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Title: BIOMASS YIELD AND STAND CHARACTERISTICS OF SWITCHGRASS IN SOUTH CENTRAL USA ENVIRONMENTS

Author
item Cassida, Kimberly
item MUIR, JAMES - TEXAS A&M
item HUSSEY, MARK - TEXAS A&M
item READ, JAMES - TEXAS A&M
item Venuto, Bradley
item OCUMPAUGH, WILLIAM - TEXAS A&M

Submitted to: Crop Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/8/2004
Publication Date: 2/7/2005
Citation: Cassida, K.A., Muir, J.P., Hussey, M.A., Read, J.C., Venuto, B.C., Ocumpaugh, W.R., 2005. Biomass yield and stand characteristics of switchgrass in south central U.S.A. environments. Crop Science 45:673-681.

Interpretive Summary: Lower than expected biomass yields for switchgrass grown at southern latitudes may be a result of poor adaptation of commercially available varieties to southern latitudes and climate. We evaluated yield and stand persistence traits across five locations in Texas, Arkansas, and Louisiana for four different physiological types of switchgrass. Switchgrass yields increased with increasing latitude. Lowland genotypes had higher yields, improved stand persistence, less lodging, less disease, and were more responsive to soil moisture availability than upland genotypes. Southern ecotypes had higher yields than northern ecotypes. Southern lowland genotypes of switchgrass can produce optimum biomass yields and stand persistence in the south, and breeding efforts are needed to supplement the one currently available commercial cultivar of this type.

Technical Abstract: Optimizing feedstock production from switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) requires careful matching of genotype to environment, especially for southern U.S. regions. Nine genotypes from four combinations of ecotype and morphological type were harvested once yearly in autumn for three or four years at five locations across Texas, Arkansas, and Louisiana that varied in latitude and precipitation. Genotypes were evaluated for dry matter yield (DMY), plant density, tiller density, lodging, and rust (Puccinia spp.) infection. Genotype by environment (GxE) interactions were identified for most traits. Biomass yield of all genotypes tended to increase with latitude, but lowland morphological types may have been more sensitive than upland morphological types to differences in moisture availability. Yield (5.82 vs. 14.97 Mg ha-1, respectively) and persistence (final stand density 3.99 vs. 5.96 plants m-2) were lower for upland than for lowland genotypes, particularly at higher rainfall and more southern sites. Lowland genotypes were often able to compensate for stand thinning by increasing individual plant size, but upland genotypes were not. Lodging and rust scores were higher for upland than for lowland genotypes. Yield (13.65 vs. 9.75 Mg ha-1) and final plant density (5.58 vs. 4.95 plants m-2) was higher for southern than northern ecotypes. The southern-lowland combination exhibited the best yield and persistence over the study region. Differences in yield ranking across sites suggested that genetic selection could improve biomass production in the region.