High temperatures and low soil moisture synergistically reduce switchgrass yields from marginal field sites and inhibit fermentation

Chipkar, Sarvada; Kahmark, Kevin; Bohm, Sven; Hussain, Mir Zaman; Joshi, Leela; Krieg, Karleigh M.; Aguado, Jacob; Cassidy, Jasmine; Lozano, Pablo; Garland, Kevin; Senyk, Andrea; Debrauske, Derek J.; Whelan, Elizabeth; Davies, Morgan; Urban, Paul; Robertson, G. Philip; Sato, Trey K.; Hamilton, Stephen K.; Thelen, Kurt D.; Ong, Rebecca G.

doi:10.1111/gcbb.13119

High temperatures and low soil moisture synergistically reduce switchgrass yields from marginal field sites and inhibit fermentation

Journal Article · Thu Jan 11 23:00:00 EST 2024 · Global Change Biology. Bioenergy

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1111/gcbb.13119· OSTI ID:2294066

^[1]; Kahmark, Kevin ^[2]; Bohm, Sven ^[2]; Hussain, Mir Zaman ^[2]; Joshi, Leela ^[3]; Krieg, Karleigh M. ^[3]; Aguado, Jacob ^[3]; Cassidy, Jasmine ^[3]; Lozano, Pablo ^[3]; Garland, Kevin ^[3]; Senyk, Andrea ^[3]; Debrauske, Derek J. ^[4]; Whelan, Elizabeth ^[4]; Davies, Morgan ^[4]; Urban, Paul ^[4]; ^[5]; Sato, Trey K. ^[4]; Hamilton, Stephen K. ^[5]; Thelen, Kurt D. ^[2]; ^[3]

Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI (United States); Michigan Technological University Department of Chemical Engineering
Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI (United States)
Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI (United States)
University of Wisconsin‐Madison, WI (United States)
Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI (United States); Michigan State University, Hickory Corners, MI (United States)

‘Marginal lands’ are low productivity sites abandoned from agriculture for reasons such as low or high soil water content, challenging topography, or nutrient deficiency. To avoid competition with crop production, cellulosic bioenergy crops have been proposed for cultivation on marginal lands, however on these sites they may be more strongly affected by environmental stresses such as low soil water content. In this study we used rainout shelters to induce low soil moisture on marginal lands and determine the effect of soil water stress on switchgrass growth and the subsequent production of bioethanol. Five marginal land sites that span a latitudinal gradient in Michigan and Wisconsin were planted to switchgrass in 2013 and during the 2018–2021 growing seasons were exposed to reduced precipitation under rainout shelters in comparison to ambient precipitation. The effect of reduced precipitation was related to the environmental conditions at each site and biofuel production metrics (switchgrass biomass yields and composition and ethanol production). During the first year (2018), the rainout shelters were designed with 60% rain exclusion, which did not affect biomass yields compared to ambient conditions at any of the field sites, but decreased switchgrass fermentability at the Wisconsin Central–Hancock site. In subsequent years, the shelters were redesigned to fully exclude rainfall, which led to reduced biomass yields and inhibited fermentation for three sites. When switchgrass was grown in soils with large reductions in moisture and increases in temperature, the potential for biofuel production was significantly reduced, exposing some of the challenges associated with producing biofuels from lignocellulosic biomass grown under drought conditions.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC), Madison, WI (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER)

Grant/Contract Number:: SC0018409

OSTI ID:: 2294066

Journal Information:: Global Change Biology. Bioenergy, Journal Name: Global Change Biology. Bioenergy Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 16; ISSN 1757-1693

Publisher:: WileyCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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