Evaluation of pulp and paper making characteristics of elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum Schum) and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.)

Shortage of conventional raw material for the pulp and paper products together with the increasing world demand for paper has renewed interest in non-wood fibres. Non-wood pulping capacity has been increasing steadily over the last decade. A lot of crops grown for biomass, like switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), are good examples of plants with potential for pulp production. Raw material chemical composition, kraft pulp yield and properties, and fibre characteristics of elephant grass or hybrid pennisetum (Pennisetum purpureum Schum. cv. SDPN3) and switchgrass (cv. Cave-in-Rock) were determined in an effort to evaluate them as raw materials for pulp and paper production. Elephant grass had α-cellulose and Klasson lignin contents of 45.6 and 17.7%, respectively. The respective values for switchgrass were 41.2 and 23.89 %. Pulp yields, following a mild kraft process, were 48 and 50% for switchgrass and elephant grass, respectively. The corresponding kappa numbers were 15.5 and 9.2. The weight-weighted fibre length averaged 1.32 mm. Pulp freeness was higher for switchgrass (330 mL) than for elephant grass (139 mL). Elephant grass had a burst index above 5.85 kP.m2 g-1. These characteristics demonstrate the suitability of both elephant grass and switchgrass for pulp production.Key words: Grass pulp, kraft pulping, non-wood fibre, elephant grass, switchgrass

Phenotypic and Biomass Yield Variations in Natural Populations of Prairie Cordgrass (Spartina pectinata Link) in the USA

Prairie cordgrass (Spartina pectinata Link) is a productive warm-season, C4 perennial grass native to most of North America having tolerance to wet, cold, and saline growing conditions. Excellent stress tolerance, along with high biomass yields, makes prairie cordgrass a good candidate as a dedicated energy crop on marginal land. However, there is little information available on genetic variation, including yield potential, of native populations in the USA. The objectives of this study were to evaluate biomass yield and to identify the nature and extent of genetic variation in natural populations of prairie cordgrass by comparing endemic strains collected throughout the USA. Forty-two prairie cordgrass populations were collected from prairie-remnant sites in 13 states and evaluated at the University of Illinois in Urbana, IL. The 4-year field study of prairie cordgrass revealed extensive variations in biomass yield and phenotypic traits associated with biomass yield among these populations. Strong correlations were observed between the phenotypic values and origins of the populations. Path coefficient analysis indicated that tiller mass, tiller density, heading date, plant height, and phytomer number positively affected biomass yield directly or indirectly. However, the phenotypic traits including biomass yield showed significant variation among years except for phytomer number and heading date. With the extensive genetic variability and high biomass yield potential demonstrated in this experiment, prairie cordgrass could become a highly productive bioenergy crop by developing a well-planned breeding program

The Evolution of Switchgrass as an Energy Crop

This chapter discusses the prehistoric origins of switchgrass, its mid-twentieth century adoption as a crop, and late-twentieth century efforts to develop it into an energy crop. The species probably first appeared about 2 million years ago (MYA) and has continued to evolve since, producing two distinct ecotypes and widely varying ploidy levels. We build the case that all existing switchgrass lineages must be descended from plants that survived the most recent glaciation of North America and then, in just 11,000 years, re-colonized the eastern two-thirds of the continent