Miscanthus and Switchgrass Bioenergy Production and Soil Health Remidiation on Marginal and Vulnerable Landscapes

2015 USDA-NIFA Integrated Award

Principal Investigators and affiliations:
PI:  Dr. Newell Kitchen (USDA-ARS)
Co-PI: Dr.  Ken Sudduth (USDA ARS)
Co-PI: Dr.  Robert Kremer (University of Missouri)
Co-PI: Dr. Kristen Veum (USDA-ARS)
Co-PI: Dr. Emily Heaton (Iowa State University)
Co-PI: Dr.  Allen Thompson (University of Missouri)
Co-PI: Dr.  Brenton Myers (University of Missouri)
Co-PI: Dr. Ray Massey (University of Missouri)

Funded: $ 103,962
Start Date: 3/01/2015

End Date: 08/31/2016

Expected Outcomes

The over-arching goal of this research project is to assess soil health remediation and production capacity of miscanthus and switchgrass bioenergy cropping systems on marginal and vulnerable soil landscapes.

 

The specific objectives of this project are:

 

1. Quantify miscanthus and switchgrass production on marginal and vulnerable soil landscapes, and develop management practices for producing optimal yield.
2. Measure the soil health remediation potential of miscanthus and switchgrass production systems, and compare to the soil health of grain cropping systems.
3. Considering both market risk and the production risk findings from Objective 1, determine the profitability and equivalent foreign oil displacement of miscanthus and switchgrass bioenergy crops on marginal and vulnerable soil landscapes.

Knowledge gained from this research will quantify the effects of switchgrass and miscanthus on soil health and biomass production. The studies will generate numerous bioenergy crop BMPs.