Bioenergy Research: Department of Plant Agriculture. Bioenergy agricultural residues dedicated crops combustion focus Ontario Power Generation Greenhouse industry Rural residential, agriculture, commercial Bioeconomy Research Highlights Day, April 13, 2010 Guelph, Ontario Brandelle Biomass Systems Eco-Blaze Corporation. Agricultural residues Issues moisture content soil carbon effects nutrient removal biomass properties contamination interaction with cropping systems Agricultural residues - research Ontario biomass availability assessment (Deen, Weersink, Van Acker,Kludze: funded by OMAFRA/U of G) Corn soybean wheat residue survey (McDonald, Stewart, Johnson, Bohner, Deen: funded by OMAFRA) Integrating cover crops into corn/soybean rotations (Deen and Hooker: unfunded) Life Cycle Analysis Corn Cobs (MacLean, Deen, Dias, McDonald: funded by Ontario Power Generation)
Dedicated Energy Crops: C4 perennial grasses Radiation interception efficiency (εi) and GLAI of Miscanthus (black circles) and maize (white circles) over the 2007 and 2008 growing seasons Miscanthus spp. Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) Big bluestem Little blue stem Indian grass Prairie cordgrass Copyright 2009. American Society of Plant Biologists. All rights reserved. Dohleman F. G., Long S. P. Plant Physiol. 2009:150:2104-2115 Temperature response of photosynthetic CO2 uptake per unit leaf area for M. giganteus and maize grown at 25 C/20 C or 14 C/11 C day/night temperatures Naidu S. L. et.al. Plant Physiol. 2003:132:1688-1697 Dedicated Crops - research Multi-site perennial grass comparison Deen,Young, Tubeileh, Rowsell, Van Acker: funded by OMAFRA Alternative Renewable Fuels Program, OMAFRA/U of G, Environmental Sustainability Directed Research Program OMAFRA. Perennial grass comparison to poplar and willow Thimmanagari, Gordon, Deen, Thevathasan: funded by Environmental Sustainability Directed Research Program OMAFRA Switchgrass/Big Bluestem/Prairie Cordgrass breeding/agronomy Bowley, Deen: funded by Environmental Sustainability Directed Research Program OMAFRA Life Cycle Analysis - Miscanthus MacLean, Deen, Dias, McDonald: funded by Ontario Power Generation Ontario biomass availability assessment Deen, Weersink, Van Acker, Kludze: funded by OMAFRA/U of G Multi-site miscanthus vs switchgrass comparison funded by Energy Bioscience Institute Comparison of 26 miscanthus genotypes Deen, Young and Tubeileh: funded by Mendel Biotechnology Cold Tolerance Evaluations Miscanthus Sage, Deen, FIP/AAC Weed Control Perennial grasses Van Acker, O Sullivan, FIP/AAC Copyright 2003. The American Society for Plant Biologists. All rights reserved.
Multi-site perennial grass comparison Multi-site perennial grass comparison Objectives: 1. Compares species and varieties of perennial grass crops across Ontario soil types and environments 2. Compare perennial grass systems to annual crop systems 3. Assess soil quality impacts (organic carbon, aggregate stability..) 4. Assess harvest date (fall and spring) impacts on productivity, and biomass properties 5. Quantify nutrient uptake and removal 6. Quantify N yield response 7. Determine N effect on biomass properties 8. Determine N effect on stand persistence 9. Assess biomass properties for combustion 10. Establish research platform for GHG assessments. 11. Establish demonstration plots at key research facilities 12. Train HQP Evaluation of candidate perennial grass species for bio-energy Locations: - Elora Research Station (established 2008) - Ridgetown Campus (established 2008) - Simcoe Research Station (2009) - Nanticoke (OPG) (2010) - New Liskeard Research Station (2009) - Emo Agricultural Research Station (2010) - Kemptville College (2009)
2009 Miscanthus Yields - Elora 2009 Native Grass Yields - Elora Yield kg ha -1 @ 0% moisture 20000 15000 10000 5000 0 0 40 80 160 Nitrogen rate (kg ha -1 ) Nagara Nagara DD Amuri Polish M1 Select %Moisture @ Harvest Nagara 47.8 Amuri 45.5 M1 Select 54.8 Polish 59.3 Yield kg ha -1 @ 0% moisture 14000 12000 10000 8000 6000 4000 2000 0 Big Bluestem - Prairie View Big Bluestem - Southlow Prairie Cordgrass - Red River Switchgrass - Cave-in-Rock Switchgrass- Shelter 0 40 80 160 Nitrogen rate (kg ha -1 ) thank-you bdeen@uoguelph.ca