Dr. Hilary Mayton, Dr. Julie Hansen, Dr. Paul Salon, Jamie Crawford, Dr. Chris Watkins, Dr. Donald Viands ACCELERATED EVALUATION OF PERENNIAL GRASS AND.

Dr. Hilary Mayton, Dr. Julie Hansen, Dr. Paul Salon, Jamie Crawford, Dr. Chris Watkins, Dr. Donald Viands

ACCELERATED EVALUATION OF PERENNIAL GRASS AND LEGUME ACCELERATED EVALUATION OF PERENNIAL GRASS AND LEGUME FEEDSTOCKS FOR BIOFUEL PRODUCTION IN NEW YORK STATEFEEDSTOCKS FOR BIOFUEL PRODUCTION IN NEW YORK STATE

Cornell Feedstock ProjectCornell Feedstock Project

Multidisciplinary Multidisciplinary researchresearch project project– IndustryIndustry– Government agenciesGovernment agencies– Academic institutionsAcademic institutions– Cornell Cooperative ExtensionCornell Cooperative Extension– NY growersNY growers– OthersOthers

Project GoalsProject Goals

Identify and expand acreage of perennial biofuel Identify and expand acreage of perennial biofuel feedstocksfeedstocks

Identify plant species with greatest potential for dedicated Identify plant species with greatest potential for dedicated use as biofuel feedstockuse as biofuel feedstock

Obtain information on value of diverse feedstock from Obtain information on value of diverse feedstock from farm to final end-products farm to final end-products

Deliver species recommendations and management Deliver species recommendations and management advice to current and potential producersadvice to current and potential producers

Evaluate a variety of perennial biofuel feedstocks (forage Evaluate a variety of perennial biofuel feedstocks (forage grasses and legumes)grasses and legumes)– Assess yield and determine best management practicesAssess yield and determine best management practices

one cut, two cuts….. herbicide, fertilizerone cut, two cuts….. herbicide, fertilizer

BTU’s, cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin BTU’s, cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin (Dr. Joss Rose, Cornell (Dr. Joss Rose, Cornell University)University)

Evaluate seed quality and seed treatments Evaluate seed quality and seed treatments (Dr. Alan Taylor, (Dr. Alan Taylor, Cornell University)Cornell University)

Collect data on disease incidence and severityCollect data on disease incidence and severity– survey, identify pathogens survey, identify pathogens (Dr. Gary Bergstrom, Cornell (Dr. Gary Bergstrom, Cornell

University)University)

Collect economic data Collect economic data (Dr. Todd Schmidt, Cornell University)(Dr. Todd Schmidt, Cornell University)– seed cost, establishment, maintenance, harvest, storage seed cost, establishment, maintenance, harvest, storage

Field Trial ObjectivesField Trial Objectives

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♦ 2007 Cool season grass trials

Reed Canarygrass

Tall Fescue

Smooth Bromegrass

Tall Wheatgrass

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▲2007 Warm season grass

replicated trialsBig Bluestem

Switchgrass

Coastal Panic Grass

Eastern Gamagrass

Indiangrass

■ 2007 Warm season grass strip trials

Big BluestemSwitchgrass

Coastal Panic GrassEastern Gamagrass

Indiangrass

● 2007 Seed treatment trials

ThiramDividend Extreme

Raxil XTT-22

TrigoCor 1448

EntryEntry CultivarCultivar Common nameCommon name11 BonanzaBonanza big bluestembig bluestem

22 GoldmineGoldmine big bluestembig bluestem

33 NiagaraNiagara big bluestembig bluestem

44 AtlanticAtlantic coastal panic grasscoastal panic grass

55 PetePete E.gamagrassE.gamagrass

66 BlackwellBlackwell switchgrassswitchgrass

77 CarthageCarthage switchgrassswitchgrass

88 Cave-in-rockCave-in-rock switchgrassswitchgrass

99 Cave-in-rockCave-in-rock switchgrassswitchgrass

1010 ForestburgForestburg switchgrassswitchgrass

1111 KanlowKanlow switchgrassswitchgrass

1212 PathfinderPathfinder switchgrassswitchgrass

1313 ShawneeShawnee switchgrassswitchgrass

1414 ShelterShelter switchgrassswitchgrass

1515 SunburstSunburst switchgrassswitchgrass

1616 TrailblazerTrailblazer switchgrassswitchgrass

1717 Nebraska 54Nebraska 54 indiangrassindiangrass

1818 Nebraska 28Nebraska 28 switchgrassswitchgrass

1919 RumseyRumsey indiangrassindiangrass

2020 PawneePawnee big bluestembig bluestem

2121 Mixtures-1Mixtures-1Cave-in-rock switchgrass Cave-in-rock switchgrass

Bonanza big bluestemBonanza big bluestem

2222 Mixtures-2Mixtures-2Sunburst switchgrassSunburst switchgrassNiagara big bluestemNiagara big bluestem

2323 Mixtures-3Mixtures-3Cave-in-rock switchgrass Pete Cave-in-rock switchgrass Pete

E.gamagrassE.gamagrass

2424 Mixtures-4Mixtures-4Niagara big bluestemNiagara big bluestem

Pete E.gamagrassPete E.gamagrass

▲2007 Replicated plot trialsTompkins County

Chemung County Big Flats NRCS Plant Materials Center

Jefferson County

Genesee County

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2008 Madison countyClinton county

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Small plot cultivar evaluation trial Sumer 2007

Small plot cultivar evaluation trial Fall 2007

■ 2007 Warm season grass strip trial locations

Dutchess

Genesee

St. Lawrence

Tompkins

2007 Field Trials

CultivarCultivar Common nameCommon nameBonanzaBonanza big bluestembig bluestem

NiagaraNiagara big bluestembig bluestem

AtlanticAtlantic coastal panic grasscoastal panic grass

PetePete E.gamagrassE.gamagrass

CarthageCarthage switchgrassswitchgrass

Cave-in-rockCave-in-rock switchgrassswitchgrass

SunburstSunburst switchgrassswitchgrass

TrailblazerTrailblazer switchgrassswitchgrass

Nebraska 54Nebraska 54 indiangrassindiangrass

Mixtures-1Mixtures-1Cave-in-rock switchgrass-Cave-in-rock switchgrass-

Bonanza big bluestemBonanza big bluestem

Mixtures-2Mixtures-2

Sunburst Sunburst switchgrass -Niagara big switchgrass -Niagara big

bluestembluestem

Mixtures-3Mixtures-3Cave-in-rock switchgrass - Cave-in-rock switchgrass -

Pete E.gamagrassPete E.gamagrass

Mixtures-4Mixtures-4Niagara big bluestem-Pete Niagara big bluestem-Pete

E.gamagrassE.gamagrass

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■ 2008 Strip trialpotential locations

TompkinsSchoharie County

Washington CountySteuben

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28 acres – NE Sun Center Laboratories, Cornell University

Tompkins County Mt Pleasant Strip Trial Summer 2007

G.C. Bergstrom

G.C. Bergstrom

Plant disease observed in 2007 field trials

Project Summary

The perennial grass and legume evaulation project has been initiated to assure that feedstock is available for biofuel conversion technology and commercial utilization.

Plant breeding programs and genomic research will be needed to develop the greatest potential in bioenergy crops.