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Title: BIOFUEL COMPONENT CONCENTRATION AND YIELD 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: 8/23/2004
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. Biofuel component concentration and yield of switchgrass in south central USA environments. Crop Sci. 45:682-692.

Interpretive Summary: Switchgrass often yields less biomass than expected when grown in the southern U.S.A., possibly as a result of poor physiological adaptation to growing conditions in the region. Little is known about the impact of growing conditions on combustion fuel quality in this crop. We evaluated biomass component yields and fuel quality for switchgrass genotypes with potential physiological differences for response to photoperiod and moisture availability across five locations in Texas, Arkansas, and Louisiana. Across these sites, yield of the desired combustible lignocellulose component was higher at northern than at southern locations. Southern ecotypes had higher lignocellulose yields than northern ecotypes. Lowland genotypes had higher lignocellulose yields and lower concentrations of the unwanted ash and nitrogen fractions than upland genotypes. However, lowland genotypes were wetter at harvest than upland genotypes. Southern lowland switchgrass genotypes produced the best combination of high biomass yield and favorable fuel quality in three south central states. Variation across locations suggested that plant breeding could further improve biofuel yield and quality traits of switchgrass intended for production in the southern U.S.A.

Technical Abstract: Optimizing biofuel production and quality from switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) may require matching of ecotype and morphological type to environments, particularly in southern regions. Nine genotypes from four combinations of ecotype and morphological switchgrass type were harvested from 1998 to 2000 in five sites across Texas, Arkansas, and Louisiana that varied in latitude and precipitation. An additive main effects and multiplicative interaction method was used to evaluate genotype x environment (GxE) interaction patterns for traits important to biofuel production. Compared to upland genotypes across all site-years, lowland genotypes had higher cellulose, lignin, and lignocellulose yields (2.631 vs. 6.026, 0.626 vs. 1.372, 3.257 vs. 7.398 Mg ha-1, respectively), higher soil N and P removal rates (40.7 vs. 82.8, 5.5 vs. 12.2 kg ha-1), higher moisture and cellulose concentrations (393.5 vs. 451.1, 387.7 vs. 394.3 g kg-1), and lower N and ash concentrations (6.3 vs. 5.7, 47.7 vs. 39.6 g kg-1). Compared to northern ecotypes, southern ecotypes had higher cellulose, lignin, and lignocellulose yields (4.039 vs. 5.566, 0.915 vs. 1.287, 4.954 vs. 6.853 Mg ha-1), higher soil N and P removal rates (60.2 vs. 75.9, 8.4 vs. 11.2 kg ha-1), higher moisture concentrations (417.2 vs. 445.0 g kg-1), and lower ash concentrations (45.4 vs. 39.5 g kg-1). Lignocellulose concentrations and yield tended to increase with latitude, but were also affected by water availability. Plant breeding could improve switchgrass biofuel component yields and fuel quality traits for the south central region.