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| Submitter's Name |
John Erickson |
| Session Name |
Poster Session: Managing Water and Energy in a Transitioning Environment 2 |
| Category |
Managing water and energy in a transitioning environment |
| Poster Number |
308 |
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| Author(s) |
John Erickson, University of Florida |
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Lynn Sollenberger,
University of Florida |
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Jeffrey Fedenko, University of Florida |
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Arkorn Soikaew, Uniiversity of Florida |
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Water Use of Potential Tall Grass Biofuel Crops in Florida |
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The U.S. Government has set a goal of producing 21 billion gallons of liquid fuels from cellulosic feedstocks by 2022. Due to its favorable climate, the southeastern U.S. is expected to be the epicenter of cellulosic feedstock production. However, the implications of biofuel crop production for water resources in the region are not well understood. In the present study we collected data on water use, crop yields and crop water use efficiencies for three tall grass species grown in North Central Florida. First year results showed that water use during the peak growing season was comparable for energycane and giant reed (7-8 mm/day), both of which were greater than elephantgrass (4-5 mm/day). However, yields for giant reed were generally less than those of either elephantgrass or energycane. These results indicated that selection of crop species will not only affect yield potential, but may also affect water resources in the southeastern U.S. Ongoing work is focused on water use and yield data of mature stands, as well as crop responses to variable climate conditions. |
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