Switchgrass as a bioenergy crop in the Loess Plateau, China：Potential lignocellulosic feedstock production and environmental conservation

A large portion of the Loess Plateau of China is characterized as “marginal” with serious land degradation and desertification problems. Consequently, two policies, Grain for Green and Western Development Action were established by the Chinese government in response to the demand for ecological protection and economic development in the Loess Plateau. These policies are designed to increase forest cover, expand farmlands, and enhance soil and water conservation, while creating sustainable vegetation restoration. Perennial grasses have gained attention as bioenergy feedstocks due to their high biomass yields, low inputs, and greater ecosystem services compared to annual crops. Moreover, perennial grasses limit nutrient runoff and reduce greenhouse gas emissions and soil losses while sequestering carbon. Additionally, perennial grasses can generate economic returns for local farmers through producing bioenergy feedstock or forage on marginal lands. Here, we suggest a United States model energy crop, switchgrass（Panicum virgatum L.） as a model crop to minimize land degradation and desertification and to generate biomass for energy on the Loess Plateau.

Effect of different levels of nitrogen deficiency on switchgrass seedling growth

Switchgrass(Panicum virgatum L.) is a warm-season rhizomatous perennial grass that can tolerate diverse abiotic stresses while yielding relatively high biomass, and is considered a leading biofuel feedstock for marginal lands. Nitrogen(N) is crucial for the growth and development of switchgrass, and its tolerance to low N supply and high N use efficiency are very important for its production under poor conditions. The large-scale planting of switchgrass on marginal lands could be an effective approach to solving the problem of feedstock supply for biomass energy. This study used a hydroponic experiment to evaluate the effect of N deficiency on switchgrass seedlings. Three N treatments(0, 0.15, and 1.50 mmol L-1Hoagland's solution)and six cultivars were used, three of each ecotype(upland and lowland). The results showed that biomass, leaf area, root surface area, net photosynthesis, and total chlorophyll content significantly decreased under low N treatments compared with those in full strength Hoagland's nutrient solution. However, once established, all plants survived extreme N stress(0 mmol L-1) and, to some extent, were productive. Cultivar Kanlow performed best of the six cultivars under stress. Significant interactions between stress treatment and cultivars showed that breeding for cultivars with high yield and superior performance under N deficiency is warranted. The lowland outperformed the upland ecotypes under stress, suggesting that lowland cultivars may survive and be productive under a wider range of stress conditions.However, given the better adaptability of lowland ecotypes to hydroponic cultivation, further study is needed.

Photosynthetic performance of switchgrass and its relation to field productivity：A three-year experimental appraisal in semiarid Loess Plateau

To reveal photosynthetic characteristics and biomass yield is important for evaluating introduced species adaptation to local environments. A field experiment was conducted over three consecutive years（2011–2013） to evaluate photosynthetic characteristics, soil water content, aboveground biomass accumulation, and water use efficiency（WUE） in switchgrass（Panicum virgatum L.） populations exposed to three row spacing（20, 40 and 60 cm） treatments in two growth months（June and August） on the semiarid Loess Plateau of China. Results indicated that net photosynthetic rate（Pn）, transpiration rate（Tr）, instantaneous water use efficiency（WUEi） and plant height of switchgrass showed an increased trend, but aboveground biomass production and WUE showed an decreased trend with enlarged row spacings over the three years. The maximum daily mean Pn values（17.9, 18.4 and 19.7 μmol CO2 m^（-2） s^（-1）） were observed in 2011, and the highest aboveground biomass production（67 771.8, 6 976.8 and 6 609.2 kg ha^（-1）） were recorded in 2012 for 20, 40 and 60 cm, respectively. A close correlation between tiller numbers and aboveground biomass production（r=0.907） was observed. Pn was positively and significantly correlated with biomass per tiller, but it showed a negative correlation with aboveground biomass production. Our results confirm that wide row spacing is beneficial for single plant development, while narrow row spacing favors biomass production and water use of switchgrass in the region. It also implies that single leaf growth and performance could explain the switchgrass community density differences, while fails to account for the aboveground biomass production.

Plant regeneration and genetic transformation in switchgrass——A review

Switchgrass is native to the tallgrass prairie of North America. It is self-incompatible and has varied ploidy levels from diploid（2x） to dodecaploid（12x） with tetraploid and octoploid being the most common. The high yielding potential and the ability to grow well in marginal lands make switchgrass an ideal species as a dedicated biomass producer for lignocellulosic ethanol production. Genetic transformation is an important tool for studying gene function and for germplasm improvement in switchgrass, the genome of which has been sequenced recently. This paper intends to provide a comprehensive review on plant regeneration and genetic transformation in switchgrass. We first reviewed the effect of explants, basal medium and plant growth regulators on plant regeneration in switchgrass, which is a prerequisite for genetic transformation. We then reviewed the progresses on genetic transformation with either the biolistic or Agrobacterium-mediated method in switchgrass, and discussed various techniques employed to improve the transformation efficiency. Finally we reviewed the recent progresses on the use of genetic transformation in improving biomass quality such as the reduction of lignin, and in increasing biomass yield in switchgrass. We also provided a future perspective on the use of new genome editing technologies in switchgrass and its potential impact on regulatory processes.

Ultrasonic-Vibration-Assisted Pelleting of Switchgrass:Effects of Ultrasonic Vibration

Biofuels produced from cellulosic biomass can be used to replace petroleum-based transportation fuels. However, the manufacturing cost of cellulosic biofuels is still high, partly due to the low density of cellulosic feed-stocks. Pelleting of cellulosic feedstocks can increase their density, making their transportation and storage as well as biofuel conversion more efficient and, therefore, reducing the overall cost of biofuel manufacturing. It has been shown that ultrasonic-vibration-assisted (UV-A) pelleting, without using high-temperature steam and binder materials, can produce pellets with density comparable to that produced by conventional pelleting methods. Furthermore, the sugar yield of biomass (wheat straw) processed with UV-A pelleting is 20% higher than that of biomass pelleted without ultrasonic vibration. This paper reports an experimental investigation of UV-A pelleting of switchgrass. The influences of ultrasonic vibration on pellet density, stability, durability, and pelleting force are discussed. It is concluded that pellets processed with ultrasonic vibration had higher density and stability than those processed without ultrasonic vibration, they were more durable than those processed without ultrasonic vibration, and pelleting force with ultrasonic vibration was lower than that without ultrasonic vibration.

Growth and Yield Responses of Switchgrass Ecotypes to Temperature

Varietal differences of switchgrass in growth and development, biomass yield and partitioning in response to temperature are not well documented. A study was conducted to quantify the effect of temperature on growth, development, and feedstock quality of switchgrass cultivars, and to determine differences between upland and lowland switchgrass. Two lowland (“Alamo” and “Kanlow”) and two upland (“Caddo” and “Cave-in-Rock”) cultivars of switchgrass were grown in pots filled with pure, fine sand in growth chambers. Four different temperature treatments of 23℃/15℃, 28℃/20℃, 33℃/25℃, and 38℃/30℃ with 14/10 hours day/night were imposed at four leaf stage. High temperature significantly decreased the biomass yield across all cultivars. Stem elongation rate (SER) and leaf elongation rate (LER) decreased at the highest temperature treatment but lowland cultivars had significantly higher SER and LER across the temperature treatments. Upland cultivars produced more tillers across the temperature treatment. Both shoot/root and leaf/stem ratios increased under the highest temperature in all cultivars, but upland cultivars partitioned more to the leaf and root at higher temperature. Concentration of cellulose decreased at the highest temperature but temperature had no effect on lignin concentration of leaf and stem biomass. In conclusion, although none of the cultivars studied showed strong tolerance to high temperature, differences were observed for many traits of switchgrass in response to temperature.

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) Intraspecific Variation and Thermotolerance Classification Using in Vitro Seed Germination Assay

Cardinal temperatures for plant processes have been used for thermotolerance screening of geNotypes, geoclimatic adaptability determination and pheNological prediction. Current simulation models for switchgrass (Panicum virga-tum L.) utilize single cardinal temperatures across geNotypes for both vegetative and reproductive processes although intra-specific variation exists among geNotypes. An experiment was conducted to estimate the cardinal temperatures for seed germination of 14 diverse switchgrass geNotypes and to classify geNotypes for temperature tolerance. Strati-fied seeds of each geNotype were germinated at eight constant temperatures from 10oC to 45oC under a constant light intensity of 35 μmol m-2 s-1 for 12 h d-1. Germination was recorded at 6-h intervals in all treatments. Maximum seed germination (MSG) and germination rate (GR), estimated by fitting Sigmoidal function to germination-time series data, varied among geNotypes. Quadratic and bilinear models best described the MSG and GR responses to temperature, respectively. The mean cardinal temperatures, Tmin, Topt and Tmax, were 8.1, 26.6, and 45.1oC for MSG and 11.1, 33.1, and 46.0oC for GR, respectively. Cardinal temperatures for MSG and GR;however, varied significantly among geNotypes. GeNotypes were classified as sensitive (‘Cave-in-rock’, ‘Dacotah’, ‘Expresso’, ‘Forestburg’, ‘Kanlow’, ‘Sunburst’, ‘Trailblazer’, and ‘Warrior’), intermediate (‘Alamo’, ‘Blackwell’, ‘Carthage’, ‘Shawnee’, and ‘Shelter’) and tolerant (‘Summer’) to high temperature based on cumulative temperature response index (CTRI) estimated by summing individual response indices estimated from the MSG and GR cardinal temperatures. Similarly, geNotypes were also classified as sensitive (Alamo, Blackwell, Carthage, Dacotah, Shawnee, Shelter, and Summer), moderately sensitive (Cave-in-rock, Forestburg, Kanlow, Sunburst, and Warrior), moderately tolerant (Trailblazer), and tolerant (Expresso) to low temperatures. The cardinal temperature estimates would be useful to improve switchgrass models for field applications. Additionally, the identified cold- and heat-tolerant geNotypes can be selected for niche environments and in switchgrass breeding programs to develop new geNotypes for low and high temperature environments.

Differential Expression and Regulation of Switchgrass Root MicroRNA in Response to Alkali-salt Stress Using High-throughput Deep Sequencing

Switchgrass(Panicum virgatum L.)as a high-quality bioenergy crop that can effectively improve saline-alkali soil has strong resistance to stress and grows well in marginal soil and some abiotic stress environments.This study used alkali-sensitive genotype AM(AM-314/MS-155)and alkali-tolerant genotype ALA(Alamo)as experimental materials to investigate molecular mechanisms of switchgrass tolerance to alkali-salt stress.When the plants were grown to E5 stage,the alkali-salt stress treatment was carried out by soaking method(Na2CO3:NaHCO3=1:9,C(Na+)=150 mmol·L-1 and pH=9.0)and fresh root samples were taken after treatments for 0(CK),6 and 24 h,respectively,the differentially expressed microRNAs and their regulatory network were analyzed.A total of 1049 known miRNAs and 68 novel miRNAs were identified.Seventy-two differentially expressed miRNAs in ALA were more than three times higher than those in AM and 36.1%differentially expressed miRNAs was significantly down-regulated(p<0.05).Through analyses of differentially expressed miRNAs and their target genes,it was found that under alkali-salt stress,differentially expressed miRNAs in AM were mainly involved in the regulation of cellular ROS clearance,ethylene signal transduction,and root,leaf and flower development.MiRNAs in ALA were also involved in water transport,DNA methylation,response to high osmotic pressure,activation of stress-related genes and more complex responses to alkali-salt stress processes,but those in AM were not.ALA was significantly higher than AM in the number of microRNAs responding to alkali-salt stress and in the functional diversity of their regulatory target genes.

Effects of Different Genotypes of Switchgrass as a Bioenergy Crop on Yield Components and Bioconversion Potential

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a native warm-season grass and it is one of potential bioenergy crops. The objectives of this study were to: 1) assess the best performing switchgrass genotype suitable for Kansas soil and climatic condition in the USA, 2) determine the correlation between plant height or tiller numbers per plant and dry biomass of various switchgrass genotypes, and 3) assess a bioconversion efficiency of certain varieties of switchgrass. Twenty-two different genotypes of seedlings were allowed to grow in cones for 30 days under controlled environments. The genotype Cave-in-Rock was the shortest among the genotypes. Significant difference in number of tillers per plant was observed among the genotypes. The genotypes Alamo recorded the highest numbers of tiller plant-1 and the genotype Cave-in-Rock had the lowest numbers of tiller plant-1 compared with other genotypes. The genotypes Alamo, NL 94 C2-2, NL 94 C2-3, NSL 2009-1 and NSL 2009-2 had increased above ground biomass compared with other genotypes. The correlation study indicates that there was a significant positive correlation between number of tillers per plant and per plant dry weight (R2 = 0.93), number of tillers per plant and plant height (R2 = 0.94), and plant height and per plant dry weight (R2 = 0.82). Based on the biomass composition, the SWG 2007-2 genotype was the promising switchgrass line for the bioconversion through the sugar platform route due to high carbohydrate and low lignin content. On the other hand, the high biomass yield per unit area of field in NL 94 C2-1 led this genotype with the highest total carbohydrate yield per unit area of field despite the lowest total carbohydrate content in the genotype. These results are pertinent for crop breeders to develop the most promising switchgrass line with high biomass yield and high bioconversion efficiency to produce biofuel through the sugar platform route.

Soil and Variety Effects on the Energy and Carbon Balances of Switchgrass-Derived Ethanol

This study examined the effects of soil and switchgrass variety on sustainability and eco-friendliness of switchgrass-based ethanol production. Using the Agricultural Land Management Alternatives with Numerical Assessment Criteria (ALMANAC) model, switchgrass biomass yields were simulated for several scenarios of soils and varieties. The yields were fed to the Integrated Biomass Supply Analysis and Logistics (IBSAL) model to compute energy use and carbon emissions in the biomass supply chain, which then were used to compute Net Energy Value (NEV) and Carbon Credit Balance (CCB), the indicators of sustainability and eco-friendliness, respectively. The results showed that the values of these indicators increased in the direction of heavier to lighter soils and on the order of north-upland, south-upland, north-lowland, and south-lowland varieties. The values of NEV and CCB increased in the direction of dry to wet year. Gaps among the varieties were smaller in a dry year than in a wet year. From south to north, NEV and CCB decreased for lowland varieties but increased for upland ones. Thus, the differences among the varieties decreased in the direction of lower to higher latitudes. The study demonstrated that the sustainability and eco-friendliness of switchgrass-based ethanol production could be increased with alternative soil and variety options.

施磷水平对盐碱地柳枝稷碳氮磷生态化学计量特征的影响

为探究不同施磷水平对盐碱地柳枝稷叶片与土壤碳(C)、氮(N)、磷(P)含量及其生态化学计量比的影响,本研究以宁夏大学西大滩盐碱地综合改良利用核心试验站的两种生态型柳枝稷为研究对象,设不施磷(0)、施低磷P2O530 kg·hm^(-2)(30)和施高磷P2O590 kg·hm^(-2)(90)3个水平,分析比较了2019-2020年低地型品种Alamo和高地型品种Pathfinder柳枝稷叶片与土壤C,N,P含量及其生态化学计量变化规律。结果表明:连续2年施磷处理条件下,Alamo和Pathfinder品种柳枝稷叶片C,N,P生态化学计量特征差异显著。Pathfinder品种的C、N、P含量显著高于Alamo品种。就施磷水平而言,施高磷影响更为显著。连续2年施磷处理可以有效提高土壤有效磷含量和磷酸酶活性,降低土壤pH值和盐分含量。柳枝稷叶片与土壤化学计量特征之间存在较强的相关关系。因此,施磷处理有效改变了柳枝稷叶片和土壤C、N、P含量及化学计量比,为揭示盐碱地农业生态系统元素平衡提供一定的参考价值。

供磷水平对柳枝稷光合特性与抗逆生理的影响

【目的】探究盐碱条件下供磷水平对不同品种柳枝稷光合特性与抗逆生理的影响。【方法】采用双因素随机区组试验设计进行盆栽试验,设置3个柳枝稷品种(Alamo加倍体、Alamo和Path-finder)和3个供磷水平[不施磷(P0)、低磷10 mg/kg(P10)、高磷100 mg/kg(P100)],比较不同供磷水平下各品种柳枝稷光合特性、抗氧化酶活性、渗透调节物质含量的变化规律,综合评价不同柳枝稷品种抗逆性。【结果】柳枝稷叶片叶绿素a、b含量、净光合速率、气孔导度、蒸腾速率、脯氨酸含量随供磷水平的增加而增加,其中Alamo加倍体品种P100处理较P0处理分别增加了57.3%、62.9%、41.4%、29.7%、55.2%、128%;胞间CO_(2)浓度、过氧化氢酶活性(CAT)、可溶性糖含量(SS)随供磷水平的增加而降低,其中Alamo加倍体品种P100处理较P0处理分别降低了51.7%、84.4%、20.9%。高磷处理下Alamo加倍体的净光合速率、超氧化物歧化酶活性(SOD)和脯氨酸含量均最大,表现出较强的生理活性。【结论】盐碱条件下施磷提高了柳枝稷的光合能力和抗逆性,以高磷处理下Alamo加倍体的抗逆性最强。

Effects of reaction temperature,time and particle size on switchgrass microwave pyrolysis and reaction kinetics

This study investigated microwave pyrolysis of switchgrass with particle sizes from 0.5 mm to 4 mm and determined the effects of reaction temperature and time on the yields of bio-oil,syngas,and bio-char.A prediction model was satisfactorily developed to describe the bio-oil conversion yield as a function of reaction temperature and time.Second-order reaction kinetics was also developed to model the switchgrass pyrolysis.Switchgrass with different particle sizes was found to be similarly pyrolyzed by microwave heating.The research results indicated that thermochemical conversion reactions can take place rapidly in large-sized switchgrass by using microwave pyrolysis.GC-MS analysis indicates that the bio-oil contained a series of important and useful chemical compounds:phenols,aliphatic hydrocarbons,aromatic hydrocarbons,and furan derivatives.These chemical compounds evolved were related to the pyrolysis conditions.

Biochar compost blends facilitate switchgrass growth in mine soils by reducing Cd and Zn bioavailability

Biochars have the potential to reclaim mine-impacted soils;however,their variable physico-chemical properties incite specu-lation about their successful remediation performance.This investigation examined the capability of biochars produced from three different feedstocks along with a compost blend to improve switchgrass growth conditions in a mine-impacted soil by examining influences on soil pH,grass metal contents,and soil-extractable metal concentrations.Cadmium(Cd)-and zinc(Zn)-contaminated mine soil was collected from a site near Webb City,Missouri,USA-a location within the Tri-State Min-ing District.In a full factorial design,soil was treated with a 0%,2.5%,and 5%(w/w)compost mixture(wood chips+beef cattle manure),and 0%,2.5%and 5%of each biochar pyrolyzed from beef cattle manure,poultry litter,and lodgepole pine feedstocks.Switchgrass(Panicum virgatum,‘Cave-In-Rock’variety)was grown in a greenhouse for 50 days and the mass of shoots(above-ground biomass)and roots was assessed,while soil pH,deionized H_(2)O-and 0.01 M CaCl_(2)-extractable Cd and Zn concentrations were measured.Poultry litter biochar and compost had the greatest ability to raise soil pH(from 4.40 to 6.61),beef cattle manure biochar and compost moderately raised pH(from 4.4 to 5.92),and lodgepole pine biochar and compost weakly raised pH(from 4.40 to 5.05).Soils treated with beef cattle manure biochar,poultry litter biochar signifi-cantly reduced deionized H_(2)O-and 0.01 M CaCl_(2)-extractable Cd and Zn concentrations,while lodgepole pine biochar-treated soils showed mixed results.Switchgrass shoot and root masses were greatest in soil treated with compost in combination with either beef cattle manure biochar or poultry litter biochar.Soils treated with 5%beef cattle manure biochar+5%compost had greater reductions in total Cd and Zn concentrations measured in switchgrass shoots and roots compared to the other two treatments.The three biochars and compost mixtures applied to heavy metal,mine-impacted soil had considerable performance dissimilarities for improving switchgrass productivity.Switchgrass growth was noticeably improved after treatment with the compost in combination with biochar from beef cattle manure or poultry litter.This may be explained by the increased soil pH that promoted Zn and Cd precipitation and organic functional groups that reduced soil-available heavy metal concentrations.Our results imply that creating designer biochars is an important management component in developing successful mine-site phytostabilization programs.

不同施肥处理对风沙土及柳枝稷生长的影响

研究以柳枝稷为指示作物,在田间小区种植,实验设置了CK(空白对照)、生物菌肥(ET1)、赛众土壤调理剂(ET2)、自研土壤调理剂(ET3)四个处理,通过施用不同的土壤调理剂,探讨不同土壤调理剂对柳枝稷生长性状及风沙地土壤理化性质的影响,为该地区柳枝稷科学合理的栽培及风沙土改良提供理论依据。结果表明:(1)施用不同的土壤调理剂可以改善风沙土的物理性质。相比之下,ET1、ET2和ET3的土壤含水率均有提升,容重7月、8月和9月分别下降10.12%、4.38%和6.49%。(2)施用不同的土壤调理剂可以改善风沙土的化学性质。实验各项处理中的有机质均有提高,碱解氮的含量增加,处理ET3较ET1和ET2速效磷的含量分别增加了7.37%和37.8%。(3)施用不同的土壤调理剂能显著增加柳枝稷的株高、生物量和叶面积。

Drought stress and plant ecotype drive microbiome recruitment in switchgrass rhizosheath

The rhizosheath,a layer of soil grains that adheres firmly to roots,is beneficial for plant growth and adaptation to drought environments.Switchgrass is a perennial C4 grass which can form contact rhizosheath under drought conditions.In this study,we characterized the microbiomes of four different rhizocompartments of two switchgrass ecotypes(Alamo and Kanlow)grown under drought or well-watered conditions via 16S ribosomal RNA amplicon sequencing.These four rhizocompartments,the bulk soil,rhizosheath soil,rhizoplane,and root endosphere,harbored both distinct and overlapping microbial communities.The root compartments(rhizoplane and root endosphere)displayed low-complexity communities dominated by Proteobacteria and Firmicutes.Compared to bulk soil,Cyanobacteria and Bacteroidetes were selectively enriched,while Proteobacteria and Firmicutes were selectively depleted,in rhizosheath soil.Taxa from Proteobacteria or Firmicutes were specifically selected in Alamo or Kanlow rhizosheath soil.Following drought stress,Citrobacter and Acinetobacter were further enriched in rhizosheath soil,suggesting that rhizosheath microbiome assembly is driven by drought stress.Additionally,the ecotype-specific recruitment of rhizosheath microbiome reveals their differences in drought stress responses.Collectively,these results shed light on rhizosheath microbiome recruitment in switchgrass and lay the foundation for the improvement of drought tolerance in switchgrass by regulating the rhizosheath microbiome.

Functional characterization of caffeic acid O-methyltransferase in internode lignification of switchgrass(Panicum virgatum)

Caffeic acid O-methyltransferase(COMT) is a crucial enzyme that mainly methylates phenylpropanoid meta-hydroxyl of C5 in the biosynthesis of syringyl lignin in angiosperms. A putative COMT, named as PvCOMT1,was isolated from switchgrass(Panicum virgatum), a C4 warm-season dual-purpose forage and bioenergy crop. Our results showed that recombinant PvCOMT1 enzyme protein catalyzed the methylation of 5-OH coniferyl alcohol, 5-OH coniferaldehyde(CAld5H) and 5-OH ferulic acid. Further in vitro studies indicate that CAld5H can dominate COMT-mediated reactions by inhibiting the methylation of the other substrates. Transgenic switchgrass plants generated by an RNAi approach were further employed to study the function of COMT in internode lignification. A dramatic decrease in syringyl lignin units coupled with an obvious incorporation in 5-OH guaiacyl lignin units were observed in the COMT-RNAi transgenic plants. However, the constitutive suppression of COMT in switchgrass plants altered neither the pattern of lignin deposition along the stem nor the anatomical structure of internodes. Consistent with the biochemical characterization of PvCOMT1, a significant decrease in sinapaldehyde was found in the COMT-RNAi transgenic switchgrass plants, suggesting that CAld5H could be the optimal intermediate in the biosynthesis syringyl lignin.

Modeling the impacts of temperature and precipitation changes on soil CO_2 fluxes from a Switchgrass stand recently converted from cropland

Switchgrass（Panicum virgatum L.） is a perennial C_4 grass native to North America and successfully adapted to diverse environmental conditions. It offers the potential to reduce soil surface carbon dioxide（CO_2） fluxes and mitigate climate change. However, information on how these CO_2 fluxes respond to changing climate is still lacking. In this study, CO_2 fluxes were monitored continuously from 2011 through 2014 using high frequency measurements from Switchgrass land seeded in 2008 on an experimental site that has been previously used for soybean（Glycine max L.） in South Dakota, USA. DAYCENT, a process-based model, was used to simulate CO_2 fluxes. An improved methodology CPTE[Combining Parameter estimation（PEST） with ＂Trial and Error＂ method] was used to calibrate DAYCENT. The calibrated DAYCENT model was used for simulating future CO_2 emissions based on different climate change scenarios. This study showed that：（i） the measured soil CO_2 fluxes from Switchgrass land were higher for 2012 which was a drought year, and these fluxes when simulated using DAYCENT for long-term（2015–2070） provided a pattern of polynomial curve;（ii） the simulated CO_2 fluxes provided different patterns with temperature and precipitation changes in a long-term,（iii） the future CO_2 fluxes from Switchgrass land under different changing climate scenarios were not significantly different, therefore, it can be concluded that Switchgrass grown for longer durations could reduce changes in CO_2 fluxes from soil as a result of temperature and precipitation changes to some extent.

Yield-height correlation and QTL localization for plant height in two lowland switchgrass populations

Switchgrass(Panicum virgatum L.), as a model herbaceous crop species for bioenergy production,is targeted to improve biomass yield and feedstock quality.Plant height is a major component contributing to biomass yield. Accordingly, the objectives of this research were to analyze phenotypic variation for biomass and plant height and the association between them and to localize associated plant height QTLs. Two lowland switchgrass mapping populations, one selfed and another hybrid population established in the field at Perkins and Stillwater,Oklahoma, were deployed in the experiment for two years post establishment. Large genetic variation existed for plant biomass and height within the two populations. Plant height was positively correlated with biomass yield in the selfed population(r = 0.39, P < 0.0001) and the hybrid population(r = 0.41, P < 0.0001). In the selfed population,a joint analysis across all environments revealed 10 QTLs and separate analysis for each environment, collectively revealed 39 QTLs related to plant height. In the hybrid population, the joint analysis across overall environments revealed 35 QTLs and the separate analysis for each environment revealed 38 QTLs. The findings of this research contribute new information about the genetic control for plant height and will be useful for future plant breeding and genetic improvement programs in lowland switchgrass.

How profitable is switchgrass in Illinois, USA? An economic definition of marginal land

Background:Decisions regarding the conversion of land from an existing crop to bioenergy crops are critical for the sustainable production of both food and fuels.This study seeks to establish criteria for delineating land as“economically marginal”,and thus suited for growing switchgrass.Methods:In this case study of an Illinois agricultural field,the profitability of switchgrass,with farmgate prices of$44 Mg−1,$66 Mg−1,or$88 Mg−1,was compared to corn and soybean crop prices.Further,the study also evaluates the profitability of switchgrass when replacing corn‐based yield estimates from the Soil Productivity Index(SPI)of Illinois.Results:Based on a dry‐matter yield of 10.45 Mg ha−1,switchgrass can compete with soybeans only at the high price of$88 Mg−1,but depending on location,can compete with corn at$66 Mg−1.Across Illinois,at$88 ha−1,all Illinois land with SPI<100%and 95%of land under SPI class C(SPI 100–116)is profitable under switchgrass.Switchgrass may not be profitable relative to corn grown in the SPI class A(SPI>133)and only 7%of class B(SPI 117–132).Conclusions:Our results show that land with drainage and erosion limitations is economically marginal when corn and soybean yields are low,and the farmgate price for switchgrass is greater than$66 Mg−1.However,this may not be possible on land where switchgrass is replacing frequent soybean rotations(corn–soybean ratio≤1).Land used to produce only soybeans may only be marginal at the farmgate price of$88 Mg−1.Further studies need to be conducted to identify how much land can be converted to switchgrass without harming corn production.