Miscanthus-Ohio’s Newest Bio-fuel Crop
Agronomy & Pest Management
David Marrison
Professor
The Ohio State University
Coshocton
Abstract
Giant miscanthus (Miscanthus x giganteus) is a large warm-season grass and is a new biomass crop in the United States. Experience in Europe suggests giant miscanthus will be productive over a wide geographic range in temperate regions, including marginal land. Northeast Ohio was chosen by the United States Department of Agriculture as a Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP) project area on June 15, 2011. This program is providing federal benefits to farmers who transition part of their farm acreage to miscanthus production. The 2011 allocated BCAP budget will allow 5,000 acres to be planted in 2012 with a final acreage goal of 50,000 acres by 2015. In response to the emergence of this bio-fuel crop in Northeast Ohio, OSU Extension has developed an educational and research program to help local farmers. To date, three educational programs have been held and a miscanthus research plot was planted at the Ohio Agricultural Research & Development Center (O.A.R.D.C.) Ashtabula Research Station in Kingsville, Ohio in July, 2011. OSU Extension has also developed a Miscanthus web resource page and is developing economic budgets for miscanthus in Northeast Ohio. This presentation will share background information on Giant miscanthus and share information on how OSU Extension is helping farmers learn best production practices and overcome the challenges of growing a bio-fuel crop in Northeast, Ohio.
Authors: Marrison, D. L.
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Marrison, D. L. Associate Professor, The Ohio State University, Ohio, 44047