ESTABLISHMENT AND GROWTH OF SWITCHGRASS AND OTHER BIOMASS CROPS ON SURFACE MINES
Open accessAbstract
Biomass crops are being grown on agricultural and marginal lands to provide feedstock for co-firing in power plants and conversion to transportation fuels.Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), Miscanthus (Miscanthus x giganteus), and giant cane (Arundo donax L.) are three biofuel feedstocks that have been planted on reclaimed surface-mined land to determine their establishment and potential for biomass production.This study documents the establishment and dry matter (DM) yield of these biomass crops on several mined sites in West Virginia.The Alton site has all three species planted, and DM yield after the fourth growing season averaged 5,200 kg ha -1 for switchgrass (Kanlow and Bomaster varieties) and 9,000 kg ha -1 for two varieties of Miscanthus.Giant cane had less than 1,000 kg ha -1 .Cave-In-Rock switchgrass was planted on 8 ha at the MeadWestvaco (MWV), WV, site and at The Wilds, OH, site in 2013.After the first growing season, switchgrass production was 752 kg ha -1 at MWV and 1,045 kg ha -1 at The Wilds site.Miscanthus was also planted on these two latter sites, and biomass production after one year was 200 and 600 kg ha -1 , respectively.These biomass averages at The Wilds and MWV were lower than averages produced at Alton after the first growing season.At the Coal Mac site, an average of 10,000 kg ha -1 of Arundo was produced after the third growing season.As demonstrated in these and other studies, two to three years are required for these bioenergy plants to establish and expand to produce suitable amounts of biomass.
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Several studies have shown high yields for switchgrass grown on reclaimed mine lands in this region.
“Several studies have shown high yields for switchgrass grown on reclaimed mine lands in this region [14, 18, 19, 24].”
From Switchgrass and Giant Miscanthus Biomass and Theoretical Ethanol Production from Reclaimed Mine Lands (2018) · cites this paper as [19]
The Switchgrass section (page not provided) reports a 7 Mg ha⁻¹ yield on amended reclaimed mine land in West Virginia, but also a yield below 1 Mg ha⁻¹ at an unamended site. The Alton results (page not provided) describe good switchgrass productivity on a reclaimed surface mine. Together these support the possibility of substantial yields in the region, but the paper does not establish that several studies found high yields specifically on reclaimed mine lands; some of the other studies it discusses concern marginal or agricultural land. (LLM, conf=0.84)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredSwitchgrass and giant miscanthus are productive on marginal lands in the eastern USA.
“Switchgrass ( Panicum virgatum L.) and giant miscanthus ( Miscanthus x giganteus Greef & Deuter ex Hodkinson & Renvoize) are productive on marginal lands in the eastern USA”
From Switchgrass and Giant Miscanthus Biomass and Theoretical Ethanol Production from Reclaimed Mine Lands (2018) · cites this paper as [19]
Switchgrass and giant miscanthus are warm-season (C4) perennial grasses with promising biofuel production capabilities due to their productivity on marginal land such as reclaimed mine lands.
“Switchgrass and giant miscanthus (hereafter, miscanthus) are warm-season (C4) perennial grasses with promising biofuel production capabilities due to their productivity on marginal land such as reclaimed mine lands [14 -20].”
From Switchgrass and Giant Miscanthus Biomass and Theoretical Ethanol Production from Reclaimed Mine Lands (2018) · cites this paper as [19]
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References 31 · Cited by 20
Research works printed but not linked: 1
- Wolf, A., and D. Beegle. 1995. Recommended soil tests for macronutrients: Phosphorus, Potassium, Calcium and Magnesium. p. 30-38. In Sims, J.T. and A.M. Wolf (Eds.). Recommended soil testing procedures for the Northeastern United States. Northeastern Regional Pub. No. 493 (2 nd Ed.). Agricultural Experiment Station Univ. of Delaware, Newark, DE.
- Authors
- West Virginia University, W. 2., Skousen, J., & Brown, C.
- Affiliations
- West Virginia University (US)
- ORCID
- Skousen, Jeff
- Venue
- Journal American Society of Mining and Reclamation
- Published
- 2014-03-01
- Pages
- 136-156
- ISSN
- 2328-8744 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2325859921
- Cited by
- 20
- References
- 31
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 1
- FWCI
- 3.32
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Journal American Society of Mining and Reclamation (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- West Virginia University
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Agronomy and Crop Science › Bioenergy crop production and management
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Agronomy and Crop Science › Agricultural Productivity and Crop Improvement
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Mechanics of Materials › Forest Biomass Utilization and Management
- Keywords
- switchgrass, Miscanthus × giganteus, Arundo donax, energy crops, surface mining, land reclamation, biomass feedstock, dry matter yield, crop establishment, biofuels, West Virginia
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