Herbaceous Energy Crop Production Systems for Marginal Land in the Great Lakes Region: Final Report.

摘要

Alternative land uses are needed for sites considered marginal for conventional row-crop agriculture. Improper land use can decrease site quality and soil productivity. The economic impacts of excess US agricultural crops point toward conversion of marginal lands to systems other than food production. Herbaceous energy crop production offers an alternative to row-cropping on marginal land. The following report provides information on herbaceous crop production on marginal land in the Great Lakes region (IL, IN, IA, MI, MN, OH, WI). To date, research on production of herbaceous crops for energy purposes has been limited. Information on relevant herbaceous species exists largely in relation to hay, silage, and forage production. 32 refs., 6 figs., 4 tabs. (ERA citation 13:050959)