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At least 109 records · Page 6
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2020

Ecosystem–scale biogeochemical fluxes from three bioenergy crop candidates: How energy sorghum compares to maize and miscanthus

Perennial crops have been the focus of bioenergy research and development for their sustainability benefits associated with high soil carbon (C) and reduced nitrogen (N) requirements. However, perennial crops mature over several years and their sustainability benefits can be negated through land reversion. A photoperiod–sensitive energy sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) may provide an annual crop alternative more ecologically sustainable than maize (Zea mays) that can more easily integrate into crop rotations than perennials, such as miscanthus (Miscanthus × giganteus). This study presents an ecosystem–scale comparison of C, N, water and energy fluxes from energy sorghum, maize and miscanthus during a typical growing season in the Midwest United States. Gross primary productivity (GPP) was highest for maize during the peak growing season at 21.83 g C m –2 day –1 , followed by energy sorghum (17.04 g C m –2 day –1 ) and miscanthus (15.57 g C m –2 day –1 ). Maize also had the highest peak growing season evapotranspiration at 5.39 mm day –1 , with energy sorghum and miscanthus at 3.81 and 3.61 mm day –1 , respectively. Energy sorghum was the most efficient water user (WUE), while maize and miscanthus were comparatively similar (3.04, 1.75 and 1.89 g C mm –1 H 2 O, respectively). Maize albedo was lower than energy sorghum and miscanthus (0.19, 0.26 and 0.24, respectively), but energy sorghum had a Bowen ratio closer to maize than miscanthus (0.12, 0.13 and 0.21, respectively). Nitrous oxide (N 2 O) flux was higher from maize and energy sorghum (8.86 and 12.04 kg N ha –1 , respectively) compared with miscanthus (0.51 kg N ha –1 ), indicative of their different agronomic management. Furthermore, these results are an important first look at how energy sorghum compares to maize and miscanthus grown in the Midwest United States. This quantitative assessment is a critical component for calibrating biogeochemical and ecological models used to forecast bioenergy crop growth, productivity and sustainability.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2025

A 13‐Year Record Indicates Differences in the Duration and Depth of Soil Carbon Accrual Among Potential Bioenergy Crops

Six years after replacing a maize/soybean cropping system, perennial grasses miscanthus (Miscanthus × giganteus) and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), and a 28-species restored prairie increased particulate organic carbon in surface soils without increasing soil organic carbon (SOC). To resolve potential changes in the quantity and distribution of SOC, soils were resampled after seven to thirteen years to measure bulk density, carbon (C) content, and stable C isotopes to a depth of 1 m. SOC stocks increased between 1.75 and 2.5 Mg ha −1 year −1 in all perennial crops between 2008 and 2016 (nine growing seasons). Despite relatively low litter inputs and belowground biomass, the highest rate of SOC accrual was in restored prairie (2.5 Mg ha −1 year −1 ), followed by miscanthus (2.0 Mg ha −1 year −1 ) and switchgrass (1.75 Mg ha −1 year −1 ). The change in SOC in maize/soybean was not significant. After 2016, total SOC decreased in maize/soybean and miscanthus, resulting in slower overall rates of SOC accumulation over the full sampling period for miscanthus (0.8 Mg ha −1 year −1 ). The rate of SOC accumulation was greatest below 50 cm depth for restored prairie and switchgrass but in the top 10 cm for miscanthus. Stable isotope analysis showed 13 C enrichment in all depths of switchgrass soils, an indication of new organic C accumulation, but mixed results in all other crops. Planting perennial crops on land formerly in an annual maize/soybean cropping system can slow or reverse soil carbon losses, with the greatest increases in SOC from species-rich prairie.

agriculture↗
DOE OSTI2020

Effects of nitrogen fertilization and bioenergy crop type on topsoil organic carbon and total Nitrogen contents in middle Tennessee USA

Nitrogen (N) fertilization affects bioenergy crop growth and productivity and consequently carbon (C) and N contents in soil, it however remains unclear whether N fertilization and crop type individually or interactively influence soil organic carbon (SOC) and total N (TN). In a three-year long fertilization experiment in switchgrass (SG: Panicum virgatum L.) and gamagrass (GG: Tripsacum dactyloides L.) croplands in Middle Tennessee USA, soil samples (0–15cm) were collected in plots with no N input (NN), low N input (LN: 84 kg N ha -1 yr -1 in urea) and high N input (HN: 168 kg N ha -1 yr -1 in urea). Besides SOC and TN, the aboveground plant biomass was also quantified. In addition to a summary of published root morphology data based on a separated mesocosm experiment, the root leachable dissolved organic matter (DOM) of both crops was also measured using archived samples. Results showed no significant interaction of N fertilization and crop type on SOC, TN or plant aboveground biomass (ABG). Relative to NN, HN (not LN) significantly increased SOC and TN in both crops. Though SG showed a 15–68% significantly higher ABG than GG, GG showed a 9.3–12% significantly higher SOC and TN than SG. The positive linear relationships of SOC or TN with ABG were identified for SG. However, GG showed structurally more complex and less readily decomposed root DOM, a larger root volume, total root length and surface area than SG. Collectively, these suggested that intensive N fertilization could increase C and N stocks in bioenergy cropland soils but these effects may be more likely mediated by the aboveground biomass in SG and root chemistry and morphology in GG. Future studies are expected to examine the root characteristics in different bioenergy croplands under the field fertilization experiment.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

Immediate impacts of soybean cover crop on bacterial community composition and diversity in soil under long-term Saccharum monoculture

Saccharum yield decline results from long-term monoculture practices. Changes in cropping management can improve soil health and productivity. Below-ground bacterial community diversity and composition across soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr) cover crop, Saccharum monoculture (30+ year) and fallowed soil were determined. Near full length (~1,400 base pairs) of 16S rRNA gene sequences were extracted from the rhizospheres of sugarcane and soybean and fallowed soil were compared. Higher soil bacterial diversity was observed in the soybean cover crop than sugarcane monoculture across all measured indices (observed operationational taxonomic units, Chao1, Shannon, reciprocal Simpson and Jackknife). Acidocateria, Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Planctomycetes were the most abundant bacterial phyla across the treatments. Indicator species analysis identified nine indicator phyla. Planctomycetes, Armatimonadetes and candidate phylum FBP were associated with soybean; Proteobacteria and Firmicutes were linked with sugarcane and Gemmatimonadetes, Nitrospirae, Rokubacteria and unclassified bacteria were associated with fallowed soil. Non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis showed distinct groupings of bacterial operational taxonomic units (97% identity) according to management system (soybean, sugarcane or fallow) indicating compositional differences among treatments. This is confirmed by the results of the multi-response permutation procedures (A = 0.541, p = 0.00045716). No correlation between soil parameters and bacterial community structure was observed according to Mantel test (r = 211865, p = 0.14). Use of soybean cover-crop fostered bacterial diversity and altered community structure. This indicates cover crops could have a restorative effect and potentially promote sustainability in long-term Saccharum production systems.

Bacterial diversity↗
DOE OSTI2021

Appropriate “marginal” farmlands for second‐generation biofuel crops in North Carolina

Abstract Current research on bioenergy crops shows that perennial grasses can yield substantial amounts of dry biomass with relatively low inputs of water and fertilizer. In order to minimize competition with food production, it has been suggested that bioenergy crops could be directed to land areas less suitable for commodity crops, commonly referred to as “marginal” lands. These are land units with inherent limitations to vegetative growth and production, which may be due to several factors (soil physical and chemical properties, climatic conditions, etc.). However the term “marginal” is an adjective with imprecise meaning, and objective criteria for determining “marginal” lands for siting bioenergy crops are necessary. Here we propose that such criteria may be based on soil survey classifications and realistic yield estimates, and we show an example of its use to justify site selection for bioenergy crops in different regions of North Carolina.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Supply analysis of preferential market incentive for energy crops

This analysis explores the valuation of feedstock quality attributes of switchgrass and miscanthus – two energy crops poised for future expansion – and compares the relative economic availability of these two crops under two scenarios: (i) uniform price assumptions (i.e., no incentive for quality), and (ii) a scenario of a price premium based on convertibility (i.e., an incentive for quality). Given data on cellulose content, hemicellulose content, and their relative convertibility, miscanthus is expected to be 11% more efficient at conversion to biofuels than switchgrass under the biochemical conversion route. Based on this scenario of improved conversion efficiency and associated profit, we simulate an 11% price premium for miscanthus over other feedstocks in a base-case scenario. By adding this price premium, supplies of miscanthus increase over the base case by about 4 million (44%), 94 million (64%), and 166 million (94%) tons in year 0, 10, and 20 after simulated contracts for production are initiated respectively. These results emphasize that custom simulations are needed to quantify feedstock availability if supplies are intended to reflect grower response to industry demands for feedstock quality specifications. Farmers can grow ‘peas or carrots’, and price signals from biorefineries will influence what energy crops they produce. Recognizing that the energy crop mix is tractable according to quality characteristics is relevant both for near-term and long-term biofuels research and development. Here, we recommend accounting for market preferences for quality attributes when estimating potential future supplies of energy crops.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Farmer characteristics and decision-making: A model for bioenergy crop adoption

We report the commercial development of biofuels and bioproducts depends on whether renewable biomass feedstock is available while not directly competing with the production of food. Farmers are one of the most important stakeholders in the biofuel supply chain and confront a range of uncertainties while entering the bioenergy market. Their decision-making process is extremely complex and rarely purely rational. Modeling farmer behavior requires considering a wide range of individual-level factors, socio-temporal dynamics, institutional settings, and their interactions. These characteristics make agent-based modeling a suitable framework for evaluating such systems. We developed a model to simulate farmer bioenergy crop adoption behavior across a 50-county study region in Nebraska, Kansas, and Colorado. The analysis considers adoption decisions for two bioenergy feedstocks, crop residues and energy crops. We examine the influence of individual and farm characteristics, market structure, social networks, and media influence on farmer adoption decisions. Our results indicate that different factors can have varied impacts on the speed of adoption for the crop residues and energy crops. Identifying levers that have the most impact on grower adoption can inform the design of interventions both from policy and private sector standpoints with important implications for the future the bioenergy industry.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Mitigating the soil carbon deficit of annual agriculture with perennial bioenergy crops in the U.S. Midwest

Maize ( Zea mays L.) is the dominant bioenergy feedstock in the US Midwest but its cultivation since the early 1800s has incurred substantial losses in soil organic carbon (SOC). We quantified differences in SOC stocks under perennial bioenergy crops of Panicum virgatum L. (switchgrass) and Miscanthus x giganteus Greef et Deuter (miscanthus) planted on former maize and soybean fields relative to maize-based annual cropping and native prairie. Comparisons were made at seven locations across Illinois, USA, spanning a range of climate and soil types. Across sites, SOC stocks to 1-m depth on an equivalent soil mass basis were 146 Mg C ha −1 under prairie, 107 Mg C ha −1 under miscanthus, 97.9 Mg C ha −1 under switchgrass, and 87.7 Mg C ha −1 under maize. Higher SOC demonstrates the potential of perennial bioenergy crops to rebuild the SOC deficit accrued under nearly two centuries of maize-based annual cropping. SOC stock increased in the first 5 years under mature bioenergy crops at four out of seven sites. Carbon isotope (δ 13 C) analyses of surface depths confirmed short-term increases in SOC to be derived from miscanthus and switchgrass. Stocks of SOC could be increased over time under miscanthus or switchgrass cultivation even with annual harvesting, though our measured rates of SOC accumulation were lower than previous estimates for Illinois and varied by site.

bioenergy↗
DOE OSTI2026

A sorghum pangenome reference improves global crop trait discovery

Although the green revolution adapted a handful of crops to homogeneous and high-input industrialized agriculture, much of the global population still relies on the local production of variable crop cultivars by low-input smallholder farms. This diversity of unhomogenized crops, like that of the grain and bioenergy crop sorghum, offers raw materials for genetic gain and cultivar improvement. However, breeding efforts can be constrained by highly specialized traits and breeding targets Here, to bridge this diversity, we constructed a 33-member pangenome reference and a diversity panel across 1,984 cultivars and landraces. We leveraged these resources to explore the complex interplay among historical contingency, ongoing adaptation and previously uncharacterized structural diversity. Specifically, our analyses conclusively demonstrated multiple nested and deeply diverged structural variants in the domestication gene SHATTERING1, which distinguish the previously established multicentric origin of sorghum. We then applied landscape genomics to reveal how gene flow and secondary contact created the complex genetic mosaic in contemporary breeding networks. As proof of concept for pangenome-accelerated trait discovery, we connected biosynthetic gene cluster structural variation to phenotypic leaf concentration of the cyanogenic glucoside dhurrin. Combined, these approaches will accelerate breeding and trait discovery and provide a framework for similar applications in other crops.

agricultural genetics↗
DOE OSTI2021

Climate impacts on global agriculture emerge earlier in new generation of climate and crop models

Potential climate-related impacts on future crop yield are a major societal concern. Previous projections of the Agricultural Model Intercomparison and Improvement Project’s Global Gridded Crop Model Intercomparison based on the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 identified substantial climate impacts on all major crops, but associated uncertainties were substantial. Here we report new twenty-first-century projections using ensembles of latest-generation crop and climate models. Results suggest markedly more pessimistic yield responses for maize, soybean and rice compared to the original ensemble. Mean end-of-century maize productivity is shifted from +5% to -6% (SSP126) and from +1% to -24% (SSP585)—explained by warmer climate projections and improved crop model sensitivities. In contrast, wheat shows stronger gains (+9% shifted to +18%, SSP585), linked to higher CO2 concentrations and expanded high-latitude gains. The ‘emergence’ of climate impacts consistently occurs earlier in the new projections—before 2040 for several main producing regions. While future yield estimates remain uncertain, these results suggest that major breadbasket regions will face distinct anthropogenic climatic risks sooner than previously anticipated.

Jagermeyr, Jonas↗
DOE OSTI2021

Integrated Biorefinery for Valorization of Engineered Bioenergy Crops—A Review

Biorefinery allows production of multiple bioproducts from various biomass and streams using suitable unit operations to improve the economics of process while minimizing waste generation. Biorefinery holds importance in the biofuel industry because multiple coproducts can allow to produce biofuels at a price which is competitive of fossil fuels. Newer generations of cellulosic biomasses are being developed to accumulate lipids and pigments. Such crops, which can be cultivated on land unsuitable for row crops, are aimed to provide drop-in fuels to reduce dependency on fossil fuels and food crops. This review describes the potential of recovery and value addition to different constituents of engineered crops besides producing drop-in fuels. As a result, the work also provides the market value of different products which can be obtained from engineered crops to make an informed decision.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Vehicle Tracking with Crop-based Detection

End-to-end production of vehicle tracking data from video in real-time and with high accuracy remains a challenging problem due to the computational cost of object detection on each frame. In this work we present Tracking with Crop-based Detection, a method for speeding object tracking in constrained contexts (with stable cameras and relatively-predictable object motion) such as vehicle traffic monitoring. We leverage this context to provide a strong prior for object locations, which we use to 1.) boost detection speed by detecting objects only in regions corresponding to object priors on most frames and 2.) inform the selection of the detector output for each object. We evaluate Crop-based Detection as an extension to the KIOU object tracker (Crop-KIOU) on the UA-DETRAC dataset. The proposed tracker outperforms all other reported algorithms in terms of PR-MOTA, PR-MOTP, and mostly tracked objects on the UA-DETRAC benchmark, establishing a new state-of-the-art. Relative to tracking by detection with KIOU, Crop-KIOU achieves a 26% higher frame-rate and increases accuracy. Furthermore, Tracking with Crop-based Detection can be combined with frame skipping; we show a 149% increase in framerate relative to KIOU with no decrease in accuracy using this combination of methods.

Gloudemans, Derek↗
DOE OSTI2022

Stochastic and deterministic processes shape bioenergy crop microbiomes along a vertical soil niche

Abstract Sustainable biofuel cropping systems aim to address climate change while meeting energy needs. Understanding how soil and plant‐associated microbes respond to these different cropping systems is key to promoting agriculture sustainability and evaluating changes in ecosystem functions. Here, we leverage a long‐term biofuel cropping system field experiment to dissect soil and root microbiome changes across a soil‐depth gradient in poplar, restored prairie and switchgrass to understand their effects on the microbial communities. High throughput amplicon sequencing of the fungal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and prokaryotic 16S DNA regions showed a common trend of root and soil microbial community richness decreasing and evenness increasing with depth. Ecological niche (root vs. soil) had the strongest effect on community structure, followed by depth, then crop. Stochastic processes dominated the structuring of fungal communities in deeper soil layers while operational taxonomic units (OTUs) in surface soil layers were more likely to co‐occur and to be enriched by plant hosts. Prokaryotic communities were dispersal limited at deeper depths. Microbial networks showed a higher density, connectedness, average degree and module size in deeper soils. We observed a decrease in fungal‐fungal links and an increase of bacteria–bacteria links with increasing depth in all crops, particularly in the root microbiome.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

In silico assessment of the potential of basalt amendments to reduce N 2 O emissions from bioenergy crops

Abstract The potential of large‐scale deployment of basalt to reduce N 2 O emissions from cultivated soils may contribute to climate stabilization beyond the CO 2 ‐removal effect from enhanced weathering. We used 3 years of field observations from maize ( Zea mays ) and miscanthus ( Miscanthus × giganteus ) to improve the nitrogen (N) module of the DayCent model and evaluate the potential of basalt amendments to reduce N losses and increase yields from two bioenergy crops. We found 20%–60% improvement in our N 2 O flux estimates over previous model descriptions. Model results predict that the application of basalt would reduce N 2 O emissions by 16% in maize and 9% in miscanthus. Lower N 2 O emissions responded to increases in the N 2 :N 2 O ratio of denitrification with basalt‐induced increases in soil pH, with minor contributions from the impact of P additions (a minor component of some basalts) on N immobilization. The larger reduction of N 2 O emissions in maize than in miscanthus was likely explained by a synergistic effect between soil pH and N content, leading to a higher sensitivity of the N 2 :N 2 O ratio to changes in pH in heavily fertilized maize. Basalt amendments led to modest increases in modeled yields and the nitrogen use efficiency (i.e., fertilizer‐N recover in crop production) of maize but did not affect the productivity of miscanthus. However, enhanced soil P availability maintained the long‐term productivity of crops with high nutrient requirements. The alleviation of plant P limitation led to enhanced plant N uptake, thereby contributing to lower microbial N availability and N 2 O emissions from crops with high nutrient requirements. Our results from the improved model suggest that the large‐scale deployment of basalt, by reducing N 2 O fluxes of cropping systems, could contribute to the sustainable intensification of agriculture and enhance the climate mitigation potential of bioenergy with carbon capture and storage strategies.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Optimisation of root traits to provide enhanced ecosystem services in agricultural systems: A focus on cover crops

Roots are the interface between the plant and the soil and play a central role in multiple ecosystem processes. With intensification of agricultural practices, rhizosphere processes are being disrupted and are causing degradation of the physical, chemical and biotic properties of soil. However, cover crops, a group of plants that provide ecosystem services, can be utilised during fallow periods or used as an intercrop to restore soil health. The effectiveness of ecosystem services provided by cover crops varies widely as very little breeding has occurred in these species. Improvement of ecosystem service performance is rarely considered as a breeding trait due to the complexities and challenges of belowground evaluation. Advancements in root phenotyping and genetic tools are critical in accelerating ecosystem service improvement in cover crops. In this study, we provide an overview of the range of belowground ecosystem services provided by cover crop roots: (1) soil structural remediation, (2) capture of soil resources and (3) maintenance of the rhizosphere and building of organic matter content. Based on the ecosystem services described, we outline current and promising phenotyping technologies and breeding strategies in cover crops that can enhance agricultural sustainability through improvement of root traits.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Approaches to investigate crop responses to ozone pollution: from O 3 -FACE to satellite-enabled modeling

Ozone (O 3 ) is a damaging air pollutant to crops. As one of the most reactive oxidants known, O 3 rapidly forms other reactive oxygen species (ROS) once it enters leaves through stomata. Those ROS in turn can cause oxidative stress, reduce photosynthesis, accelerate senescence, and decrease crop yield. To improve and adapt our feed, fuel, and food supply to rising O 3 pollution, a number of Free Air Concentration Enrichment (O 3 -FACE) facilities have been developed around the world and have studied key staple crops. In this review, we provide an overview of the FACE facilities and highlight some of the lessons learned from the last two decades of research. We discuss the differences between C 3 and C 4 crop responses to elevated O 3 , the possible trade-off between productivity and protection, genetic variation in O 3 response within and across species, and how we might leverage this observed variation for crop improvement. We also highlight the need to improve understanding of the interaction between rising O 3 pollution and other aspects of climate change, notably drought. Finally, we propose the use of globally modeled O 3 data that are available at increasing spatial and temporal resolutions to expand upon the research conducted at the limited number of global O 3 -FACE facilities.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

Biogeochemical Fluxes for Three Bioenergy Crops

Perennial crops have been the focus of bioenergy research and development for their sustainability benefits associated with high soil carbon (C) and reduced nitrogen (N) requirements. However, perennial crops mature over several years and their sustainability benefits can be negated through land reversion. A photoperiod‐sensitive energy sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) may provide an annual crop alternative more ecologically sustainable than maize (Zea mays) that can more easily integrate into crop rotations than perennials, such as miscanthus (Miscanthus × giganteus). This study presents an ecosystem‐scale comparison of C, N, water and energy fluxes from energy sorghum, maize and miscanthus during a typical growing season in the Midwest United States. Gross primary productivity (GPP) was highest for maize during the peak growing season at 21.83 g C m−2 day−1, followed by energy sorghum (17.04 g C m−2 day−1) and miscanthus (15.57 g C m−2 day−1). Maize also had the highest peak growing season evapotranspiration at 5.39 mm day−1, with energy sorghum and miscanthus at 3.81 and 3.61 mm day−1, respectively. Energy sorghum was the most efficient water user (WUE), while maize and miscanthus were comparatively similar (3.04, 1.75 and 1.89 g C mm−1 H2O, respectively). Maize albedo was lower than energy sorghum and miscanthus (0.19, 0.26 and 0.24, respectively), but energy sorghum had a Bowen ratio closer to maize than miscanthus (0.12, 0.13 and 0.21, respectively). Nitrous oxide (N2O) flux was higher from maize and energy sorghum (8.86 and 12.04 kg N ha−1, respectively) compared with miscanthus (0.51 kg N ha−1), indicative of their different agronomic management. These results are an important first look at how energy sorghum compares to maize and miscanthus grown in the Midwest United States. This quantitative assessment is a critical component for calibrating biogeochemical and ecological models used to forecast bioenergy crop growth, productivity and sustainability.

Field Data↗
DOE OSTI2026

AmeriFlux FLUXNET-1F US-VT2 Vermillion Tributary Paired Cropland – Site 2 (Corn/Soy; Cover Crops)

This is the AmeriFlux Management Project (AMP) created FLUXNET-1F version of the carbon flux data for the site US-VT2 Vermillion Tributary Paired Cropland – Site 2 (Corn/Soy; Cover Crops). This is the FLUXNET version of the carbon flux data for the site US-VT2 Vermillion Tributary Paired Cropland – Site 2 (Corn/Soy; Cover Crops) produced by applying the standard ONEFlux (1F) software. Site Description - US-VT2 is located on flat, actively managed farmland operated by working farmers, following a conventional no-till corn–soybean rotation in the U.S. Midwest that uses cover crops. US-VT2 is one of two paired working farm sites on the same property; both are managed using similar conventional practices, with the key difference being that the paired site (US-VT1) does not incorporate cover crops into its rotation. This paired design enables direct site-to-site comparisons to assess the impacts of cover cropping on carbon, water, and energy fluxes.

Key, Kesondra [Indiana University - Bloomington]↗