Can Biomass Yield of Switchgrass be Increased without Increasing Nitrogen Requirements?

Switchgrass ( Panicum virgatum L.) has been identified as a cellulosic bioenergy feedstock crop partly because of its potential to produce high biomass yields on marginal lands. Many breeding programs are focused on increasing biomass yields to improve the economic viability of the crop. However, increasing biomass yields without selecting for reduced biomass nitrogen (N) concentration will result in substantial increases in N removal at...