteusproducesnoseed,soitmustbeestablishedvegetativelybyplantingdividedrhizome(rootstock)pieces.Thisprocess

resultsin

high

establishment

costs

relative

to

crops

established

from

seed.

Theplantingrateisonetransplantperthreesquarefeetorabout4,000

p antsperacre.

Aswithothervegetativelypropagatedcrops,drysoilmoistureconditionsat

andfollowing

planting

greatly

decrease

establishment

success.

afterplanting.EuropeanresearchsuggestsnewplantingsofMiscanthusxgiganteusmaynotsurvivewheresoiltemperaturesfallbelow26Fatadepthsurvivability.

M.sinensisandM.sacchariflorusplantingshaveoverwinteredthefirstyearinnorthernEuropewhereairtemperatureshavebeenaslowas0F.Winter

survivaldoesnotappeartobeaprobleminthesecondandsubsequent

years.


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fertility

needs

Likecornandothergrasscrops,Nitrogenwilllikelybethelargestfertilizer

requ rement or scant us.

Fertilizers

are

not

needed

in

the

first

two

years.

Their

application

will

create

greaterweedgrowthduringestablishment.Maintenancefertilizerratesare

.

TheharveststrategyofwaitinguntilafterfrostwillminimizeNfertilizer

needsincetheplantswilltranslocateprotein(N)totherootswhereitis

lowannualratestosupportgrowth.

Nitrogenapplicationsof5075lbs.peracreareoftenusedinmultiyear

researchstudies.

Fertilization

rates

for

phosphorus

and

potassium

should

be

adjusted

to

replacetheamountsexportedinharvestedbiomass.Annualestimated

phosphorusremovalis1.5lbs.pertonofbiomassremoved.Potassium

removalis12lbs.perton.


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harvestMiscanthusbiomassisharvestedattheendofthegrowingseason.

Harvestscanbetakenbetweenmaturityinthefallandplantregrowththe

followin s rin .

Latewinterandspringharvestsresultinhigherqualityfeedstockfor

combustion,butloweryieldsduetofieldlosses.

ResearchinEuropeandIllinoisshowsa30to50percentyieldreduction

whenharvestisdelayedfromautumntolatewinter.

Mowingduringthegrowingseasonharmsplantgrowthandregeneration

bydepleting

rootstock.

Drymatteryieldofmiscanthusintheestablishmentyearisgenerallyless

thanonetonperacre,whichisinsufficienttomeritharvest.

ResearchinEuropehasshowndrymatteryieldsof4.5to11.2tonsperacre

, .

tonsperacre.ThehighestyieldsarereportedinsouthernEurope,generally

southof40Nlatitude.

.

Illinoishasresultedin10to15tonsperacrewithtonnagedecreasingat

morenortherly

latitudes.


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WeedManagement

in


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Standestablishmentcritical

Planting

Seedbed re aration

Timeofplanting

Mowing

Tillage rotaryhoe,harrow

Herbicides Nolabeledproducts!


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PRE-emergence POST-emergence

Atrazine Dual Magnum/Harness/Outlook

Atrazine2,4-D / BanvelBuctril

ALS herbicides

HPPD inhibitors

Laudis/Impact

Potential Injury Potential Injury

Command

ALS herbicides

No labeled products


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Sources:

GrowingGiantMiscanthusinIllinois

http://miscanthus.illinois.edu/wpcontent/uploads/growersguide.pdf

MiscanthusHybridsforBiomassproduction

http://www.extension.iastate.edu/Publications/AG201.pdf


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Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.)

Warmseason (C4)perennial

Cross

ollinated

ollenis

dis ersed

b

wind

Twomajorploidylevels:tetraploid (2n=4x=36)lowlandand

octaploid(2n=8x=72)

upland.

o ymorp c: ow an an p an co ype


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Switchgrass(Panicumvirgatum)1991thedecisiontopursueswitchgrassasamodel

or rotot ebioener cro wasmadebasedon

theeconomic

and

environmental

assessments

by

the

OakRidgeNationalLaboratorysBiofuelsFeedstock

DevelopmentProgram (19841991)

C4

HighWater

and

Nitrogen

Use

Efficiency

Highyieldspotentialevenonrelativepoorquality

sites,deeprootingcharacteristics

Significantcapacity

to

improve

soil

quality

by

sequesteringcarbon&reducedsoilerosion

Reducedfertilizerandpesticide

requirements relativeto

conventional

annual

crops.

Source:ORNL/TM2007/109


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UplandEcotypeUplandEcotype LowlandEcotypeLowlandEcotype

Developedonhigher,mesicsites. Developed inlowerlying,hydricsites,

moresensitivetomoisturestress

Adaptedto

mid

to

northern

latitudes Adapted

to

lower

latitudes

Octaploid(2n=8x=72) Tetraploid (2n=4x=36)Havearestrictionsiteintheirchloroplastic

genome(servesasageneticmarker)

Longerrootlengthandinternodes Bunchform,largerrootdiameter

Shoots: originatefrommoreactive

rhizomesandbasalnodesofprevious

Shoots:originatefrombudsonrhizomes

yearculms

Taller,coarser,tickstems,long,wide

bluish reenleaveswithlon li ules,

largepanicles

Parrishand

Fike

(2005)


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Outcrossingspecieswithpre&postfertilizationincompatibilitymechanisms

Reproducesbyseedandsomevegetativepropagation

Behavesasadeterminateplant

Developsinresponsetoaccumulatedtemperature(GDDs)(vegetativegrowth)anddaylength(reproductivegrowth)

Shortdayplant floweringtriggeredwhendaysbecomeshorter

Hi hl influencedb enot eXenvironmentinteractionsdueto reat

genotypicvariability

C4NativePrairiegrass,Northernlimitis510 N(Jeffersonetal.2002)

CantolerateawidepHrange:4.97.6


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Germinationandgrowthisinhibitedat

tem eratures


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ToleratesapHof3.9to7.6

Mycorrhizae requiresthe

establishment

of

asymbioticrelationshipwitharbuscular

mycorrhizalfungi(AMF)initsrootsfor

successfulestablishment

and

persistence.

Indigenous/nativeAMFsoinoculationisnot


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DifficulttoEstablishdueto

weedcompetition andseed

Soilmoisturemaybemore

criticalthantemperature

Takes3yearstoreachfull

Emergence

may

be

more

rapidatlaterplantingdepths

SeedingRate:

810

lb/acre

singleannualharvest:stand

maintenanceand

optimizing

PureLiveSeed

Acceptablestand:

cellulosicethanol low

moisturecontent,lowalkali

earthmetalconcentration)

12plants

ft

2

Nonitro enis utdown

Canbedirectcutchopped,

swathed windrowedand

establishmentyear baled


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use88.5lbs/ac Useseedswithagerminationrateandthatareno

olderthan3years

Minimumgerminationtemperature:10o C 50o F ,howeverplanting

inthe

fall

(late

enough

that

it

wont

germinate)

or

early

spring

MAY

be advanta eous as it could aid in breakin seed dormanc .

Seedsshouldnotbeplanteddeeperthan 12cm(0.250.5)ina

firm

seed

bed o see ngcan everye e c v e

Conductasoiltestpriortoestablishment: andcorrectforlimeif

soilisacidic,P&K.

Nitrogenis

not

applied

in

the

establishment

year

SwitchgrassisslowtoestablishNfertilizationintheyearof

encroachmentandpossiblestandfailure.


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Althoughswitchgrasscantoleratelowfertility

itdoesrespondtoNfertilizationandrespondstoPonlyinverylowPsoils.

Locationmoisture/temperatureregimes,

Cultivar


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Whenmanaged

for

biomass

production

in

the

Midwest:

AtMSUnoyieldresponseobservedabovethislevelw/limitedresearch.

.

ContributetoGHGfluxes,providenutrientsforcompetingweeds

Fertilizationshould

occur

in

the

late

spring

Nfertilizerappliedbeforeswitchgrassgreenupmaybenefit

nutrientsandalsodepletethemoisturereservesofthesoil


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WeedManagement

in


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Properplanting

ee e preparat on

Timeofplanting

Rowspacing

Mowing

Removeannual

weeds

Tilla e rotar hoe harrow


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PRE-emergence POST-emergence

Atrazine Dual Magnum/Harness

Atrazine

2,4-D / BanvelBuctril

Potential Injury

Callisto other HPPD

inhibitors

Potential InjuryCallisto other HPPDinhibitors

ALS herbicides

No labeled products


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Crop Ps Bu/wt Crop Yield Biofuel EtOH or oil /bu EtOH or oilyield/A

orn u a . ga ga

**Corn +Stover

56 lb 150 bu/a3.5 ton

EtOH 2.8 gal72 gal/ton

420252672 al

Switchgrass C4 NA 8 ton/a EtOH 72 gal/ton 576 gal

scan us on a ga on ga

Sugarcane C4 NA EtOH 600 gal

Soybean C3 60 lb 40 bu/a Diesel 1.5 gal 62 gal

Sunflower C3 27 lb 50 bu/a Diesel 1.5 gal 77 gal

Canola C3 50 lb 42 bu/a Diesel 2.9 gal 120 gal

Jatropha C3 Diesel 250 gal


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Reduced

NO3 contamination

in

surface

and

Reducedsoilsplash,surfacerunoff,rillsandgully

eros on

Switchgrassethanolemits94%lessGHGthan

gasoline(Schmer

et

al.

2008)


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attention

Documents

Agronomics of Producing Switchgrass and Miscanthus x Giganteus