Switchgrass Compositional Variations Arising from Spatial Distribution and Legume Intercropping |
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Authors: | Amanda J Ashworth Fred L Allen Ken Goddard Kara S Warwick Duncan Yeaman Daniel H Pote |
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Institution: | 1. United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Poultry Production and Product Safety Research Unit, Fayetteville, AR, USA;2. Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA;3. United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Dale Bumpers Small Farms Research Center, Booneville, AR, USA |
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Abstract: | Due to genetic diversity within and among switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), there may be genotype x environment and management-induced differences among secondary cell walls. Consequently, two separate experiments were conducted to determine feedstock variance using near-infrared spectrometry (NIRS). One experiment tested legume-intercrops red clover (RC; Trifolium pratense), crimson clover (CC; Trifolium incarnatum), hairy vetch (HV; Vicia villosa), and partridge pea (PP; Chamaechrista fasciculata)], nitrogen (N) fertilization (0, 67, and 135 kg-N ha?1), and location impacts on characteristics. The second one determined on-farm bale variance within and across locations. Clustering NIRS data indicated that chemical signatures differed among locations and N-levels, but less so among intercrops. Results suggest that homogeneity may vary within a region responsible for supplying biomass to a biorefinery. Thus, conversion efficiencies and enzymatic requirements for ethanol production may be affected. Consequently, legumes may displace inorganic-N with minimal compositional changes, whereas location and N-level influence feedstock quality and recalcitrance level to a greater extent. |
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Keywords: | Cellulose feedstock composition forage quality legume intercropping near-infrared spectrometry principal component analysis |
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