Switchgrass Best Management Practices for Biofuel Production

Lee, DoKyoung; Rob , Mitchell; Arvid, Boe; Colleen, Zumpf; Archer, David; Emily, Heaton; Gevan, Behnke; Namoi, Nictor Litunya; Arshad, Muhammad Umer; Daniel, Wasonga; Nicholas , Boersma; Tim, Rooney; Calvin, Ernst

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/130585 Copy

Description

Title

Switchgrass Best Management Practices for Biofuel Production

Author(s)

• Lee, DoKyoung
• Rob , Mitchell
• Arvid, Boe
• Colleen, Zumpf
• Archer, David
• Emily, Heaton
• Gevan, Behnke
• Namoi, Nictor Litunya
• Arshad, Muhammad Umer
• Daniel, Wasonga
• Nicholas , Boersma
• Tim, Rooney
• Calvin, Ernst

Issue Date

2025-12-15

Keyword(s)

Switchgrass; Best Management Practices; Biofuel Production; Guide

Date of Ingest

2025-12-15T13:16:35-06:00

Abstract

Switchgrass is a perennial C4 grass native to North America and broadly adaptable across the U.S. Its high productivity, low input requirements, and ability to deliver significant ecosystem services benefits, including carbon sequestration, soil conservation, and wildlife habitat, make it well-suited for cultivation on marginal lands. Achieving the U.S. Department of Energy’s projected potential of 1 billion dry tons of biomass annually by 2050 – with switchgrass contributing up to 230 million tons – will require a transition to large-scale, commercial production. This technical guide was developed to provide decision-makers with current best management practices (BMPs) for establishing, managing, and harvesting bioenergy switchgrass at scale on marginal lands across the U.S. Midwest and Great Plains. Drawing extensively on previous field research and insights from the five-year 'Next-Generation Feedstocks for the Emerging Bioeconomy' project – funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office – this guide provides practical strategies for scaling up switchgrass production to meet the demands of the growing bioeconomy.

Type of Resource

text

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