Sunday, May 4, 2008
1-20

Elephantgrass as a Cellulosic Feedstock for the Southeast

Ravindra Malik, Natural Sciences, Albany State University, 504 College Drive, Albany, GA 31705 and William F. Anderson, Crop Breeding and Genetics Research Unit, USDA-ARS, P.O. Box 748, Tifton, GA 31793.

Napiergrass or elephantgrass (Pennisetum purpureum Schumach) is a tall C4 grass that is used throughout the world as a forage crop.  Breeding efforts at the University of Florida and with USDA-ARS at Tifton, GA produced high yielding cultivars (Merkeron) and breeding lines during the 1980’s.  Yields have been reported as high as 40 Mg ha-1yr-1 in Florida.  Merkeron had significantly higher yields than switchgrass cultivar Alamo over 6 years and at three locations in Georgia. Studies are being conducted to compare napiergrass yield with switchgrass and other tall bunch grasses such as energy cane at Tifton, GA.  Yields the first year were over 34 and 28 Mg ha-1 for the two napiergrass genotypes, 27 Mg ha-1 for energy cane, and 8.5 Mg ha-1 for two advanced switchgrass genotypes. Napiergrass has a good deal of genetic variability that can be exploited via selfing or crossing among parents to enhance yield and quality.  Approximately 100 napiergrass plant introductions have been evaluated over the past few years.  Genetic variability has been assessed via AFLP analyses, as well as phenotypic traits.  Crossing has begun between the highest yielding lines and has been assessed phenotypically and genetically via AFLP technology.

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