Ceres offers biomass seed

Biomass Magazine
December 2008
By Ryan C. Christiansen
Web exclusive posted Dec. 15, 2008 at 4:04 p.m. CST

Under the Blade Energy Crops label, Thousand Oaks, Calif.-based energy crop development company Ceres Inc. has begun selling seed to grow switchgrass and high-biomass sorghum. The switchgrass seed is being sold by weight and the sorghum seed is being sold by count, according to Frank Hardimon, sales director for the Blade label. He said selling sorghum seed by count mirrors the industry practice for corn and soy. “This allows producers to purchase only the amount of seed they need rather than having to overbuy to cover variations in seeds per pound,” he said. Hardimon said the switchgrass seed will be sold in pounds of pure live seed rather than bulk weight so that customers can purchase only viable seeds.

The Blade seed products include two improved switchgrass seed varieties, EG 1101 and EG 1102, adapted for the southern and middle ranges of the U.S. The varieties are high-biomass-yield seed which has been bred for better establishment in high rainfall areas. Hardimon said the varieties have shown superior conversion characteristics in both biochemical and thermochemical processes. Other switchgrass varieties are also available for mid- and northern climates, he said.

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