Managing for Profit

New switchgrass developed specifically for bioenergy use

At a recent field day in southeastern Nebraska, researchers unveiled what they label as “the first switchgrass variety developed specifically for bioenergy use in the Great Plains and the Midwest.”

According to the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS), the new high-yielding switchgrass variety could potentially be used to produce 75 to 160 more gallons of ethanol per acre than previously possible.  Combined with advances in conversion technology at ethanol plants, researchers believe the new variety, called Liberty, will make switchgrass a much more feasible option for bioenergy use.

We visited with USDA-ARS research agronomist Rob Mitchell, who is based at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, about Liberty and how he sees it fitting into a farming operation.

AUDIO: Rob Mitchell (3:00 MP3)

Link to USDA-ARS news release

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