Establishing perennial grass energy crops in the UK: A review of current propagation options for Miscanthus

A key UK government strategy is to expand the supply of home grown biomass and facilitate the development and competitiveness of a sustainable supply chain, while promoting low-carbon technology. Analysis of the potential supply chain suggests that this can, in part, be achieved by growing energy crops. Meeting expectations is, however, reliant on developing an economically viable biomass sector which incorporates efficient, sustainable and regional supply chains to increase biomass use. This review aims to present the knowledge by which plant propagules, for the biomass supply chain, can be produced at minimum cost. It specifically addresses the potential of biomass production from the perennial grass Miscanthus. This review is part of a project to identify the causes for the apparent limitations in the establishment of UK perennial energy crops. The work reported here focuses on the knowledge available regarding the potential routes by which Miscanthus material could be mass produced. The review concludes that high density plantings must be established to maximise yields. Vegetative clonal plant propagation is required to deliver uniform crops of selected germplasm. Commercial seed production in the UK is not possible and potentially undesirable for selected germplasm. Rhizome production and division is slow, but currently does not limit increases in production because the UK industry uptake is currently small. Uptake of new germplasm will be dependent on the use of rapid and cost effective plant propagation systems, particularly vegetative systems. The germplasm collection established provides an opportunity for genotypes to be propagated by a range of techniques to determine ease of propagation in terms of cost and multiplication rates. At present the establishment rate of Miscanthus is slow and this appears limited by economics; evidence suggests that the cost of plant propagules is one factor that constrains widespread planting. New techniques are required that simultaneously reduce unit costs of propagules and increase the speed of their availability to aid this developing industry.

[1]  Pál Pepó,et al.  The role of nitrogen and phosphorous source in Miscanthus in vitro cultures. , 2005 .

[2]  Iris Lewandowski,et al.  Propagation method as an important factor in the growth and development of Miscanthus×giganteus , 1998 .

[3]  Stephen P. Long,et al.  Can perennial C4 grasses attain high efficiencies of radiant energy conversion in cool climates , 1995 .

[4]  J.M.O. Scurlock,et al.  Miscanthus: A Review of European Experience with a Novel Energy Crop , 1999 .

[5]  H. Scholten,et al.  Plant Propagation: Principles and Practices , 1960 .

[6]  Iris Lewandowski,et al.  Nitrogen, energy and land use efficiencies of miscanthus, reed canary grass and triticale as determined by the boundary line approach , 2006 .

[7]  S. Anthony,et al.  Identifying the yield potential of Miscanthus x giganteus: an assessment of the spatial and temporal variability of M. x giganteus biomass productivity across England and Wales , 2004 .

[8]  Pete Smith,et al.  Energy crops: current status and future prospects , 2006 .

[9]  J. Scurlock,et al.  The development and current status of perennial rhizomatous grasses as energy crops in the US and Europe , 2003 .

[10]  G. Jenkins,et al.  The climate of the United Kingdom and recent trends , 2007 .

[11]  J. Morison,et al.  Water use efficiency of C4 perennial grasses in a temperate climate , 1999 .

[12]  J. Hansen,et al.  Short-term in vitro storage of t Miscanthus x ogiformis Honda 'Giganteus' as affected by medium composition, temperature, and photon flux density , 1997, Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture.

[13]  Stephen P. Long,et al.  Seasonal dynamics of nutrient accumulation and partitioning in the perennial C4-grasses Miscanthus × giganteus and Spartina cynosuroides , 1997 .

[14]  H. Jones,et al.  Plants and Microclimate. , 1985 .

[15]  John Clifton-Brown,et al.  Water Use Efficiency and Biomass Partitioning of Three Different Miscanthus Genotypes with Limited and Unlimited Water Supply , 2000 .

[16]  J. Lammel,et al.  Cultivation of Miscanthus under West European conditions: Seasonal changes in dry matter production, nutrient uptake and remobilization , 1997, Plant and Soil.

[17]  John Clifton-Brown,et al.  Overwintering problems of newly established Miscanthus plantations can be overcome by identifying genotypes with improved rhizome cold tolerance , 2000 .

[18]  S. Ramanayake,et al.  In vitro shoot proliferation and enhancement of rooting for the large-scale propagation of yellow bamboo (Bambusa vulgaris ‘Striata’) , 2006 .

[19]  I. Holme,et al.  Callus induction and plant regeneration from different explant types of Miscanthus x ogiformis Honda ‘Giganteus’ , 1996, Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture.

[20]  K. Hirimburegama,et al.  Propagation of Bambusa vulgaris (yellow bamboo) through nodal bud culture , 1995 .

[21]  N. Anten,et al.  Shoot structure,leaf physiology, and daily carbon gain of plant species in a tallgrass meadow , 2003 .

[22]  Sandra B. Wilson,et al.  Landscape Performance, Flowering, and Seed Viability of 15 Japanese Silver Grass Cultivars Grown in Northern and Southern Florida , 2006 .

[23]  Stephen P. Long,et al.  Cold Tolerance of C4 photosynthesis in Miscanthus × giganteus: Adaptation in Amounts and Sequence of C4 Photosynthetic Enzymes1 , 2003, Plant Physiology.

[24]  J. Mortensen,et al.  Light interception and dry matter conversion efficiency of miscanthus genotypes estimated from spectral reflectance measurements. , 2003, The New phytologist.

[25]  K. K. Petersen.  Callus induction and plant regeneration in Miscanthus x ogiformis Honda 'Giganteus' as influenced by benzyladenine , 1997, Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture.

[26]  T Wiesenthal,et al.  How much bioenergy can Europe produce without harming the environment , 2006 .

[27]  John Clifton-Brown,et al.  Genotypic variation in cold tolerance influences the yield of Miscanthus , 2006 .

[28]  K. Kristiansen,et al.  Colchicine and oryzalin mediated chromosome doubling in different genotypes of Miscanthus sinensis , 2003, Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture.

[29]  Andrew B. Riche,et al.  Establishing Miscanthus sinensis from seed using conventional sowing methods , 2005 .

[30]  John Clifton-Brown,et al.  Carbon mitigation by the energy crop, Miscanthus , 2007 .

[31]  P. Krogstrup,et al.  Significance of different carbon sources and sterilization methods on callus induction and plant regeneration of Miscanthus x ogiformis Honda `Giganteus' , 1999, Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture.

[32]  D. E. Alexander,et al.  Temperature and Endogenous Factors Cause Seasonal Patterns in Rooting by Stem Fragments of the Invasive Giant Reed, Arundo donax (Poaceae) , 2005, International Journal of Plant Sciences.

[33]  Melvyn F. Askew,et al.  The potential for biomass and energy crops in agriculture in Europe, in land use, policy and rural economy terms , 2001 .

[34]  J. Hansen,et al.  Synergism of thidiazuron and benzyladenine in axillary shoot formation depends on sequence of application in Miscanthus X ogiformis ‘Giganteus’ , 1995, Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture.

[35]  K. Kristiansen,et al.  In vitro chromosome doubling of Miscanthus sinensis , 2002 .

[36]  P. Krogstrup,et al.  Embryogenic callus formation, growth and regeneration in callus and suspension cultures of Miscanthus x ogiformis Honda Giganteus' as affected by proline , 1997, Plant Cell Tissue and Organ Culture.

[37]  J. Etherington,et al.  Physiological Plant Ecology. , 1977 .

[38]  S. Gupta,et al.  Somatic embryogenesis and plant regeneration from suspension cultures of switchgrass , 1999 .

[39]  M. J. Bullard,et al.  Shoot growth, radiation interception and dry matter production and partitioning during the establishment phase of Miscanthus sinensis‘Giganteus’ grown at two densities in the UK , 1995 .

[40]  David S. Powlson,et al.  Biofuels and other approaches for decreasing fossil fuel emissions from agriculture , 2005 .