Abstract
Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) has been identified as a valuable crop for biomass and liquid biofuels, as a viable summer forage for cattle, and as a dual-use crop for both applications. The objective of this research was to evaluate trends throughout the growing season in biomass and forage quality of two switchgrass cultivars in central Kentucky over a 2-yr period. Consistent with observed trends about these cultivars, Cave-in-Rock yielded moderate total biomass and had relatively good forage quality through early-mid season growth. Alamo accumulated high total biomass, but demonstrated marginal forage suitability. This research produced trends predicting biomass and forage quality by accumulated growing degree days, and these trends will aid producers in managing switchgrass for biomass and/or forage utilization.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 170053 |
| Journal | Crop, Forage and Turfgrass Management |
| Volume | 4 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 2018 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2018 American Society of Agronomy and Crop Science Society of America 5585 Guilford Rd., Madison, WI 53711.
Funding
The authors would like to thank Adam Crisologo (Asbury University) and Tracy Hamilton (USDA-ARS-FAPRU) for their invaluable assistance in forage quality analysis, and Krista Lea for her help in data collection and manuscript preparation. We are also grateful for the constructive reviews of four anonymous reviewers. We gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute for Food and Agriculture, Biomass Research and Development Initiative Grant 2011-10006-30363.
| Funders | Funder number |
|---|---|
| U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute for Food and Agriculture, Biomass Research and Development Initiative | 2011-10006-30363 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Agronomy and Crop Science
- Soil Science
- Plant Science