80
Phytotechnology with Biomass Production
immediately after planting, or in the following months (Anderson et al.,
2015). These factors mean that any seed-propagated crop will require intensive care in the first year. This makes it uncompetitive with even the costly
propagation of clonal M. × giganteus, for which methods of propagation have
been improved. A single improved clone such as Nagara, which is also a
sterile triploid, might be competitive if it has a significant advantage over
M. × giganteus in yield, hardiness, or ease of propagation.
5.2 Plant Establishment
For M. × giganteus, good establishment of a productive field can be challenging. It reaches peak production after 2–4 years and may last in excess of two
decades, so that doing it right the first time is expected to pay off. It is not
inexpensive to do correctly.
Four critical factors for success are weight (of the propagule); water (to
promote root growth); weeds (which must be controlled); weather (which cannot be controlled). Anderson et al. (2011) provide a good example for one specific region of the US where production of biomass approaches its maximum.
5.2.1 Weight
It has been observed that for direct planting in a well tilled field, likelihood
of success in establishment increases with propagule weight. Typically,
dormant rhizomes are purchased/provided with a weight of less than
25–30 g. Success is much higher when they weigh at least 60 g (Pyter et al.,
2010). Preparation costs per propagule, which includes number that can be
obtained per unit area of nursery, amount of material to be dug, sorted, and
packed, and shipping weight charges, become issues as mass per propagule
increases (Figure 5.1).
An alternative which in some settings can reduce costs is using stem buds
for propagation in a winter nursery in a warm climate/greenhouse, and
then shipment of the actively growing plants, commonly called plugs, to the
planting sites. This has been successful in Iowa, USA (Boersma & Heaton,
2012, 2014a, b). For large-scale biomass production the University of Iowa
contracted with a commercial plant propagation company to grow small
individual plants during winter, prepared to ship at the appropriate planting time in late April. Each stem from a rhizome can yield about five bud
plants, from the most basal, commonly underground, buds, and each 25 g
propagule may yield two shoots which allows a ten-fold more rapid increase
of plants than simply using rhizome pieces from a second or third year field
Phytotechnology with Biomass Production
immediately after planting, or in the following months (Anderson et al.,
2015). These factors mean that any seed-propagated crop will require intensive care in the first year. This makes it uncompetitive with even the costly
propagation of clonal M. × giganteus, for which methods of propagation have
been improved. A single improved clone such as Nagara, which is also a
sterile triploid, might be competitive if it has a significant advantage over
M. × giganteus in yield, hardiness, or ease of propagation.
5.2 Plant Establishment
For M. × giganteus, good establishment of a productive field can be challenging. It reaches peak production after 2–4 years and may last in excess of two
decades, so that doing it right the first time is expected to pay off. It is not
inexpensive to do correctly.
Four critical factors for success are weight (of the propagule); water (to
promote root growth); weeds (which must be controlled); weather (which cannot be controlled). Anderson et al. (2011) provide a good example for one specific region of the US where production of biomass approaches its maximum.
5.2.1 Weight
It has been observed that for direct planting in a well tilled field, likelihood
of success in establishment increases with propagule weight. Typically,
dormant rhizomes are purchased/provided with a weight of less than
25–30 g. Success is much higher when they weigh at least 60 g (Pyter et al.,
2010). Preparation costs per propagule, which includes number that can be
obtained per unit area of nursery, amount of material to be dug, sorted, and
packed, and shipping weight charges, become issues as mass per propagule
increases (Figure 5.1).
An alternative which in some settings can reduce costs is using stem buds
for propagation in a winter nursery in a warm climate/greenhouse, and
then shipment of the actively growing plants, commonly called plugs, to the
planting sites. This has been successful in Iowa, USA (Boersma & Heaton,
2012, 2014a, b). For large-scale biomass production the University of Iowa
contracted with a commercial plant propagation company to grow small
individual plants during winter, prepared to ship at the appropriate planting time in late April. Each stem from a rhizome can yield about five bud
plants, from the most basal, commonly underground, buds, and each 25 g
propagule may yield two shoots which allows a ten-fold more rapid increase
of plants than simply using rhizome pieces from a second or third year field