Spring emergence and canopy development strategies in miscanthus hybrids in Mediterranean, continental and maritime European climates

Abstract

Spring emergence and canopy development strategies in miscanthus hybrids in Mediterranean, continental and maritime European climates. GCB Bioenergy.

Yield performance of 14 novel inter‐ and intra‐species Miscanthus hybrids across Europe

“…In OLI shoots that emerged early in spring 2019 were also killed by a single severe late frost, but all plants re‐sprouted new shoots from the rhizomes and few plants died. In contrast, at the start of the second year (Figure 4), OLI was affected by a strong frost which affected sin × sin hybrids more than the sac × sin that emerged later (Magenau, Clifton‐Brown, Parry, et al, 2022). Low over winter temperatures at OLI did not lead to overwinter losses due the isolation function of the snow layer.…”

“…Combined with low rainfalls and high evaporations associated with the Paris basin, this represented very poor conditions for Miscanthus establishment. Second, while a fast yield building rate is vital for the economic viability of seed‐based Miscanthus (Hastings et al, 2017; O'Loughlin et al, 2017), the top yielding sac × sin hybrid GRC 14 emerges early and ripens late to maximise the growing season (Davey, Jones, et al, 2017; Davey, Robson, et al, 2017), but moisture levels are too high for direct chip harvests and plants are susceptible to damage from late frosts (Farrell et al, 2006; Magenau, Clifton‐Brown, Parry, et al, 2022). This demonstrated the breeding trade‐off between long growing seasons to maximise yield and that effect on biomass quality.…”

“…The lowest rainfall fell in CHV and Scheme (537 and 473 mm on average per year, respectively). While all sites had some frosts, OLI had the longest lowest winter temperatures (Magenau, Clifton-Brown, Parry, et al, 2022). The OLI and PAC2 sites had inter-year soil water deficits although the method to calculate then was annual, assuming zero on January 1.…”

Novel Miscanthus hybrids: Modelling productivity on marginal land in Europe using dynamics of canopy development determined by light interception

“…In a previous project, OPTIMISC, establishment issues were also noted as being problematic for comparative measurement of hybrids (Nunn et al, 2017). Magenau et al (2022) also refer to the fact that by the third year at colder locations such as OLI and TWS, the establishment of miscanthus takes up to 6 years (citing Christian et al, 2008), while in warmer climates, maximum yields are reached after 2 years (Clifton-Brown et al, 2000). In Croatia, establishment was hampered by a heavy clay and less productive soil conditions, so that plants in the third year were not fully established.…”

“…wheat and rye for bioethanol (Rosenberger et al, 2002); durum wheat (Sieber et al, 2014)]. The site in Croatia near Zagreb is limited by local clay soils that have low enzyme activity which suffer from rainfall extremes—too much in summer and too little in spring (Magenau et al, 2022). The site in Northern Italy near Piacenza (PAC) is the least productive of the sites but continuous arable has compacted and depleted the soil organic carbon (Awty‐Carroll et al, 2022) which can potentially be improved by growing perennials such as Miscanthus.…”