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

New biomass crop hybrids for bioeconomic expansion require yield projections to determine their potential for strategic land use planning in the face of global challenges. Our biomass growth simulation incorporates radiation interception and conversion efficiency. Models often use leaf area to predict interception which is demanding to determine accurately, so instead we use low-cost rapid light interception measurements using a simple laboratory-made line ceptometer and relate the dynamics of canopy closure to thermal time, and to measurements of biomass. We apply the model to project the European biomass potentials of new market-ready hybrids for 2020–2030. Field measurements are easier to collect, the calibration is seasonally dynamic and reduces influence of weather variation between field sites. The model obtained is conservative, being calibrated by crops of varying establishment and varying maturity on less productive (marginal) land. This results in conservative projections of miscanthus hybrids for 2020–2030 based on 10% land use conversion of the least (productive) grassland and arable for farm diversification, which show a European potential of 80.7–89.7 Mt year⁻¹ biomass, with potential for 1.2–1.3 EJ year⁻¹ energy and 36.3–40.3 Mt year⁻¹ carbon capture, with seeded Miscanthus sacchariflorus × sinensis displaying highest yield potential. Simulated biomass projections must be viewed in light of the field measurements on less productive land with high soil water deficits. We are attempting to model the results from an ambitious and novel project combining new hybrids across Europe with agronomy which has not been perfected on less productive sites. Nevertheless, at the time of energy sourcing issues, seed-propagated miscanthus hybrids for the upscaled provision of bioenergy offer an alternative source of renewable energy. If European countries provide incentives for growers to invest, seeded hybrids can improve product availability and biomass yields over the current commercial miscanthus variety.     

The ecology and agronomy of Miscanthus sinensis, a species important to bioenergy crop development, in its native range in Japan: a review

Among several candidate perennial taxa, Miscanthus × giganteus has been evaluated and promoted as a promising bioenergy crop. Owing to several limitations, however, of the sterile hybrid, both at the taxon and agronomic production levels, other options need to be explored to not only improve M . × giganteus , which was originally collected in Japan, but to also consider the development of other members of its genus, including Miscanthus sinensis , as bioenergy crops. Indeed, there is likely much to be learned and applied to Miscanthus as a bioenergy crop from the long history of intensive interaction between humans and M. sinensis in Japan, which in some regions of the country spans several thousand years. Combined with its high amount of genetic variation, stress tolerance, biotic interactions with fauna, and function as a keystone species in diverse grasslands and other ecosystems within its native range, the unique and extensive management of M. sinensis in Japan as a forage grass and building material provides agronomists, agroecologists, and plant breeders with the capability of better understanding this species in terms of potential contribution to bioenergy crop development. Moreover, the studies described in this review may serve as a platform for future research of Miscanthus as a bioenergy crop in other parts of the world.     

The Tolerance and Accumulation of Miscanthus Sacchariflorus (maxim.) Benth., an Energy Plant Species,to Cadmium

Miscanthus sacchariflorus (Maxim.) Benth. is a metallophyte suitable for the phytoremediation of mine wastes. The tolerance and accumulation of M. sacchariflorus to cadmium was studied by pot experiments. The results showed that O₂·^? generation rate, plasma membrane permeability and MDA content of M. sacchariflorus leaves increased with increasing Cd concentrations in soil, but significant effect was only observed when Cd concentrations were ≥ 50 mg·kg^?1. SOD and POD activities increased initially but decreased later on, whereas CAT activity only increased significantly at higher Cd concentrations, 50–100 mg·kg^?1. The content of photosynthetic pigment and growth of M. sacchariflorus were both not significantly affected when Cd concentration was ≤ 25 mg·kg^?1. In contrast, both parameters were significantly affected when Cd concentration was ≥ 50 mg·kg^?1. M. sacchariflorus could accumulate much Cd, but most of the Cd assimilated was retained in the belowground part, suggesting that M. sacchariflorus has poor ability to translocate Cd to the aboveground part. Our results suggested that although M. sacchariflorus was not a hyper-accumulator, it has a strong capacity to tolerate and stabilize the Cd. Therefore, M. sacchariflorus has a certain potential in the phytostabilization of Cd-contaminated soils.     

建设生态荻田的初步探讨

荻(Miscanthus sacchariflorus)是我国重要的制浆造纸原料和轻工业纤维原料。为洞庭湖区特有的自然资源。根据荻芦生物学群体特性和洞庭湖区自然条件,以生态理论指导,可加速荻田建设。作者从1985年以来,多次调查研究了洞庭湖生态因子和荻田生产现状,现根据调查研究资料,从生态平衡角度对洞庭湖荻田建设提出初步探讨。     

Genome-wide association and genomic prediction for yield and component traits of Miscanthus sacchariflorus

Accelerating biomass improvement is a major goal of Miscanthus breeding. The development and implementation of genomic-enabled breeding tools, like marker-assisted selection (MAS) and genomic selection, has the potential to improve the efficiency of Miscanthus breeding. The present study conducted genome-wide association (GWA) and genomic prediction of biomass yield and 14 yield-components traits in Miscanthus sacchariflorus. We evaluated a diversity panel with 590 accessions of M. sacchariflorus grown across 4 years in one subtropical and three temperate locations and genotyped with 268,109 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). The GWA study identified a total of 835 significant SNPs and 674 candidate genes across all traits and locations. Of the significant SNPs identified, 280 were localized in mapped quantitative trait loci intervals and proximal to SNPs identified for similar traits in previously reported Miscanthus studies, providing additional support for the importance of these genomic regions for biomass yield. Our study gave insights into the genetic basis for yield-component traits in M. sacchariflorus that may facilitate marker-assisted breeding for biomass yield. Genomic prediction accuracy for the yield-related traits ranged from 0.15 to 0.52 across all locations and genetic groups. Prediction accuracies within the six genetic groupings of M. sacchariflorus were limited due to low sample sizes. Nevertheless, the Korea/NE China/Russia (N = 237) genetic group had the highest prediction accuracy of all genetic groups (ranging 0.26–0.71), suggesting that with adequate sample sizes, there is strong potential for genomic selection within the genetic groupings of M. sacchariflorus. This study indicated that MAS and genomic prediction will likely be beneficial for conducting population-improvement of M. sacchariflorus.     

Comparative study on effects of four energy plants growth on chemical fractions of heavy metals and activity of soil enzymes in copper mine tailings

Four gramineous energy plants, Miscanthus sacchariflorus, M. floridulus, Phragmites australis, and Arundo donax were grown on copper tailings in the field for four years. Their phytoremediation potential was examined in terms of their effects on the fractions of heavy metals and soil enzyme activities. Results showed that plantation of these four gramineous plants has improved the proportion of organic material (OM)-binding fraction of heavy metals in copper tailings as a whole, and reduced the proportion of exchangeable and residual fractions. In particular, M. sacchariflorus growth improved significantly the proportion of the OM-binding fractions of Cu (1.73 times), Cd (1.71 times), Zn (1.18 times), and Pb (3.14 times) (P < 0.05) and reduced markedly the residual fractions of Cu (64.45%), Cd (82.38%), Zn (61.43%), and Pb (73.41%) (P < 0.05). Except for A. donax, the growth of other three energy plants improved the activity of phosphatase, urease and dehydrogenase in copper tailings to some extent. In particular, the activity of soil phosphatase and urease in planted tailings differed significantly from that of control (P < 0.05). The effect of M. sacchariflorus growth on soil enzyme was the highest, followed by P. australis, M. floridulus, and A. donax. The content of each heavy metal fraction in soil was correlated with soil enzyme activities, especially the content of OM-binding fraction, which correlated significantly with the activities of phosphatase, urease and dehydrogenase in soil. According to the effects of four gramineous plants growth on activity of soil enzymes and fractions of heavy metals, M. sacchariflorus had the optimal effects for phytoremediation. Therefore, M. sacchariflorus was a candidate plant with great potential for the revegetation of heavy metal tailings.