Switchgrass May Mean Better Soil (USDA ARS research)

[Muttocracy]

http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2008/080717.htm

Switchgrass May Mean Better Soil

By Don Comis
July 17, 2008

Soils with native grasses such as switchgrass have higher levels of a key soil component called glomalin than soils planted to non-native grasses, according to a study by the Agricultural Research Service at two locations in Mandan, N.D.

Kristine Nichols, a microbiologist with the ARS Northern Great Plains Research Laboratory in Mandan, conducted the study. Glomalin is a sugar-protein compound that might trigger the formation of soil. The more glomalin in a given soil, the better and less erosion-prone that soil probably is.
...

The increased glomalin and underground carbon storage observed with switchgrass adds to its value as a potential source of cellulosic ethanol.
...

[sui generis]

1. ask yourself this

Question: if we plow all the corn under and plant switchgrass, who stands to profit from this?

why don't we plant food instead of switchgrass.

[Muttocracy]

2. I think the contrast is native vs.non-native grasses. Corn isn't great for environment or health

compared to other things we could grow. I wonder if biofuel advocates will pick up on this research.

[sui generis]

3. I get the ideal part of the argument

And of course switchgrass is a better choice for a lot of arguments, but the MAIN argument against it is, if we aren't planting enough food to feed ourselves, we shouldn't be planting switchgrass to drive our SUV's up and down the highway.

In my ideal world, the ARS would be researching better drought farming and soil conservation techniques for food growers and the department of energy would be researching better renewable energy that doesn't transplant food production.

Unfortunately it looks like once again we are going to take the easier path with little regard for the consequences. Monsanto will probably deliver a fantastic saw grass that the government will license, and we'll all have sawgrass growing in our armpits before its over.

I wonder, if all 300 million Americans grew a square yard of sawgrass and not a single acre of it anywhere, now THAT would make a difference.

[Muttocracy]

4. ARS does work on soil conservation issues and other good things

Some of their stuff is more industrial, but they work on a wide variety of ag issues, including sustainable ag, integrated pest mgmt, etc.

http://www.ars.usda.gov/research/programs.htm

I wish we could support more research by government scientists and have less done by R&D of commercial companies.

[sui generis]

5. yee haw for that!

:hi:

totally agree -