A simple method to estimate practical field yields of biomass grasses in Europe

Perennial grasses such as switchgrass, Miscantus, Arundo donax and reed canary grass are being developed as lignocellulosic biomass crops in Europe. The crops are suitable for soil conservation, low value forage production, as an ornamental grass and as a biomass crop for ethanol, fibre, electricity and heat production. It is envisaged that these new crops will have to provide a significant amount of biomass to achieve European renewable energy objectives and may also play an important role in providing fibre for pulp and paper. Current and future yield estimates for these new crops cannot be derived from existing statistical data such as FADN or FAO yield statistics because these crops are hardly grown under regular farming conditions. Therefore other exercises are necessary to establish potential, current and future practical yields for these crops. A simple method by Vleeshouwers et al (1999) was used to estimate practical current yields for these grasses in Europe. The method is based on the known relationship between experimental plot yields and practical farm level yields.