Ecological Impacts of Miscanthus xgiganteus Production

Tom VoigtDepartment of Crop Sciences, University of

Illinois

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Outline• Miscanthus x giganteus briefly. • M. x giganteus/Switchgrass Side-by-Side Studies.

• Sun Grant/DOE M. x giganteus Nitrogen Fertility Studies.

• EBI Studies• Invasiveness Studies

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Miscanthus x giganteus Briefly• Rhizomatous, warm-season perennial.• Sterile triploid 3X (M sinensis [2X] x M.

sacchariflorus [4X]) hybrid propagated asexually.• Photosynthesis occurs at temperatures as low as

54ºF.• Few known commercial pests or diseases• Low input, low maintenance• Appears to require cold weather for senescence.• Has survived -20°F air temperatures in central

Illinois.

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M. x giganteus at UIUC

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Eastern US/Canada Side-by-Side Trials

Map:  www.firstresearch.comFriday, December 14, 12

Eastern US/Canada Side-by-Side Trial Characteristics

SiteLatitude

(N) Longitude (W) Soil

Mean Annual

Temp (°C)Mean Annual Precip. (cm)

IL 40.06 -88.19 silt loam 10.8 104.3KY 38.12 -84.49 silt loams 12.9 116.6LA 30.41 -91.10 silt 19.4 160.2MI 42.39 -85.37 loam 8.9 89.3MS 33.42 -88.79 fine sandy loam 16.8 140.8

NJ 40.46 -74.42loam & sandy loam

complex 11.4 123.9

OK 35.99 -97.04 fine sandy loam 15.2 93.2ON 43.64, -80.41 clay loam 6.3 93.9

SD 44.36 -96.79silty clay loam and silt loam complex 6.2 57.9

6

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7

Species:  p<0.0192Loca;on:  p<0.001

Species  ×  Loca;on:  p<0.001

**

**

**

**

**

Yield Over 2010 and 2011 Varied By Location

n/a

2012 Arundale U. of I. Ph.D. Dissertation

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Sun Grant/DOE Collaborative Sites

DOE

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Sun Grant/DOE Sites

Plot Layout

• 12-10 m x 10 m plots with 100 plants on 1-m spacing.

• 4 reps.• Annual N fertility treatments (0, 60, 120 kg N ha-1) using urea.

• Plants in IL, KY, NE, and NJ planted in 2008 (75% IL replanted in 2009); VA planted in 2010.

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Sun Grant/DOE Site Characteristics

SiteLatitude

(N)Longitude

(W) Soil

Mean Annual Temp (°C)

Mean Annual Precip. (cm)

U. of IL 40.06 -88.19

silt loam & silty clay

loam 10.8 104.3

U. of KY 38.12 -84.50 silt loams 12.9 116.6U. of NE 41.17 -96.46 silt loam 9.8 70.4Rutgers U. 40.22 -74.24

sandy loam 11.4 118.8

VA Tech 36.93 -79.39sandy loam 12.8 115.110

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Location2009 Yield

(Dry Mg ha-1)2010 Yield

(Dry Mg ha-1)2011 Yield (Dry Mg ha-1)Nebraska 15.6 27.4 31.2

Illinois 3.0 15.6 20.6 Kentucky 17.1 19.0 19.0 New Jersey 16.9 9.7 18.6Virginia - - 9.4

2009 – 2011 Biomass Yields

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2010 IL Sustainability Results

• N2O and CO2 greenhouse gas flux

• Nitrate and ammonium leaching• N in harvested biomass

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Cumulative CO2 flux during 2009 and 2010Cumulative CO2 flux during 2009 and 2010Cumulative CO2 flux during 2009 and 2010

Year Treatment (kg N ha-1)

Cumulative CO2

Flux (Mg-C ha-1)†2009 0 8.62 ND

60 9.11120 8.62

2010 0 8.90 ND60 9.16

  120 8.96† Cumulative fluxes were calculated from measured fluxes corrected for temperature variations using a Q10 = 2.† Cumulative fluxes were calculated from measured fluxes corrected for temperature variations using a Q10 = 2.† Cumulative fluxes were calculated from measured fluxes corrected for temperature variations using a Q10 = 2.

ND, means no difference among treatments within a given year (α = 0.05)ND, means no difference among treatments within a given year (α = 0.05)ND, means no difference among treatments within a given year (α = 0.05)   

Sun Grant/DOE - Illinois CO2 Results

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DOE - Illinois Yield and Biomass Data

Year Treatment(kg N ha-1)

Yield(Mg ha-1)

Biomass N(kg ha-1)

2009 0 1.1 (0.7)ND

60 4.1 (3.7)

120 4.0 (2.2)

2010 0 14.9 (2.9)ND 44.9 (9.0)**

60 15.8 (1.8) 53.5 (5.3)

  120 17.0 (1.4) 66.6 (1.3)

ND, means no difference among treatments within a given year (α = 0.05)ND, means no difference among treatments within a given year (α = 0.05)ND, means no difference among treatments within a given year (α = 0.05)ND, means no difference among treatments within a given year (α = 0.05)

** Treatments are different within a given year (α = 0.01)** Treatments are different within a given year (α = 0.01)** Treatments are different within a given year (α = 0.01)** Treatments are different within a given year (α = 0.01)

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IL Sustainability Conclusions

• 2009 biomass yields were low due to replanting previous crop failure; there were no differences in N in harvested biomass, N2O flux, and increased NO3- leaching.

• In 2010, N fertilizer applications did not increase biomass yields, but the 120 kg N ha-1 application did increase the amount of N removed at harvest, increased the N2O flux, and

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Sun Grant/DOE

• Winterkill can be an issue during the first winter following planting.

• Dry growing seasons have reduced M. x giganteus yields.

• Through the first four growing seasons, there has not been a significant yield response to N.

• When it is determined that M. x giganteus requires N fertilization, additional research will be required to fine-tune the N rates based on location and environment.

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Energy Biosciences Institute

• On-Site and Off-Site Energy Grass Studies

• Novel Woody Plants• SUNY Willows• U.S. Forest Service/Iowa St. U. and

University of Minnesota Poplar Studies• Prairie Forbs

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EBI/UI Energy Farm Ecology Plots

Tallgrass prairie

Corn-corn-soybeanrotationMiscanthus x

giganteus

Cave-in-Rock switchgrass

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2009 – 2011 EBI Energy Farm Ecology Plot Biomass Yields

Biomass yields(Dry Mg ha-1)Biomass yields(Dry Mg ha-1)Biomass yields(Dry Mg ha-1) Liters ethanol ha-1Liters ethanol ha-1Liters ethanol ha-1

2009 2010 2011 2009 2010 2011M. x giganteus 1.3 11.0 11.9 494 4,180 4,522P. virgatum 2.4 9.4 9.1 912 3,572 3,458Tallgrass Prairie 2.3 6.1 3.4 874 2,318 1,292Maize (grain) 9.5 8.8 3,879 3,621Soybeans (grain) 2.8   94*  

*liters of biodiesel

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Potential Ecological Impacts of Agricultural Intensification:

Invasiveness of Miscanthus Spp.

T. Voigt, B. Endres, L. Quinn, J. Barney (VA Tech)

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Project Objectives

• Identify initial Miscanthus spp. sold in U.S.

• Describe naturalized Miscanthus spp. populations

• Understand Miscanthus spp. seed biology

• Relate naturalized Miscanthus spp. populations to ornamental Miscanthus

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Oldest Ornamental Types Offered by

U.S. Nurseries

M. sinensis ‘Variegatus’, ‘Zebrinus’, ‘Gracillimus’, and M. sacchariflorus

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Variegated Miscanthus

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Zebra GrassFriday, December 14, 12

Maiden GrassFriday, December 14, 12

M. sacchariflorus

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Differences between M. sinensis and M. sacchariflorus

• M. sinensis – Miscanthus, Eulalia, Japanese Silver Grass–Clump former; variable height, leaf width, variegation, flowering period, cold hardiness

• M. sacchariflorus – Silver Banner Grass, Amur Silver Grass–Stout rhizomes and running habit forms

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Summer 2011

Lauren Quinn and Ryan Dougherty (M.S. student at Va.

Tech.) sampled 21 escapedMiscanthus populations

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Transit Areas

Quakertown, PA

Natural/Conservation

AreasHeckscher State Park,

NY

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M. sacchariflorusMaine

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Plant Size & Phenotype

Heckscher, NY

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Invasive Ornamentals?Striping from ornamental origins?

Extremely wide, droopy leaves:

another ornamental trait? Extremely thin, wiry leaves: another ornamental trait?

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Summer 2012• Miscanthus sinensis sites visited again in 2012.• In 88% of the populations, there were found

additional M. sinensis within a mile.• While this information cannot elucidate the

source of the original invasion, it provides evidence that our sampled sites do not represent anomalous isolated populations, but instead exist in a landscape matrix that

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Where Should Miscanthus x giganteus Optimally Be Grown?

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Miscanthus x giganteus Sweet Spot

35Map:  www.firstresearch.com

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Questions?

Tom Voigt (tvoigt@illinois.edu)Friday, December 14, 12

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