BIOMASS POTENTIAL OF SELECTED GRASS AND LEGUME CROPS

Optimum management strategies for herbaceous biomass crops must be investigated concurrently with the development of cost-effective conversion processes. The objective here was to evaluate the agronomic feasibility of several combinations of species and management systems for producing herbaceous biomass on sites ranging from good to marginal cropland in the Midwest region of the United States. Of the perennial grasses and legumes investigated, switchgrass showed the most potential as a biomass species. It requires minimum fertilizer inputs for high yield, is very persistent, and is effective in reducing soil erosion. Sorghum double-cropped with winter annual rye was very productive but required more inputs than switchgrass. Interseeding sorghum into perennial grasses was not a viable option, due to its great dependence on environmental variables. Plant composition varied greatly across species but was not greatly affected by environment or management treatments.