This talk should cover: Context for biomass cropping Crop choice in Iowa Basic Miscanthus management What we are doing in the Biomass Crop Production Group at ISU
Context Crop Choice Miscanthus Research activities Bioenergy Demand RFS 2 Source: US Energy Independence and Security Act; Graphic courtesy Ceres, In.
Context Crop Choice BCP activities S. IA activities Bioenergy Demand Source: Ohlrogge, et al. (2009) Science Magazine
Context Crop Choice BCP activities S. IA activities Economies of Scale/Scope Facility Size Cellulosic Ethanol; few, large Electricity; more, smaller Heat (or CHP); many, small
Project Blackhawk DuPont Nevada, IA Construction begins 2012 27.5 million gallons 350,000 tons, 30 mi radius Corn stover based Harvested 20,000 acres in 2012 Close collaboration with ISU ~$20/ton http://www.ddce.com/cellulosic/index.html
Biomass Partnership Project U. of Iowa Iowa City, IA UI mandate of 40% renewable energy consumption on campus by 2020 Replace coal at main power plant while improving Iowa land and resources ~ 100,000 dry tons 50 mile radius Mix of dedicated and waste feedstocks Miscanthus, wood, invasive species ~$75/ton http://sustainability.uiowa.edu/need-forthe-biomass-fuel-project/
http://maps.nrel.gov/biomass
World map of bioenergy plants
Crop Choice WHAT PLANTS WORK BEST FOR BIOENERGY IN IOWA?
Context Crop Choice Miscanthus Research activities The Ideal Biomass Crop? C4 photosynthesis Long canopy duration Maize Recycles nutrients to roots Clean burning Low input Sterile non-invasive Winter standing Easily removed High water use efficiency No known pests/diseases Uses existing farm equipment N/A
Context Crop Choice Miscanthus Research activities Short Rotation Coppice (SRC)
Context Crop Choice Miscanthus Research activities The Ideal Biomass Crop? Maize SRC C4 photosynthesis Long canopy duration Recycles nutrients to roots Clean burning Low input Sterile non-invasive Winter standing Easily removed High water use efficiency No known pests/diseases Uses existing farm equipment N/A
Context Crop Choice Miscanthus Research activities The Ideal Biomass Crop? Maize SRC PRGs C4 photosynthesis Long canopy duration Recycles nutrients to roots Clean burning Low input Sterile non-invasive N/A Winter standing Easily removed High water use efficiency No known pests/diseases Uses existing farm equipment
Context Crop Choice Miscanthus Research activities Carbohydrates, nutrients SPRING/ SUMMER Nutrient Recycling Mineral nutrients FALL WINTER Translocation from rhizomes to growing shoot Translocation from senescing shoot to rhizomes Harvested biomass is lignocellulose; nutrients stay in rhizomes
Leading Energy Crops Sorghum Switchgrass Poplar Miscanthus Energycane Photo credit: Ceres, Inc. and Rothamsted Research Ltd.
Leading Energy Crop Geographies Switchgrass Miscanthus Energycane Sorghum Courtesy Ceres, Inc.
Context Crop Choice Miscanthus Research activities Miscanthus and Switchgrass Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) Miscanthus (Miscanthus x giganteus.) PRG s for the Midwest
Context Crop Choice Miscanthus Research activities Giant Miscanthus High Yielding (6-15 t/acre) Sterile clone Must be planted from rhizomes or plugs New to US: 10 s to 100 s of acres Widely planted in Europe: thousands of acres Used for heat and power with coal
Naturally Occurring Hybrid Miscanthus sinensis Miscanthus sacchariflorus Miscanthus x giganteus STERILE + = Diploid 2n=2x=38 Tetraploid 2n=4x=76 Triploid 2n=3x=57
Context Crop Choice Miscanthus Research activities Why Miscanthus? YIELD (42 N) (40 N) (38 N) The average annual biomass yields of Giant Miscanthus and switchgrass harvested from 3 locations (latitude) in Illinois during 2004-2006 (adapted from Heaton et al, 2008).
Context Crop Choice Miscanthus Research activities Sterile vegetative planting Rhizomes Plugs
Context Crop Choice Miscanthus Research activities Planting Live Plants ( plugs ) Photo credit: Ceres, Inc
Context Crop Choice Miscanthus Research activities Planting - Rhizomes www.countryplan.co.uk www.bical.net
Context Crop Choice Miscanthus Research activities April May August/ September November December February Emergence Canopy Closure Maximum biomass Senescence Dry Down Over winter Dry Biomass April June August October December February
Context Crop Choice Miscanthus Research activities Cane Harvest
Context Crop Choice Miscanthus Research activities Weed Control ESSENTIAL!! Pre-emergent: Prowl (pendimethalin) Harness (acetochlor) Harness Extra (acetochlor + atrazine) * GREEN = LABELED Post-emergent Callisto (mesotrione) 2,4-D Dicamba Atrazine CULTIVATION Anderson et al. (2010). Weed Technology 24:453-460
Context Crop Choice Miscanthus Research activities Tentative Recommendations Not limiting late spring nitrate test if possible Maintenance 10 lb/ton cane Not limiting at planting soil test Maintenance 1.5 lb/ton cane Not limiting at planting soil test Maintenance 10-12 lb/ton cane N P K LIME: ph = 5 7.5
Context Crop Choice Miscanthus Research activities 28 Challenges: Mainly planting Planting Rhizome handling/storage Equipment availability Irrigation of live plants Harvesting Horsepower Equipment design for tall, dry, high yield
Context Crop Choice Miscanthus Research activities High Yield, Low Input vs. High Yield, High Input Miscanthus 10 t/ac $50/t = $500/ac Costs after establishment, have only annual harvest and some low fertilizer NO ANNUAL PLANTING COSTS, MINIMAL CHEMICAL Corn 150 bu/ac $6/bu = $900/ac Costs annual for seed, fertilizer, pesticides, harvest
Biomass Crop Production Lab Activities WHAT ARE WE DOING?
Biomass Crop Production Lab Working to develop sustainable crop systems that provide clean fuel from agriculture year-round Research Areas Nutrient cycling of energy crops (switchgrass, Miscanthus) Miscanthus x giganteus propagation/establishment Management Practices
Context Crop Choice Overcoming Miscanthus Bottlenecks: Planting and Establishment Miscanthus Research activities
Context Crop Choice Miscanthus Research activities Planting Material 33
Other Miscanthus trials in Iowa Partnership with USDA/NRCS and SWCD March 19, Biomass Crop Production Workshop, Iowa City http://www.aep.iast ate.edu/biomass/ 34
Miscanthus yields more Urbana, IL. 3 year average yields Photo courtesywow, of Matt Liebman putting 10% of US crop land in M. x giganteus could meet our entire RFS2 goal? Heaton et al. (2008) Global Change Biology; Dohleman et al. (2012) Global Change Biology Bioenergy
Image Source: Sports Illustrated
STRIPS: Science-based Trials of Row-crops Integrated with Prairies Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge, Prairie City, IA 12 experimental watersheds, 0.5 to 3.2 hectares each http://www.nrem.iastate.edu/research/strips/ ESTABLISHED 2008 Four treatments: 100% crop (no-till) 10% buffer, toe slope 10% buffer, contour strips 20% buffer, contour strips
Photo credit: Dave Williams 100% crops 90% crops : 10% prairie 100% prairie
Sediment Loss in 2007-2010 Placing 10% of a watershed into perennial cover strongly reduced soil erosion (>95%), even with no-till crop production. Helmers et al., 2012. Journal of Environmental Quality
Scaling It Up Status Quo Food/Feed/Fuel
Scaling It Up An Alternative Food & Feed Fuel & Fiber
The Landscape Biomass Project Photo credit: Tom Schultz
Complementing Corn Targeted integration of perennial vegetation can ameliorate damage from annual row crops. Those perennials can (and should be!) dedicated biomass crops. Source: Iowa NRCS
Value to Iowa s farmers Strategic integration of highyielding perennials diversifies economies and ecosystems, protecting revenue and resources
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