Establishing and Managing Switchgrass as a Biomass Energy Crop

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently designated switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) as one of the leading biofuel candidates for combustion, gasification, and liquid fuel production. Characteristics identified by the DOE that make switchgrass an ideal renewable energy crop include:

  • commercial seed availability of high-yielding cultivars for different geographical regions of adaptation;
  • relative ease of planting and establishment;
  • compatible with conventional farming equipment for establishment, and harvest management;
  • production of large amounts of biomass under a wide range of environmental conditions; and
  • wildlife cover.

The NRCS Plant Materials Program has been involved in the collection, evaluation, selection, increase and release of conservation plants for 76 years. Switchgrass was recognized early as one of the key perennial grasses for soil conservation following the dust bowl era of the 1930s.  The first named cultivar was ‘Blackwell’ switchgrass was released in 1944 by the Manhattan, Kansas Plant Materials Center in cooperation with the Kansas Agriculture Experiment Station.  Since then, a total of 18 switchgrass cultivars and prevarietal selections have been released by the plant materials program and its cooperators (e.g. State Agriculture Experiment Stations, Agriculture Research Service, and other State and federal agencies).  From these plant materials program efforts, these cultivars are being used for bioenergy production today.

The Central National Technology Support Center and plant materials staff is developing a national technical note to provide guidance to NRCS field staff to assist producers and/or consultants in the establishment and management of switchgrass as a dedicated energy crop.  Information contained in the technical note was assembled from the latest research technology developed by scientists involved in bioenergy production and technical expertise in establishing switchgrass by the Plant Materials Program specialists.  The technical note will examine field selection and preparation, cultivar selection, cultural specifications, fertilizer management, and harvest recommendations.

The information contained in this technical note can be used to guide the development of conservation plans, provide FOTG data, and supplement existing conservation practice standards and resource management systems.
Your contacts are NRCS plant materials specialist Joel Douglas at 817-509- 3419, NRCS conservation agronomist Jerry Lemunyon at 817-509-3216, or NRCS natural resources specialist Cheryl Simmons at 817-509-3314.