Bioenergy Cropping Systems on Marginal Land.

Agriculture faces unique challenges as increasing world population places unprecedented demands on food and energy resources.   Global fossil fuels are finite in supply and are becoming increasingly more expensive to extract as supplies are diminished.  Bioenergy crops are increasingly being seen as essential components of future energy plans.  Of particular interest is the production of these bioenergy crops on marginally productive lands.  As agricultural resources are stretched to meet food and energy demands, lower productivity land bases will be brought into production.  This study investigates five crops, corn (Zea mays ssp. mays), soybean (Glycine Max (L.) Merr.), canola (Brassica napus L. var. napus), sunflower (Helianthus annuus) and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) for their suitability on remediated brownfield sites and low productivity northern climates compared to traditional high productivity cropland.  Crops were incorporated in a randomized complete block design with total crop yield and fuel quality levels determined.  Total crop yield differed significantly between locations, yet yields from high fertility bases were not consistently greater than marginal sites across all crops.  Total fuel produced indicated corn grain ethanol and oil quantity frequently yielded reduced volume as locations increased latitude.  For total sugar composition of switchgrass, no significant difference between locations or latitude was detected.  In addition, fatty acid analysis revealed no difference in canola, soybean, and sunflower among locations relating quality of the fuel is similar between high fertility and marginal land α=0.05.  This study shows marginal land can be used to provide a bioenergy feedstock that meets standards of yield and fuel quality that is competitive with land of high fertility bases.