Comparison of biomass productivity and its persistency among four perennial grasses for bioenergy feedstock production in temperate region of Japan

摘要

a low-input condition (Somcrvillc et al. 2010). These species generally show a low demand for nutrients in the long term because perennials translocate mineral nutrients into their roots at the end of the growing season and reutilized them in regrowing next growing season. These characteristics of perennial grasses make it possible to perform sustainable feedstock production for bioenergy and reduce CO_2 emissions for agreed environmental goals. Several perennial grasses have been selected as suitable bioenergy crops in the US and Europe (Lewandowski et al. 2003). Since it is preferred to exploit biodiversity in order to supply stable bioencrgy feedstock in diverse environments including marginal areas, it is required to select bioencrgy crops suited to each local environment. In temperate regions of eastern Asia, however, few studies have been conducted to evaluate perennial grasses from a standpoint of feedstock production for bioenergy in the past. The present study compared biomass productivityand its persistence among the four perennial species (Erianthus arundinaceus, Pennisetum purpureum, Saccharum sponta-neum and Miscanthus sinensis), with the aim of determining which species is the most promising bioenergy crop in temperate regionsof Japan.The present study was the first report of comparison of above ground biomass yield and its persistence among several bioencrgy crops in a temperate zone of eastern Asia.