Iowa State researchers triple amount of miscanthus production with new techniques

In Iowa, new research at Iowa State University shows that using advanced planting techniques can triple the amount of biomass produced by the perennial, bioenergy crop miscanthus in its establishment year. This would significantly increase the plant’s potential to store carbon and improve its economic viability for producers. The findings were published this month in GCB Bioenergy. The project was a collaboration between Iowa State and University of Illinois scientists.

As part of the study, the Iowa State team analyzed the carbon uptake of mxg during its establishment year (2019) at the Sustainable Advanced Bioeconomy Research (SABR) farm in Iowa, where it was planted on land previously in conventional row crops. Researchers used advanced planting technology, allowing a much higher density of mxg plants per unit area than in previous U.S. studies.

Mxg is a perennial crop planted by rhizomes, not by seed. Midwest research plots so far have largely used customized planters, and even partial hand labor, to plant individual rhizomes. The Iowa study took advantage of new, mechanized planting equipment that can plant more quickly and easily increase planting density. 

At the end of the first year after planting, SABR’s mxg had a threefold increase in carbon uptake compared to a similar cornbelt study site at the University of Illinois Energy Research Farm. The Illinois mxg crop was established with lower planting density and pre-commercial planting equipment.