Miscanthus: The Seeds to Grow a Sustainable, Low-Carbon Economy

This film documents the full story of miscanthus so far. Miscanthus is a bio-energy crop that’s grown on over 8,000 hectares of UK farm land for power generation. If UK carbon emissions targets are to be met, the area of land devoted to efficient, sustainable bio-energy crops like miscanthus must increase, and this film showcases the work that’s gone into developing new seed-based varieties of the crop to upscale miscanthus planted area and pave the way for its future.

[@jamesdevlin6373]

Glad to hear that proper research is going into this useful plant.

[@emmanuelalferez1556]

What is the yield in terms of DM per acre per year. Where can we buy seeds?

[@tunglai7174]

Winter- und frühlingsblühende Nieswurz haben nicht nur tief eingeschnittene

[@Dollapfin]

How is this breeding done? I thought miscanthus is sterile? Or is it just partially sterile?

[@joshblick]

Miscanthus X Giganteus (the largest and currently most commercial) are reproduced through rhizome dissection and replanting. There are a few Miscanthus varieties that do produce viable seed but they are smaller, slower and not as much of a commercial breed.

[@felixyusupov7299]

The problem with biomass is the energy you put in is about the same as the energy you get out. You want real base load carbon neutral energy then start looking at nuclear energy. Biomass is a waste of time.

[@Smeakum]

Except you're establishing a cycle of photosynthesis, carbon sequestration, and soil building rather than "traditional" soil maintenance methods.

[@jamesgeorge4874]

"the seed" but it's a rihizome, not a seed ?

[@Terravesta]

Our hybrids can be planted as seed or rhizomes