Progress 01/01/08 to 12/31/08
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Activities involved data collection on numerous experiments, two masters student projects, and field excursions for a foarge class and a bioenergy class. Data from this project were presented at numerous events, including conferences and symposia. Services derived from the project included consulting and presentations to various service clubs. The main products developed from this project are several PowerPoint presentations with numerous photos taken from the field research. Dessemination included PowerPoint presentations to 23 different audiences (most of these were invited). PARTICIPANTS: Dr. David Bransby and Dr. Patricia Duffy were the lead PIs. However, plans cooperative research was initiated with the USDA Soils Dynamics Lab at Auburn University, under the supervision of Drs Randy Raper and Francisco Arriaga. This development substantially expand the scope of this project, especially into use of annual cover crops for biomass in cropping systems. TARGET AUDIENCES: Target audiences include students, the general public, farmers, and especially elected officials. Activities include teaching, extension and outreach, as well as providing advice to elected officials on matters such as the content of the Farm Bill that is currently under development PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Apart from adding some new research under direction of a new PhD student, no major modifications of this project are expected.
Impacts
The primary outcome from this project continues to be a change in knowledge. In particular, useful information is beeing collected on stocker production from winter annual pastures, including varieties of annual ryegrass, and effects of stocking rate and growth implants. In the field of energy crops and bioenergy, studies on switchgrass include a detailed evaluation of different varieties, while other studies have focused crop rotation systems for annual biomass crops.
Publications
- Parrish, D., J. H. Fike, D. I. Bransby and R. Samson. 2008. Establishing and Managing Switchgrass as an Energy Crop. Forage and Grazinglands
- Bransby, D.I.., R. Samson, D. Parrish and J. Fike. 2008. Harvest and conversion systems for producing energy from switchgrass: logistic and economic considerations. Forage and Grazinglands
- Zaragoza, J. L., D. I. Bransby and P. A. Duffy. 2008. Economic returns for purchased or contract-grazed stockers on Marshall annual ryegrass. Agron. J. 100: 1237-1241..
- Hite, D., P. Duffy, D. Bransby and C. Slaton. 2008. Consumer willingness-to-pay for biopower: Results from focus groups. Biomass & Bioenergy 32: 11-17.
- Lynd, L., M. Laser, D. Bransby, B. Dale, B. Davison, R. Hamilton, M. Himmel, M. Keller, J. McMillan, J. Sheehan and C. Wyman. 2008. How biotech can transform biofuels. Nature Biotechnology 26 No 2: 169-172
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Progress 10/01/03 to 09/30/08
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Focus in the forage-livestock section of this project demonstrated a substantial advantage of "Marshall" over "Gulf" ryegrass under grazing across three stocking rates, and of ryegrass over "Max-Q" non-toxic tall fescue. In the section on energy crops, detailed information was collected on chemical composition of eight switchgrass varieties and yield of these varieties over a 20-year period was analyzed. Highest biomass yields averaged over 1989-2008 within this experiment were observed in Alamo, Kanlow and Cave-In-Rock with yields of 10.27, 8.22 and 6.57 tons dry matter acre‾1. The theoretical ethanol yields determined from the chemical composition of these three cultivars were lower than average ethanol yield determinations for switchgrass. Ethanol yields for Alamo, Kanlow and Cave-In-Rock were 336.28, 248.75 and 201.03 gallons acre‾1 respectively. Ethanol yield data showed higher yields for stem biomass than leaf biomass given tons DM acre‾1 and fermentable sugar concentrations per the separated biomass. Ethanol yields from 2007 and 2008 for Alamo stem biomass averaged 279.97 gallons acre‾1 while leaf biomass averaged 56.31 gallons acre‾1. Stem biomass had higher total dry matter yield and higher fermentable sugar yields than leaf biomass. Chemical composition was different among cultivars with Alamo, Kanlow and Trailblazer being significantly different from other cultivars. Alamo had the highest glucan concentration in stem biomass, highest protein concentration in leaf biomass and lowest xylan concentration in stem biomass. Trailblazer had the highest lignin concentration in leaf biomass and the lowest ethanol yield in leaf biomass. Kanlow was among the highest in leaf biomass lignin and among the lowest in ethanol yield in leaf biomass. The other five cultivars were similar to one another but significantly different from Alamo, Kanlow and Trailblazer. Biomass chemical composition is controlled somewhat by the genetic makeup of cultivars. Biomass composition in cultivars is also influenced and changed by year and harvest. The determination of best harvest cut systems should be studied further along with maturation stages of different cultivars at time of harvest for optimal biomass composition. Cuts at maturity prior to senescence and entrance to reproductive stage may improve biomass yields as well as biomass composition for higher concentrations of fermentable sugars. It may be of economic value in switchgrass management systems to develop cultivars which mature to biomass yield potential and quality twice per year. Precipitation received in March and September affected yield of all eight cultivars in either one harvest or in both. March and September either were significant in combination or separately for each cultivar. PARTICIPANTS: Dr. David Bransby, lead PI. Dr. Patricia Duffy, Co-PI. Dr. Carla Shoemaker, post-doc Ms. Susan Sladden, Research Assistant. Dr. Jose Zaragoza-Ramerez, PhD student in forage/livestock management. Mr. Ping Huang, PhD student in Energy Crops. Ms. Lindsay Crider, MS student in energy crops. Ms. Scottie Sklanka, MS student in energy crops. Multiple undergraduate student workers. Multiple employees at field stations. TARGET AUDIENCES: Forage and bioenergy research community. Graduate and undergraduate students. Cattle producers. Growers interested in energy crops. Private companies developing bioenergy technologies. Elected officials at the state and national level, and their employees who are responsible for drafting agricultural and energy policy, including incentives. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.
Impacts
The work on ryegrass provided extremely useful data for stocker producers, emphasizing the high profit potential for grazing stockers on annual ryegrass, the superiority of Marshall ryegrass over Gulf. which still commands about 80% of the ryegrass seed market, and optimal stocking rates. Work with switchgrass is of great value to the emerging bioenergy industry, and is the first to identify genetic differences in composition, theoretical ethanol yield, and long term dry matter yields, as influenced by weather conditions. All these factors have marked effects on projected profit from switchgrass. This work was also of assistance in providing input for development of the Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP) which was incorporated into the 2008 Farm Bill, and formed the basis for discussions with President Bush when the PI was invited by the White House to brief the president on bioenergy on two separate occasions, in September of 2006, and February of 2007.
Publications
- Sokhansanj, S., S. Mani, A Turhollow, A Kumar, D. Bransby, L. Lynd and M. Laser. 2009. Large scale production, harvest and logistics of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) - Current technology and visioning a mature technology. Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining 3: 124-141
- Lee, J.K. and D.I. Bransby. 2009. Biofuel Industry and Recent Research in the USA. J. Kor. Grassl. Forage Sci 28: 129-138.
- Bransby, D. I. 2009. Switchgrass for production of energy in the United States. J. Kor. Grassl. Forage Sci 29: 37-44.
- Crider, L. J. 2009. Composition and yield of eight switchgrass varieties cultivars in Alabama. MS thesis, Agronomy and Soils, Auburn University.
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Progress 01/01/07 to 12/31/07
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Activities involved data collection on numerous experiments, two masters student projects, and field excursions for a foarge class and a bioenergy class. Data from this project were presented at numerous events, including conferences and symposia. Services derived from the project included consulting and presentations to various service clubs like Kiwanis. The main products developed from this project are several outstanding PowerPoint presentations with numerous slides taken from the field research. Dessemination included PowerPoint presentations to 25 different audiences (most of these were invited). Furthermore, the project formed the basis for advice given to the White House prior to the 2007 State of the Union Address, and in a subsequent briefing of President Bush, Secretary of Energy, Sam Bodman, and senior White House Officials in February, 2007 on the status of the emerging cellulosic biofuel industry.
PARTICIPANTS: Dr. David Bransby and Dr. Patricia Duffy were the lead PIs. However, plans were initiated to develop a substantial cooperative relationship with the USDA Soils Dynamics Lab at Auburn University, under the supervision of Drs Randy Raper and Francisco Arriaga. This unit has been directed by ARS headquarters in Beltsville to substantially increase its activity in the field of bioenergy. Initial discussions suggest that this cooperative effort will substantially expand the scope of this project, especially into use of annual cover crops for biomass in cropping systems.
TARGET AUDIENCES: Target audiences include students, the general public, farmers, and especially elected officials. Activities include teaching, extension and outreach, as well as providing advice to elected officials on matters such as the content of the Farm Bill that is currently under development.
PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: The only major change to this project in 2008 will be expansion of the energy crop research due to the cooperation with the USDA Soils Dynamics Lab. It is expected that this will substantially expand the data collected on existing experiments, increase the number of experiments, and improve dissemination of results.
Impacts
The primary outcome from this project continues to be a change in knowledge. In particular, useful information is beeing collected on stocker production from winter annual pastures, including varieties of annual ryegrass, conventional tillage establishment compared to no-till planting, and effects of stocking rate and growth implants. In the field of energy crops and bioenergy, studies on switchgrass include a detailed evaluation of different varieties, while other studies have focused on consumer responses to the emerging bioenergy industry.
Publications
- Kebede, Ellene, Patricia A. Duffy, and Robert Zabawe. "Impact of Ethanol Production and Rural Economies: The Case of Alabama." The Southern Business and Economic Journal. 30, 1&2 (winter/spring 2007): 87-100.
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Progress 01/01/04 to 12/31/04
Outputs
Biomass Crops Several plot studies were conducted with switchgrass to determine long term effects of N fertilization. Existing long term studies with mimosa and giant reed were also continued to dertermine effects of harvest interval on dry matter yield. Composition data indicating combustion quality for 25 biomass materials were determined by means of lab analysis. Grazing Research The fourth year of grazing research on fungus free, toxic and non-toxic endophyte fescue was completed at the Sand Mountain and Upper Coastal Plains Research Station. The third year of research on ryegrass grazing systems for stockers was completed at the E. V. Smith Research Center in south central Alabama, and a new study was initiated to examine the effect of soluble carbohydrates in cool season annuals on weight gain of stockers. The first year of a study comparing productivity of goats and stocker cattle at several stocking rates on annual ryegrass was completed, and the second year
was initiated.
Impacts
Biomass research is expected to lead to commercialization of bioenergy in Alabama, especially co-firing biomass with coal to produce electricity. Alabama Power Company is already doing this on a small scale as a result of this research. Greater deployment of c-firing is being explored and could lead to substantial new biomass markets for biomass in the state, and considerable rural development. Grazing research is expected to improve efficiency of both cattle and goat production in the state.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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