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Big bluestem as a bioenergy crop: A review

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  • Zhang, Ke
  • Johnson, Loretta
  • Vara Prasad, P.V.
  • Pei, Zhijian
  • Wang, Donghai

Abstract

Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) is an ecologically dominant warm-season (C4) perennial native grass that comprises as much as 80% of the plant biomass in prairies in the grasslands of the North American Midwest. Ranchers adopted the species as a forage crop long ago, but its high cellulosic content and low agricultural input requirements recently have made big bluestem a promising feedstock for ethanol production and bio-oil. The objective of this paper is to review big bluestem׳s potential as a bioenergy crop with respect to both biology and conversion. Biology includes distribution and adaptation of big bluestem, ecotypes and varieties currently studied, production management, and disease and pest control. Conversion includes discussion of the conversion of big bluestem biomass to bio-ethanol and bio-oil. Estimated ethanol yield of big bluestem is about 1886L/ha, which is comparable to previously reported herbaceous biomasses. Various constraints and potential applications of big bluestem as an energy crop are analyzed in the final section of this paper. Plant breeding research that focuses on modifying big bluestem composition to minimize recalcitrance to bioconversion and increasing biomass yields is imperative.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhang, Ke & Johnson, Loretta & Vara Prasad, P.V. & Pei, Zhijian & Wang, Donghai, 2015. "Big bluestem as a bioenergy crop: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 740-756.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:rensus:v:52:y:2015:i:c:p:740-756
    DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2015.07.144
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    1. Appiah-Nkansah, Nana Baah & Li, Jun & Rooney, William & Wang, Donghai, 2019. "A review of sweet sorghum as a viable renewable bioenergy crop and its techno-economic analysis," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 143(C), pages 1121-1132.
    2. Xu, Youjie & Zhang, Ke & Wang, Donghai, 2017. "High gravity enzymatic hydrolysis of hydrothermal and ultrasonic pretreated big bluestem with recycling prehydrolysate water," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 114(PB), pages 351-356.
    3. Zhang, Ke & Xu, Youjie & Johnson, Loretta & Yuan, Wenqiao & Pei, Zhijian & Wang, Donghai, 2017. "Development of near-infrared spectroscopy models for quantitative determination of cellulose and hemicellulose contents of big bluestem," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 101-109.
    4. Róger Moya & Carolina Tenorio & Gloria Oporto, 2019. "Short Rotation Wood Crops in Latin American: A Review on Status and Potential Uses as Biofuel," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-20, February.

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