1. Dr. Hilary Mayton, Dr. Julie Hansen, Dr. Paul Salon, Jamie Crawford, Dr. Chris Watkins, Dr. Donald Viands ACCELERATED EVALUATION OF PERENNIAL GRASS AND LEGUME FEEDSTOCKS FOR BIOFUEL PRODUCTION IN NEW YORK STATE

2. Cornell Feedstock Project Multidisciplinary research project –Industry –Government agencies –Academic institutions –Cornell Cooperative Extension –NY growers – Others

3. Project Goals Identify and expand acreage of perennial biofuel feedstocks Identify plant species with greatest potential for dedicated use as biofuel feedstock Obtain information on value of diverse feedstock from farm to final end-products Deliver species recommendations and management advice to current and potential producers

4. Evaluate a variety of perennial biofuel feedstocks (forage grasses and legumes) –Assess yield and determine best management practices one cut, two cuts….. herbicide, fertilizer BTU’s, cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin (Dr. Joss Rose, Cornell University) Evaluate seed quality and seed treatments (Dr. Alan Taylor, Cornell University) Collect data on disease incidence and severity –survey, identify pathogens (Dr. Gary Bergstrom, Cornell University) Collect economic data (Dr. Todd Schmidt, Cornell University) –seed cost, establishment, maintenance, harvest, storage Field Trial Objectives

5. ■ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ♦ 2007 Cool season grass trials Reed Canarygrass Tall Fescue Smooth Bromegrass Tall Wheatgrass ■ ■ ■ ■ ● ● ♦ ♦ ▲2007 Warm season grass replicated trials Big Bluestem Switchgrass Coastal Panic Grass Eastern Gamagrass Indiangrass ■ 2007 Warm season grass strip trials Big Bluestem Switchgrass Coastal Panic Grass Eastern Gamagrass Indiangrass ● 2007 Seed treatment trials Thiram Dividend Extreme Raxil XT T-22 TrigoCor 1448

6. EntryCultivar Common name 1Bonanza big bluestem 2Goldmine 3Niagara 4Atlantic coastal panic grass 5PeteE.gamagrass 6Blackwellswitchgrass 7Carthageswitchgrass 8Cave-in-rockswitchgrass 9Cave-in-rockswitchgrass 10Forestburgswitchgrass 11Kanlowswitchgrass 12Pathfinderswitchgrass 13Shawneeswitchgrass 14Shelterswitchgrass 15Sunburstswitchgrass 16Trailblazerswitchgrass 17 Nebraska 54 indiangrass 18 Nebraska 28 switchgrass 19Rumseyindiangrass 20Pawnee big bluestem 21Mixtures-1 Cave-in-rock switchgrass Bonanza big bluestem 22Mixtures-2 Sunburst switchgrass Niagara big bluestem 23Mixtures-3 Cave-in-rock switchgrass Pete E.gamagrass 24Mixtures-4 Niagara big bluestem Pete E.gamagrass Pete E.gamagrass ▲2007 Replicated plot trials Tompkins County Chemung County Big Flats NRCS Plant Materials Center Jefferson County Genesee County ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ 2008 Madison county Clinton county ▲ ▲

7. Small plot cultivar evaluation trial Sumer 2007

8. Small plot cultivar evaluation trial Fall 2007

9. ■ 2007 Warm season grass strip trial locations Dutchess Genesee St. Lawrence Tompkins 2007 Field Trials Cultivar Common name Bonanza big bluestem Niagara Atlantic coastal panic grass PeteE.gamagrass Carthageswitchgrass Cave-in-rockswitchgrass Sunburstswitchgrass Trailblazerswitchgrass Nebraska 54 indiangrass Mixtures-1 Cave-in-rock switchgrass- Bonanza big bluestem Mixtures-2Sunburst switchgrass -Niagara big bluestem Mixtures-3 Cave-in-rock switchgrass - Pete E.gamagrass Mixtures-4 Niagara big bluestem-Pete E.gamagrass ■ ■ ■ ■ ■  ■ 2008 Strip trial potential locations Tompkins Schoharie County Washington County Steuben ■ ■ ■  28 acres – NE Sun Center Laboratories, Cornell University

10. Tompkins County Mt Pleasant Strip Trial Summer 2007

11. G.C. Bergstrom Plant disease observed in 2007 field trials

12. Project Summary The perennial grass and legume evaulation project has been initiated to assure that feedstock is available for biofuel conversion technology and commercial utilization. Plant breeding programs and genomic research will be needed to develop the greatest potential in bioenergy crops.