The effect of row spacing on biomass production of bioenergy grass species in wet marginal land

Abstract Demand for energy and the environmental consequences associated with emissions have created a need for alternative energy sources. To avoid conflict over distributing agricultural land to fuel crops rather than food, bioenergy crops could instead be cultivated on marginal land. This study compared the performance of bioenergy candidate crops including M. × giganteus, switchgrass, big bluestem, and prairie cordgrass when cultivated on the same waterlog-prone marginal land. Across all treatments, annual biomass yield was 14.16 Mg ha− 1. Row spacing had significant impacts on productivity for these species. Higher biomass yields were observed in 45cm spacing than in 90cm spacing. Additionally, the biomass yield responses to row spacings varied depending on grass species, which may be due to rhizome structure and vegetative growth types. Regarding feedstock quality, feedstock composition (cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, and ash concentration) was not influenced by row spacing, and did not deviated from grass species grown on agricultural lands. During experimental periods, our results provide evidence that all four grass species could be cultivated on waterlogged marginal land while maintaining comparable biomass yields.