In Germany, the cup plant (Silphium perfoliatum) offers an ecologically advantageous alternative to silage maize for bioenergy production. This is the conclusion of a multi-year comparative study conducted by researchers at the University of Bayreuth. Their findings have now been published in the journal GCB Bioenergy.
The search for sustainable alternatives to energy production from agricultural crops is a key concern in light of the European climate goals to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. In Germany, maize currently dominates as an energy crop, but its cultivation poses ecological challenges: soil erosion, nutrient leaching, and especially nitrate contamination of groundwater are well-known issues.
For this reason, research must identify suitable alternative crops that can minimize these environmental problems while maintaining similar levels of biomass production and energy yield.
The cup plant, a perennial species native to North America, is characterized by a deep-reaching root system and long-term usability. It is cultivated as an alternative to maize for energy production. Researchers from the Agroecology research group and the Botanical Garden (ÖBG) at the University of Bayreuth studied its growth and ecological potential over a four-year period using the lysimeter facility at the ÖBG—a system that allows for sampling of leachate.
This enabled the plants to grow under controlled conditions, both with adequate water supply and under moderate drought stress, simulating the challenges of climate change.
Tags: Germany, silage corn
Category: Research
