The Regional Biomass Feedstock Partnership: Herbaceous Energy Crops and CRP Land for Biomass Production Across Environmental Gradients
ID: 3433

Abstract: The Regional Biomass Feedstock Partnership (RBFP) is a collaborative research effort between the Sun Grant Initiative (through Land Grant Universities) and the US Department of Energy (DOE), with significant involvement of the US Department of Agriculture. One segment of the RBFP is the evaluation of dedicated herbaceous energy crops and CRP land across environmental gradients in the USA. As evidenced by the RBFP, the DOE has an ambitious program to develop and market the necessary technology for dedicated herbaceous energy crops.



Dedicated energy crops must be selected that are adapted to the environment in which they will be grown. Certain species (e.g. switchgrass and sorghum) are widely adapted across much of the US while other promising species (e.g. energycane) are more regionally adapted. Lands enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) were planted to mixtures of species that have already been identified as optimum for a given environment. Therefore, these lands also may provide excellent sources of herbaceous biomass; however, productivity on CRP land and responses to agronomic inputs and management have not been studied.



The objective of this panel is to demonstrate the progress of work being conducted on various herbaceous energy crops by RBFP investigators throughout the USA. Specifically, this research is being conducted to: 1) assess the potential of genetically diverse, dedicated energy crops and CRP land for sustainable biomass production in environmentally diverse regions of the country; 2) identify critical management issues such as harvest timing and soil fertility for sustainable biomass production; and 3) evaluate opportunities to expand production of herbaceous biomass crops and resources throughout the USA.



Data collected from national, replicated field trials of dedicated energy crops will help us better understand benefits and limitations of specific species grown in diverse geographic and climatic conditions. The production potential of a specific bioenergy crop species varies depending on its adaptation to biotic (e.g. weeds, diseases, insects, etc.) and abiotic (e.g. cold, drought, salt, nutrient deficiency, etc.) forms of stress. Thus, it is critical that adapted species and genotypes/cultivars within species be carefully selected for evaluation in a given environment.



The following species have been selected for evaluation in the RBFP: switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) with sites in AL, NY, OK, SD, and VA; miscanthus (Miscanthus x giganteus) with sites in IL, IN, KY, NE, and NJ; sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) with sites in IA, KS, KY, MS, NC, and TX; energycane (Saccharum sp.) with sites in GA, LA, MS, and TX; and mixtures of grasses on Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) with sites in GA, KS, MO, MT, ND, and OK. A total of 30 trials were initiated in 2008 with one location pending in HI for 2009.



Moderator: Vance Owens, South Dakota State University (United States)

Presenter 1: CRP Land for Biomass Energy Production in the US
DoKyoung Lee, University of Illinois, (United States)  [Confirmed]

Presenter 2: Sorghum and Energycane for Biomass Energy Production in the US 
Bill Rooney, Texas A&M University, (United States)  [Confirmed]

Presenter 3: Miscanthus for Biomass Energy Production in the US 
Thomas Voigt, University of Illinois, (United States)  [Confirmed]

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Panel Organizer:
Vance Owens, South Dakota State University, (United States)

Why should your submission should be selected for this year’s program?
This panel reports a new effort funded by DOE to conduct biomass field trials at 30 sites across the US. This work expands our understanding of species across environments. Each speaker has numerous years experience with biomass crops.