Biomass Yield and Composition of Perennial Bioenergy Grasses at Harvests following a Freeze Event. (1st November 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Na, Chae-In; Sollenberger, Lynn E.; Erickson, John E.; Woodard, Kenneth R.; Wallau, Marcelo O.; Krueger, Nick C.
• Is Part Of: Agronomy Journal. Volume 106:Number 6(2014)
• Page Start: 2255
• Page End: 2262
• Publication Date: 2014-11-01
• Subjects: Agronomy -- Periodicals; 630
• DOI: 10.2134/agronj14.0324
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0002-1962

Abstract

Abstract : Seasonality of production limits when warm‐season grass biomass can be provided to the bio‐refinery. Delaying harvest after occurrence of a freeze extends this period, but the utility of this practice depends on its effect on biomass yield and composition. The objective was to quantify the effect of delaying harvest after first freeze on biomass dry matter (DM) harvested and composition of two perennial grasses. During a 3‐yr experiment, elephantgrass ( Pennisetum purpureum Schum.) and energycane ( Saccharum spp. hybrid) were harvested shortly before or immediately after first freeze plus an additional two to three times during the subsequent 50 to 60 d in northern Florida. Extending the harvest period did not affect energycane biomass yield (avg. 27.6 Mg DM ha −1 ) during 2 yr, but elephantgrass yield decreased on average from 30.7 to 21.5 Mg DM ha −1 as harvest was delayed. Elephantgrass biomass DM concentration was greater than energycane (377 vs. 356 g kg −1, respectively, in Year 1; 515 vs. 370 g kg −1, respectively, in Year 2). Concentrations of cell wall constituents in both grasses increased as harvest was delayed after freezing, and the increase was generally greater for elephantgrass than for energycane. Delaying harvest of energycane after a freeze is effective in increasing the period when biomass can be supplied to the bio‐refinery, but elephantgrass is less well suited for this management approach because biomass harvested declines with time after a freeze event.