The lignocellulose in forage crops represents a second generation of biomass feedstock for conversion into energy-related end products. Some of the most extensively studied species for cellulosic feedstock production include forages such as switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea L.), and alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). An advantage of using forages as bioenergy ...

In the United States, government-mandated growth in the production of crops dedicated to biofuel (agrofuels) is predicted to increase the demands on existing agricultural lands, potentially threatening the persistence of populations of grassland birds they support. We review recently published literature and datasets to (1) examine the ability of alternative agrofuel crops and their management ...

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of supplements containing different energy sources in relation to mineral supplementation of steers grazing guineagrass (Panicum maximum cv Tanzânia) pasture, during the dry season. The experimental design was a randomized block with three treatments and four replications. The treatments consisted of a mineral supplementation and two other su...

Perennial biomass from grasslands managed for conservation of soil and biodiversity can be harvested for bioenergy. Until now, the quantity and quality of harvestable biomass from conservation grasslands in Minnesota, USA, was not known, and the factors that affect bioenergy potential from these systems have not been identified. We measured biomass yield, theoretical ethanol conversion efficien...

Hypolipidemic effect of Samai (.i.e. Panicum miliare) on selected fifty cardiovascular patients were studied for a period of sixty days (25 control; 25 supplemented with Samai). Lipid profiles were analyzed before and after supplementation period for both control and experimental group. It was heartwarming to note that all the lipid values with the exception of HDL - cholesterol had reduced aft...

Broomcorn and foxtail millet are the only major domesticated plants indigenous to prehistoric Eurasia rely on C4photosynthetic pathway. Here we study impact of animal manure (AM) broomcorn (Panicum miliaceum) (Setaria italica), grown in Askov Long-Term Experiment, using unmanured soil dressed with phosphorus plus potassium (PK) as reference treatments. Animal had a marked effect yields δ15N val...

Perennials have a number of traits important for profitability and sustainability of a biofuel crop. Perennialism is generally defined as the ability to grow and reproduce in multiple years. In temperate climates, many perennial plants enter dormancy during winter and recycle nutrients, such as nitrogen, to below ground structures for the next growing season. Nitrogen is expensive to produce an...

The carbon dioxide compensation concentration of Panicum milioides was less than that of soybean over the range of 15 to 35 C. In soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr. cv. Wayne), the compensation concentration was directly proportional to O(2) concentration. In P. milioides, the compensation concentration was near zero up to 10% O(2) and then increased linearly with higher O(2), although the slope o...