Th e high cost of transportation fuels and the environmental risks associated with acquiring and using nonrenewable energy sources have created a demand for developing renewable bioenergy crops. Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), a warm-season perennial grass, is a promising feedstock due to its high biomass production under a wide range of growing conditions and its satisfactory forage quality and chemical composition. West Virginia contains vast expanses of reclaimed surface mine lands that could be used to produce switchgrass as a bioenergy feedstock. Th is study determined dry matter yields of three switchgrass varieties (Cave-In-Rock, Shawnee, and Carthage) during the second to fourth years of production. Two research sites were established on reclaimed surface mines in southern West Virginia: Hobet and Hampshire. Th e Hobet site was prepared using crushed, unweathered sandstone as the soil material, and yields were signifi cantly lower at 803 kg ha −1 averaged across varieties and years than annual yields at Hampshire. Th e highest yield at Hobet, with Shawnee in the third year, was 1964 kg ha −1 . Th e Hamphire site, which was reclaimed in the late 1990s using topsoil and treated municipal sludge, averaged 5760 kg ha −1 of switchgrass across varieties and years. Th e highest yield, obtained with Cavein-Rock during the third year, was 9222 kg ha −1 . Switchgrass yields on agricultural lands in this region averaged 12,000 kg ha −1 . Although average switchgrass yields at Hampshire were about 50% lower than agricultural lands, they were greater than a target yield of 5000 kg ha −1 , a threshold for economically feasible production. Yields during the fourth year from a two-harvest per year system were not signifi cantly diff erent from a single, end-of-year harvest at both sites. Reclaimed lands show promise for growing bioenergy crops such as switchgrass on areas where topsoil materials are replaced and amended like that at the Hampshire site.

Growing food crops for biofuel on productive agricultural lands may become less viable as requirements to feed a growing human population increase. This has increased interest in growing cellulosic biofuel feedstocks on marginal lands. Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), a warm-season perennial, is a viable bioenergy crop candidate because it produces high yields on marginal lands under low fertility conditions. In other studies, switchgrass dry matter (DM) yields on marginal croplands varied from 5.0 to 10.0 Mg ha −1 annually. West Virginia contains immense areas of reclaimed surface mined lands that could support a switchgrass-based biofuel industry, but yield data on these lands are lacking. Field experiments were established in 2008 to determine yields of three switchgrass cultivars on two West Virginia mine sites. One site reclaimed with topsoil and municipal sludge produced biomass yields of 19.0 Mg DM ha −1 for Cave-inRock switchgrass after the sixth year, almost double the varieties Shawnee and Carthage, at 10.0 and 5.7 Mg ha −1 , respectively. Switchgrass yields on another site with no topsoil were 1.0 Mg ha −1 after the sixth year, with little variation among cultivars. A second experiment was conducted at two other mine sites with a layer of topsoil over gray overburden. Cavein-Rock was seeded with fertilizer applications of 0, 34, and 68 kg N-P 2 O 5 -K 2 O ha −1 . After the third year, the no fertilizer treatment averaged biomass yields of 0.3 Mg ha −1 , while responses to the other two rates averaged 1.1 and 2.0 Mg ha −1 , respectively. Fertilization significantly increased yields on reclaimed mine soils. Where mine soil fertility was good, yields were similar to those reported on agricultural soils in the Northeastern USA.

Use of biomass to supplement the nation's energy needs for ethanol production and green fuel for power plants has created a demand for growing reliable feedstocks. Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), miscanthus (Miscanthus x giganteus), and giant cane (Arundo donax L.) are possible biofuel crops because they produce large amounts of biomass over a wide range of growing conditions, including marginal and reclaimed land. West Virginia's climate and large acreage of available reclaimed mine land provide a land base to generate high amounts of biomass for a biofuel industry. The purpose of this study was to determine the yield of three biomass crops on reclaimed mined land in central West Virginia. A 25-year-old reclaimed site near Alton, WV was prepared using herbicides to eliminate all existing cool-season vegetation on a 5-ha area. Twenty-three plots of 0.4-ha in size were established. Mine soil samples showed an average pH of 7.5 and adequate supplies of plant nutrients. Two switchgrass varieties (Kanlow and BoMaster) were randomly assigned to 10 plots (five replications) and seeds were drilled into the killed sod at a rate of 11 kg ha -1 . Two types of miscanthus (sterile public and private varieties) were randomly assigned to 10 plots and planted with seedling plugs on 0.8-m centers. Giant cane was assigned to three plots and rhizomes were planted on 1.5-m centers. Yield measurements were taken in September the second and third years after planting.

No abstract

Reclamation of surface mined sites to forests is a preferred post-mining land use option, but performance of planted trees on such sites is variable. American chestnut (Castanea dentata (Marsh.) Borkh.) is a threatened forest tree in the eastern USA that may become an important species option for mine reclamation. Chestnut restoration using backcross hybrids that incorporate blight resistance may be targeted to the Appalachian coal mining region, which corresponds closely with the species’ native range. Thus, it is important to understand how chestnut hybrids perform relative to progenitors on reclamation sites to develop restoration prescriptions. Seeds of parents and three backcross generations of chestnut (100% American, 100% Chinese, and BC1F3, BC2F3, and BC3F2 hybrids) were planted into mine soils in West Virginia, USA with shelter treatments. Survival for all stock types was 44% after 8 years (American 39%, Chinese 77%, BC1F3 40%, BC2F3 28%, and BC3F2 35%). Height for all stock types was 33 cm after 8 years (American 28 cm, Chinese 67 cm, BC1F3 30 cm, BC2F3 21 cm, and BC3F2 20 cm). At another site a year later, seedlings of the chestnut stock types were planted into brown (pH 4.6) or gray sandstone (pH 6.3) mine soils and seedling survival across all stock types was 58% after 7 years. Chinese had the highest survival at 82%, while the others ranged from 38 to 66%. Height was 63 cm for all stock types after 7 years. More advanced backcross hybrids (BC2F3 and BC3F2) had the lowest vigor ratings at both sites after 7–8 years. Our results indicate that surface mines in Appalachia may provide a land base for planting blight-resistant chestnuts, although Chinese chestnut outperformed American chestnut and later generation backcross hybrids. As blight-resistant chestnuts establish and spread after planting, chestnut trees may become a component of the forest canopy again and possibly occupy its former niche, but their spread may alter future forest stand dynamics.

: Reforestation of mined lands has become a preferred post-mining land use in some parts of Appalachia since the Appalachian Regional Reforestation Initiative began. With this new emphasis, attention has been focused on replanting the American chestnut on these areas, which was decimated by Chestnut blight during the last century. The American Chestnut Foundation has developed potential blight-resistant hybrids through a series of backcrosses between American and Chinese chestnut. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the survival and growth of five seed types of chestnut (100% American, 100% Chinese, and three hybrids [B1F3, B2F3, and B3F2]) into loosely-graded minesoils at the Glory surface mine in Boone County, West Virginia. The five seeds types were randomly planted in eight blocks (four with tree shelters and four without shelters) and each block was split into randomly assigned peat or no peat treatments. Average seedling survival from seeds after the first growing season was 72% across all treatments, with survival of Chinese 82%, American 67%, and the hybrids at between 69 and 74%. Seeds with tree shelters showed a significantly higher survival at 81% compared to non-sheltered seeds at 63%. Peat treatment generally reduced seed survival but especially so on the non-sheltered seeds. Height growth of trees showed similar results as that of survival, with Chinese seeds and sheltered trees being greatest in height. Additional plantings of seeds and seedlings will be conducted in spring 2009 in West Virginia.

: Reforestation of mined lands has become a preferred post-mining land use in some parts of Appalachia since the Appalachian Regional Reforestation Initiative began. With this new emphasis, attention has been focused on replanting the American chestnut on these areas, which was decimated by Chestnut blight during the last century. The American Chestnut Foundation has developed potential blight-resistant hybrids through a series of backcrosses between American and Chinese chestnut. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the survival and growth of five seed types of chestnut (100% American, 100% Chinese, and three hybrids [B1F3, B2F3, and B3F2]) into loosely-graded minesoils at the Glory surface mine in Boone County, West Virginia. The five seeds types were randomly planted in eight blocks (four with tree shelters and four without shelters) and each block was split into randomly assigned peat or no peat treatments. Average seedling survival from seeds after the first growing season was 72% across all treatments, with survival of Chinese 82%, American 67%, and the hybrids at between 69 and 74%. Seeds with tree shelters showed a significantly higher survival at 81% compared to non-sheltered seeds at 63%. Peat treatment generally reduced seed survival but especially so on the non-sheltered seeds. Height growth of trees showed similar results as that of survival, with Chinese seeds and sheltered trees being greatest in height. Additional plantings of seeds and seedlings will be conducted in spring 2009 in West Virginia.

Climate change mitigation and the high cost of transportation fuels have created an interest in utilizing biofuels to supplement the nation's energy portfolio. Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) has been suggested as a possible biofuel feedstock because of its ability to produce large amounts of biomass over a wide range of growing conditions and its ability to sequester atmospheric carbon (C) into stable soil organic carbon. Appalachia has the potential to become a center of biofuel production with its large expanses of reclaimed mine land. Switchgrass production on surface mine land offers the opportunity to increase the land resources devoted to energy crops without decreasing land resources devoted to food and livestock feed production. To examine the feasibility of establishing switchgrass as an initial reclamation species, three varieties of switchgrass were planted into 0.4 ha plots at three different surface mines in WV. Each variety was replicated three times for a total of nine plots at each site.