Can perennial C₄ grasses attain high efficiencies of radiant energy conversion in cool climates?

Abstract

Although C4 plants are considered to have higher conversion efficiency and productivity than C3, plants, this advantage may not be realized under sub‐optimal conditions. Two perennial C4 rhizomatous grasses of cool temperate origin, Miscanthus × giganteus and Spartina cyno‐suroides, have been suggested as potential fuel crops for north‐western Europe. The conversion efficiencies of these species were examined for 2 years in fertilized, irrigated, replicated plots in south‐eastern England. In the second year, the energy conversion efficiencies for shoot and total biomass production were 0.040 and 0.051, respectively, for S. cynosuroides, with significantly higher values of 0.060 and 0.078, respectively, for M. × giganteus. The M. × giganteus crop attained shoot productivity of 2.87 kg m−2 between April and September, exceeding the highest values typically obtained with intensively managed C3, crops. Canopy development was early, and high interception and conversion efficiencies were maintained over most of the growing season. This study provides the evidence that the superior potential light conversion efficiencies associated with C4 photosynthesis can be realized under cool temperate conditions and that such climatic conditions do not Inherently impair the C4 process.

Cool C4 Photosynthesis: Pyruvate Pi Dikinase Expression and Activity Corresponds to the Exceptional Cold Tolerance of Carbon Assimilation inMiscanthus×giganteus

“…When grown in the cool temperate climate of southern England (52°N), M. 3 giganteus produced 30 tons of dry matter per ha per year, one of the highest dry matter yields recorded for the United Kingdom. In marked contrast to maize grown at the same location, it showed no loss of maximum photosynthetic efficiency during cold spring weather Beale and Long, 1995;Beale et al, 1996). Growing maize at 14°C results in a more than 90% reduction of maximum photosynthetic rate relative to leaves grown at 25°C, whereas M. 3 giganteus grown at 14°C or 10°C shows little loss of photosynthetic capacity (Nie et al, 1992;Naidu and Long, 2004;Farage et al, 2006).…”

“…An exception among C 4 grasses is the bioenergy crop Miscanthus 3 giganteus, a rhizomatous perennial of the Andropogoneae, which is highly productive in cool climates (Beale and Long, 1995;Bullard et al, 1995;Beale et al, 1996;Heaton et al, 2004). M. 3 giganteus is closely related to sugar cane (Saccharum officinarum), sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), and maize.…”

Overwintering problems of newly established Miscanthus plantations can be overcome by identifying genotypes with improved rhizome cold tolerance

“…Field tests with M.igiganteus in Europe during the last decade have shown that this genotype can produce annual yields greater than those of plants with C $ photosynthesis, even in Northern European countries (Beale & Long, 1995). However, at some north European sites a significant problem of poor overwintering of plants following the first season after planting has been observed .…”

Growth of Bioenergy Crop Miscanthus sacchariflorus cv. Geodae 1 on Barren Reclaimed Land Applied with Solidified Sewage Sludge in Landfill Sites

“…억새는 영년생 식 물로서 생산에 투입되는 에너지 대비 산출되는 에너지가 많 으며 질소 이용효율이 높아 무비재배가 가능하고 저온, 건 조 등의 열악환경 및 병해충에 대한 내성이 높다는 장점을 가지고 있다고 알려져 있다 (Beale and Long, 1995). 그 중 국내 토종의 바이오에너지작물 '거대 1호'(Miscanthus saccharilforus cv.…”