Promising biomass crop not a stranger to Illinois farmers

AgriNews Online
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
By Nat Williams

SIMPSON, Ill. — One crop that may hold promise in the biofuels industry looks pretty familiar to Illinois farmers.

Unlike perennial grasses such as miscanthus or switchgrass, tropical maize holds promise as a biomass crop that may have some advantages over its less-familiar relatives.

University of Illinois Extension environmental and energy stewardship educator Gary Letterly discussed the crop at a recent field day at the Dixon Springs Agricultural Center.

Promotion of crops such as miscanthus has been an uphill battle, since there is no solid market, and demand is fleeting.

“We don’t have an end-use market that’s reared its head yet, so it’s pretty difficult to convince someone to just grow it,” Letterly said. “Farmers say, ‘I’m not going to dedicate land and resources to establish it.’”

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