%0 Journal Article
%T Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) Cultivar Adaptation, Biomass Production, and Cellulose Concentration as Affected by Latitude of Origin
%A Paul G. Jefferson
%A W. Paul McCaughey
%J ISRN Agronomy
%D 2012
%R 10.5402/2012/763046
%X Ten cultivars of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) of northern and southern origins that had demonstrated adaptation to North Dakota were evaluated for biomass production, cellulose concentration, and nutritive value in the southern Canadian prairie region: Saskatchewan and Manitoba. In this region, cultivars adapted to northern latitudes present interest for biomass production. Latitude of origin of the cultivars was positively correlated to stand density ( , ), biomass production ( , ), and cellulose ( , ), and negatively correlated with organic matter digestibility ( , ) and N ( , ). Dacotah and ND 3743, the northern origin cultivars, were more persistent in Brandon, MB (94 to 100% stand density) and exhibited higher cellulose and hemicellulose concentrations than southern cultivars. Southern cultivars produced higher biomass than northern-origin cultivars until they suffered significant stand and biomass decline. Cave-in-Rock, the southern origin cultivar, did not persist in the third year after seeding. However, southern-adapted cultivars exhibited better nutritive value for grazing cattle. We conclude that switchgrass production in the southern Canadian prairie should utilize the USA cultivars from northern latitudes or adapted Canadian cultivars should be developed. 1. Introduction Rising world energy demand and government policies to increase secure domestic supplies of energy in North America have created interest in ethanol for automotive fuels. Biomass crops that can be converted to ethanol biofuel by enzymatic digestion and fermentation or thermochemical conversion of plant cellulose and hemicellulose polymers to ethanol in large-scale biorefineries have been identified [1]. Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a warm-season (C4) grass species native to the tallgrass prairie region of North America including the southern Canadian prairie. Generally, warm-season grass species can be moved about 300£¿miles north or 200£¿miles south of their original location [2]. This grass has been studied for lignocellulosic biomass conversion to fuel-grade ethanol in USA, but the southern Canadian prairie region is its northern limit of adaptation. Cultivation of switchgrass in this region will require cultivars adapted to northern latitudes. Northern ecotypes have a longer winter dormant period with better winter survival than southern ecotypes when grown at the same latitude [3]. The attributes of switchgrass for a biomass crop include its yield potential, longevity, water use and nutrient use efficiency, and suitability for marginal land. Switchgrass has
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/isrn.agronomy/2012/763046/