Agronomics of producing Switchgrass and Miscanthus x giganteus

Kurt Thelen, Juan Gao, Kate Withers Withers, Wes Everman Michigan State University

Main drivers for cellulosicbased renewable fuels

Government Policy
+ 36 M gal l by b 2022

Feedstock/Refinery costs Food vs. F . Fuel Fu Environmental issues Net energy return

Main drivers for cellulosicbased renewable fuels

Government Policy Feedstock/Refinery costs Food vs. vs Fuel Environmental issues Net energy return
+ -

Idealtraitsofabiomassenergycrop
C4 photosynthesis Longcanopyduration Accessiblecelluloseinshoots Recalcitrantcarboninroots Perennial Easeofrotation Noknownpestsordiseases Providewildlifehabitat Rapidspringgrowth(outcompeteweeds) R idf Rapid fall lldrydown d d Sterility Partitionsnutrientstorootsinfall Aggressiverootsystemsequesterscarbon Highwateruseefficiency Multipleuse(animalfeed) gfarmequipment q p Useexisting
Source: modified from Raghu et al. Science 313:1742

Example of Ideal biofuel crop

SPRING/ SUMMER

FALL

WINTER

Min neral nutrients

Translocation from rhizomes to growing shoot

Min neral nutrients

Translocation to rhizome as shoot senesces

Lignocellulose dry shoots harvested, nutrients stay y in rhizomes

Source Dr. Steve Long, UIUC 2005

Ideal traits: crops

Switchgrass

Miscanthus

Annual grass

Ideal traits: crops compared

Switchgrass C4 photosynthesis Long canopy duration Accessible cellulose in shoots Recalcitrant carbon in roots Aggressive root system Perennial Ease of rotation No known pests or diseases Provide wildlife habitat Rapid spring growth Rapid fall drydown Sterility Partitions nutrients to roots in fall High water use efficiency Multiple use (animal feed) Use existing farm equipment
Score 10 10 6

Miscanthus

Annual grass

Bottom Line ???

$$$
Environmental Grower Biorefinery

Bottom Line $$$

Environmental $ incentives shaped nationally in farm and energy policy

Grower $ dynamics shaped locally by cropping system, soils, climate, market flexibility fle ibilit

Biorefinery $ price function of national supplydemand with a localized price basis

Miscanthusxgiganteus

Miscanthusxgiganteus:origin
ThegenusMiscanthus includesagroupofmorethan10grassspecies. Miscanthus speciesarenativetoSoutheasternAsia,China,Japan, Polynesia,and Africaandarecurrentlydistributedthroughouttemperate andtropicalareasoftheworld. f ,M.sinensis, ,theirhybrids, y ,andother CultivarsofM.sacchariflorus, miscanthus speciesaregrowninNorthAmerica asornamentalcrops. Themiscanthus genotypewiththegreatestbiomasspotentialisasterile, hybrid(Miscanthus xgiganteus)likelyofM.sacchariflorus (tetraploid)and M sinensis (diploid)parentage. M. parentage Thecrossbetweenthetetraploid anddiploidproducesatriploidwhichis unabletoproduceviableseed. BothM.sacchariflorus andM.sinensis haveescapedcultivationandcan b i be invasive i in i the h landscape. l d Because Miscanthus xgiganteus hybridsareunlikelytoproduceseedthey arelesslikelytobeinvasivethanothervarieties.

(top) Miscanthus sinensis (diploid) and (bottom) Miscanthus sacchariflorus (tetraploid). M. sinensis and M. sacchariflorus are parents of Miscanthus x giganteous (center) which hi h i is a sterile t il t triploid. i l id

Miscanthusg giganteus: g life f cycle y

Miscanthusxgiganteusisaperennial,warmseasongrass withaC4p photosynthetic y p pathway. y UnlikemostC4species, p , photosynthesisandleafgrowthcanbesustainedatrelatively lowtemperatures(aslowas43F). BecauseMiscanthusxgiganteusissterileitmustbe propagatedvegetativelyfromrootstock. Miscanthusxgiganteusgrowsasabunchgrassandwillspread slowly l l with i hshort h rhizomes. hi Ithas h erectstems,5to12f feettall. ll DrymatteraccumulationincreasesrapidlyduringJune,July, g gitsmaximumdry ymatteryield y inlate andAugust,reaching summer. Autumnfroststopsannualgrowthofmiscanthus.Regrowth inMichiganbeginsinMay. May Miscanthushasalengthystandlife.Replantingisnecessary after15years.

ProgressionofMiscanthusgiganteusgrowthin Michigan

Rhizomes (used for planting)

Initial growth (Year 1)

Mid summer (Year 2)

Early fall (Year 2)

Mature plant inflorescence

Miscanthusg giganteus: g adaptation p

Miscanthusxgiganteusisadaptedtoawiderangeofsoilconditions,butis

mostproductiveonsoilswellsuitedforcornproduction.Itsbiomassyieldwill belimitedonshallow,droughty,cold,andwaterloggedsoils. Biomassproductionispositivelylinkedtoseasonalprecipitationandcan d li considerably decline id bl under d waterstressed dconditions. di i MiscanthusxgiganteushasbeengrowninEuropefromsouthernItaly(37 N latitude)toDenmark(56 Nlatitude).Itmaynotbeadaptedasfarnorthin NorthAmericabecausethecontinentalclimateofNorthAmericaiscolder duringthewinterthaninEurope. InNorthAmericaMiscanthusxgiganteusplantingshavebeenestablished successfullyinOhio Ohio,Michigan, Michigan Indiana, Indiana Illinois, Illinois andQuebec.Inthewinterof 200809wehadnearcompletewinterkillatArlingtonWisconsin,butnear totalsurvivalatMichiganlocations.

SiteSelection
Mostproductiveonsoilswellsuitedforcorn production. Biomassy yieldwillbelimitedonshallow, , droughty,cold,andwaterloggedsoils. Winterkillhasbeenobservedatvarioussites dependson: winterconditions multiplefreezethaw cycles, harvestinginthefirstyear

Miscanthusg giganteus: g establishment

Miscanthusxgiganteusproducesnoseed,soitmustbeestablished vegetativelybyplantingdividedrhizome(rootstock)pieces.Thisprocess resultsinhighestablishmentcostsrelativetocropsestablishedfromseed. Theplantingrateisonetransplantperthreesquarefeetorabout4,000 plants l t peracre. Aswithothervegetativelypropagatedcrops,drysoilmoistureconditionsat andfollowingplantinggreatlydecreaseestablishmentsuccess. Establishmentsuccessmaybelimitedbydeathofplantsinthefirstwinter afterplanting.EuropeanresearchsuggestsnewplantingsofMiscanthusx giganteusmaynotsurvivewheresoiltemperaturesfallbelow26Fatadepth ofoneinch.ResearchisongoinginMichigantodeterminewinter survivability. M.sinensisandM.sacchariflorusplantingshaveoverwinteredthefirstyear innorthernEuropewhereairtemperatureshavebeenaslowas0F.Winter survivaldoesnotappeartobeaprobleminthesecondandsubsequent years.

Miscanthusg giganteus: g f fertility yneeds

Likecornandothergrasscrops,Nitrogenwilllikelybethelargestfertilizer requirement i f forMi Miscanthus. h Fertilizersarenotneededinthefirsttwoyears.Theirapplicationwillcreate greaterweedgrowthduringestablishment.Maintenancefertilizerratesare requiredinlateryears years. TheharveststrategyofwaitinguntilafterfrostwillminimizeNfertilizer needsincetheplantswilltranslocateprotein(N)totherootswhereitis availablefornewshootgrowththefollowingspring.Itwillrequirerelatively lowannualratestosupportgrowth. Nitrogenapplicationsof5075lbs.peracreareoftenusedinmultiyear researchstudies. Fertilizationratesforphosphorusandpotassiumshouldbeadjustedto replacetheamountsexportedinharvestedbiomass.Annualestimated phosphorusremovalis1.5lbs.pertonofbiomassremoved.Potassium removalis12lbs.perton.

Miscanthusg giganteus: g harvest

Miscanthusbiomassisharvestedattheendofthegrowingseason. Harvestscanbetakenbetweenmaturityinthefallandplantregrowththe followingspring. Latewinterandspringharvestsresultinhigherqualityfeedstockfor combustion,butloweryieldsduetofieldlosses. ResearchinEuropeandIllinoisshowsa30to50percentyieldreduction whenharvestisdelayedfromautumntolatewinter. Mowingduringthegrowingseasonharmsplantgrowthandregeneration bydepletingrootstock. Drymatteryieldofmiscanthusintheestablishmentyearisgenerallyless thanonetonperacre,whichisinsufficienttomeritharvest. ResearchinEuropehasshowndrymatteryieldsof4.5to11.2tonsperacre innonirrigated, irrigated fullyestablishedmiscanthuswithaverageyieldsof8.4 84 tonsperacre.ThehighestyieldsarereportedinsouthernEurope,generally southof40 Nlatitude. ThereisnodocumentationofmiscanthusyieldinMichigan Michigan.Researchin Illinoishasresultedin10to15tonsperacrewithtonnagedecreasingat morenortherlylatitudes.

WeedManagementin Miscanthus

Miscanthus
Standestablishmentcritical Planting
Seedbedpreparation p p Timeofplanting Rowspacing

Mowing
Removeannualweeds

Tillage rotaryhoe,harrow Herbicides Nolabeledproducts!

MSUresearch NolabeledProducts!
PRE-emergence Atrazine Dual Magnum/Harness/Outlook Prowl ALS herbicides HPPD inhibitors POST-emergence Atrazine 2,4-D / Banvel Buctril Permit (only ALS inhibitor) Laudis/Impact Potential Injury Callisto ALS herbicides

Potential Injury Command

No labeled products

Sources: GrowingGiantMiscanthusinIllinois http://miscanthus.illinois.edu/wpcontent/uploads/growersguide.pdf MiscanthusHybridsforBiomassproduction http://www.extension.iastate.edu/Publications/AG201.pdf

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.)

Warmseason(C4)perennial Crossp pollinated, ,pollen p isdispersed p by ywind Twomajorploidylevels:tetraploid (2n=4x=36)lowlandand octaploid(2n=8x=72)upland. P l Polymorphic: hi Lowland L l dand dUpland U l dEcotype E t

Switchgrass(Panicumvirgatum)
1991thedecisiontopursueswitchgrassasamodel orprototype p yp bioenergy gycrop pwasmadebasedon theeconomicandenvironmentalassessmentsbythe OakRidgeNationalLaboratorysBiofuelsFeedstock DevelopmentProgram(19841991) C4 HighWaterandNitrogenUseEfficiency Highyieldspotentialevenonrelativepoorquality sites,deeprootingcharacteristics Significantcapacitytoimprovesoilqualityby sequesteringcarbon&reducedsoilerosion Reducedfertilizerandpesticide requirements relativetoconventionalannualcrops.
Source:ORNL/TM2007/109

UplandEcotype Developedonhigher,mesicsites. Adaptedtomid tonorthernlatitudes Octaploid (2n=8x=72)

LowlandEcotype Developedinlowerlying,hydricsites, moresensitivetomoisturestress Adaptedtolowerlatitudes Tetraploid (2n=4x=36)Havea restrictionsiteintheirchloroplastic genome(servesasageneticmarker) Bunchform,largerrootdiameter Shoots:originatefrombudsonrhizomes

Longerrootlengthandinternodes Shoots:originatefrommoreactive rhizomesandbasalnodesofprevious yearculms

Taller,coarser,tickstems,long,wide greenleaveswithlong gligules, g , bluishg largepanicles

ParrishandFike(2005)

Outcrossingspecieswithpre &postfertilizationincompatibilitymechanisms Reproducesbyseedandsomevegetativepropagation Behavesasadeterminateplant Developsinresponsetoaccumulatedtemperature(GDDs)(vegetative growth)anddaylength(reproductivegrowth) Shortdayplantfloweringtriggeredwhendaysbecomeshorter Highly g yinfluencedby ygenotype g yp Xenvironmentinteractionsduetogreat g genotypicvariability C4 NativePrairiegrass,Northernlimitis510 N(Jeffersonetal.2002) CantolerateawidepHrange:4.97.6

 Germinationandgrowthisinhibitedat p <20o,andsop producerscould temperatures followrecommendedcornseedingdatesfor theirarea. Growthintheestablishmentyeardepends on:soilmoisture,fertility,competitionfrom weeds. Headingdatesandseedripeningishighly variableamongstcultivars Flowering: Fl i ~12day d period i dand dpeak kpollen ll shedoccursfrom10am12pmor123pm.

 ToleratesapHof3.9to7.6 Mycorrhizae requirestheestablishmentofa symbiotic y relationship pwitharbuscular mycorrhizalfungi(AMF)initsrootsfor p successfulestablishmentandpersistence. Indigenous/nativeAMFsoinoculationisnot practicalunlesssoilisseverelydegraded.

DifficulttoEstablishdueto Soilmoisturemaybemore weedcompetitionandseed criticalthantemperature dormancy/morphology Emergencemaybemore Takes3yearstoreachfull rapidatlaterplantingdepths yieldpotential singleannualharvest:stand SeedingRate:810lb/acre maintenanceandoptimizing cellulosic PureLiveSeed d ll l ethanol h l(low (l moisturecontent,lowalkali earthmetalconcentration) Acceptablestand: 12plantsft2 Canbedirectcutchopped, Nonitrogen g isp putdown swathed, ,windrowedand establishmentyear baled

Seedingrate:200400pureliveseeds/meter(PLS/m) Wetypically use88.5lbs/ac Useseedswithagerminationrateandthatareno olderthan3years Minimumgerminationtemperature:10o C(50 ( o F), ) howeverplanting inthefall(lateenoughthatitwontgerminate)orearlyspringMAY beadvantageousasitcouldaidinbreakingseeddormancy. Seedsshouldnotbeplanteddeeperthan12cm(0.250.5)ina firmseedbed No N tillseeding di canb beveryeffective ff ti Conductasoiltestpriortoestablishment:andcorrectforlimeif soilisacidic,P&K. Nitrogenisnotappliedintheestablishmentyear SwitchgrassisslowtoestablishNfertilizationintheyearof establishmentwillonlyfertilizetheweedsleadingtostand encroachmentandpossiblestandfailure.

Althoughswitchgrasscantoleratelowfertility itdoesrespondtoNfertilizationandresponds toPonlyinverylowPsoils. RecommendedNfertilitydependson: Locationmoisture/temperatureregimes, latitude Cultivar Harvestmanagement

WhenmanagedforbiomassproductionintheMidwest: 80lbacreNisacommonrecommendation AtMSUnoyieldresponseobservedabovethislevelw/limitedresearch. Excessnitrogencanbelostinsurfacerunofforleachedtogroundwater. water ContributetoGHGfluxes,providenutrientsforcompetingweeds Fertilizationshouldoccurinthelatespring Nfertilizerappliedbeforeswitchgrassgreenupmaybenefit C3 invaders invaders theseplantswillcompetewithswitchgrassfor nutrientsandalsodepletethemoisturereservesofthesoil

WeedManagementin Switchgrass

Switchgrass
Standestablishmentcritical Properplanting
Seedbed S db dpreparation ti Timeofplanting Rowspacing

Mowing
Removeannualweeds

Tillage g rotary yhoe, ,harrow

MSUresearch NolabeledProducts!
PRE-emergence Atrazine Dual Magnum/Harness Potential Injury Callisto other HPPD inhibitors ALS herbicides POST-emergence Atrazine 2,4-D / Banvel Buctril Potential Injury Callisto other HPPD inhibitors ALS herbicides

No labeled products

Crop C Corn **Corn + Stover

Ps C4

Bu/wt 56 lb 56 lb

Crop Yield 150 b bu/a / 150 bu/a 3.5 ton

Biofuel EtOH EtOH

EtOH or oil/bu 2 8 gal 2.8 l 2.8 gal 72 gal/ton

EtOH or oil yield/A 420 gal l 420 252 g 672 gal

Switchgrass Mi Miscanthus th Sugarcane Soybean Sunflower Canola Palm trees Jatropha

C4 C4 C4 C3 C3 C3 C3 C3

NA NA NA 60 lb 27 lb 50 lb

8 ton/a 10 t ton/a /

EtOH EtOH EtOH

72 gal/ton 72 gal/ton l/t

576 gal 720 gal l 600 gal

40 bu/a 50 bu/a 42 bu/a

Diesel Diesel Diesel Diesel Diesel

1.5 gal 1.5 gal 2.9 gal

62 gal 77 gal 120 gal 587 gal 250 gal

CarbonSequestration ReducedNO3 contaminationinsurfaceand groundwater Reducedsoilsplash,surfacerunoff,rillsandgully erosion i Switchgrassethanolemits94%lessGHGthan gasoline(Schmeretal.2008)

thank you for your attention