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PROCEEDINGS OF THE FIFTH EASTERN NATIVE GRASS SYMPOSIUM HELD IN HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA OCTOBER 10 -13, 2006 EDITOR MATT SANDERSON ASSOCIATE EDITORS PAUL ADLER SARAH GOSLEE JERRY RITCHIE HOWARD SKINNER KATHY SODER EDITORIAL ASSISTANT ALLISON KAY MOWERY HOSTED BY USDA, NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE USDA, AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE PENNSYLVANIA ASSOCIATION OF CONSERVATION DISTRICTS PUBLISHED BY OMNIPRESS MADISON, WISCONSIN This publication should be cited as: Author(s).2006.Title of paper.(inclusive pages). In M. A. Sanderson et al (eds.). Proceedings of the Fifth Eastern Native Grass Sympsoium, Harrisburg, PA, October 10 -13, 2006. PROCEEDINGS OF THE FIFTH EASTERN NATIVE GRASS SYMPOSIUM SYMPOSIUM SPONSORS GENERAL ERNST CONSERVATION SEEDS PARTNERS FOR FISH AND WILDIFE ROUNDSTONE NATIVE SEED, LLC OTHER AMERICAN GRASS SEED PRODUCERS KASTE SEED, INC. PENNSYLVANIA FORAGE AND GRASSLAND COUNCIL TIMM ENTERPRISES TRUAX COMPANY, INC. USDA, AGRICUTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE PASTURE SYSTEMS & WATERSHED MANAGEMENT RESEARCH UNIT USDI, NATIONAL PARK SERVICE EXHIBITORS AGRECOL CORPORATION AG-RENEWAL, INC. BASF ERNST CONSERVATION SEEDS A. T. FERRELL COMPANY, INC. FINGER LAKES CONSERVATION SERVICES J. F. NEW MARYLAND GRAZING LANDS CONSERVATION INITIATIVE NEW ENGLAND WETLAND PLANTS, INC. PRAIRIE HABITATS, INC. ROUNDSTONE NATIVE SEED, LLC SHARP BROTHERS SEED COMPANY OF MISSOURI TRUAX COMPANY, INC. USDA, AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE PASTURE SYSTEMS & WATERSHED MANAGEMENT RESEARCH UNIT USDA, FARM SERVICES AGENCY USDA, NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE PLANT MATERIALS PROGRAM USDA, NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE PENNSYLVANIA PROCEEDINGS OF THE FIFTH EASTERN NATIVE GRASS SYMPOSIUM Introduction In February 1997 a one-day conference on native grasses in the Eastern United States was held at the Botanical Gardens in Asheville, North Carolina. After nearly ten years the meeting has grown into a biennial three-day symposium rotating among different locations throughout the Eastern United States. This is quite an accomplishment for an event that has no sponsoring organization. The Eastern Native Grass Symposium is sustained by the expanding interest in the subject and the devotion of a variety of people, from agency technical specialists and private consultants, to growers of seed and nursery stock, to equipment and pesticide dealers. Presentations at the first symposium focused on native grass establishment and management for forage production and grassland restoration. This fifth symposium is made up of over 90 oral and poster presentations. Topics include biofuels and carbon sequestration, biomass, cultivar and ecotype development, establishment and weed control, forages and grazing, genetics, invasive species, reclamation and restoration, roadside management, seed harvest and processing, and wildlife management. Beginning with the second symposium in Baltimore, Maryland in 1999, the event has included field trips and on-site workshops. This fifth symposium provides six choices for full-day field trips and three workshop subjects. The second symposium was also the first time proceedings were published. This fifth symposium is the first time the proceedings are published in advance of the symposium. Since the symposium was last in the Mid-Atlantic region, both the knowledge and experience bases of native grass establishment in the Eastern United States have increased significantly. The best management for each of the many uses of native grasses is now a significant concem. There is a noticeable shift in the subject matter of presentations from establishment to management. This quote from the proceedings of the second symposium is as applicable now as is it was seven years ago: “Native grass use is expanding as rapidly as the seed and plant supplies of eastern sources will allow. The recent demand for materials is being driven by both a desire to utilize native plants to meet resource conservation objectives, and additional discovery of valuable functions which native grasses bring to discreet habitats and the environment in general. Native grasses bring a host of valuable traits to the conservation effort. Relatively unknown, under-appreciated, under-researched, and therefore under-used, native grasses will [continue to] play a powerful role in environmental improvement as use technology is developed and institutionalized.” The Planning Committee iil PROCEEDINGS OF THE FIFTH EASTERN NATIVE GRASS SYMPOSIUM THE PLANNING COMMITTEE Barry Isaacs, Co-Chair, USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Service, PA Chris Miller, Co-Chair, USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Service, NJ Martin van der Grinten, Co-Chair, USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Service, NY Calvin Ernst, Exhibits Chair, Ernst Conservation Seeds, PA Mike Pruss, Field Trips Chair, Pennsylvania Game Commission Paul Salon, Program Chair, USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Service, NY Kathleen Banski, Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts Tom Barnes, University of Kentucky Tim Dunne, USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Service, NJ Bob Escheman, USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Wash., DC Dave Lorenz, Truax Company, Inc., PA R. Jay Ugiansky, USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Service, MD THE SYMPOSIUM STEERING COMMITTEE John Dickerson, Finger Lakes Conservation Services, NY John Englert, USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Service, MD Calvin Ernst, Ernst Conservation Seeds, PA Bob Glennon, USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Wash., DC Terri Hogan, USDI, National Park Service, TN Chris Miller, USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Service, NJ Jerry Ritchie, USDA, Agricultural Research Service, MD Matt Sanderson, USDA, Agricultural Research Service, PA Ray Smith, University of Kentucky Martin van der Grinten, USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Service, NY PROCEEDINGS OF THE FIFTH EASTERN NATIVE GRASS SYMPOSIUM DEDICATION OF PROCEEDINGS John A. Dickerson Finger Lakes Conservation Services Marcellus, New York These Proceedings of the Fifth Eastern Native Grass Symposium are dedicated to John A. Dickerson, formerly Plant Materials Specialist, USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Service (retired). John has worked to advance the knowledge of native grasses in the Eastern United States for decades. During his career with USDA, he supported the Big Flats Plant Materials Center, Big Flats, New York in collecting, evaluating, and releasing native grasses, and in assisting commercial growers with their production. John tested and developed technologies to re-vegetate sand and gravel pits in New York and throughout New England with native grasses. He continues to exchange ideas and technology on native grass establishment and management with people throughout the North American continent. John has played a key role in all five of the Eastern Native Grass Symposiums, including Co- Chairing the second symposium. And he continues to demonstrate his leadership role by accepting responsibility to solicit a host for the Sixth Symposium to be held in 2008. PROCEEDINGS OF THE FIFTH EASTERN NATIVE GRASS SYMPOSIUM TABLE OF CONTENTS Author(s) Title Page Biofuels Adler, P. R., S. J. Del Grosso, W. J. Parton, and W. E. Easterling .....0..00..0.... c.ec.e c.ec.e e.ee .ee.e ne.e e es 1 Land Use Change Effects from Cellulosic and Grain Ethanol Production under Climate Change Fransen, s. C., H.P..Collins, and R: A. Boydston ......05..6.cccscnsesncreennseeensenca.n niddece nsisese ned neess 2 Growth of Switchgrass as Biofuel in the Pacific Northwest McArdle, M. and D. Bransb.y. C4 228, BIGTA The Potential for Grasses as a Feedstock itin 1 E:n ergy Applications ii nn the Eastern United States Owens, V.N., D. Lee, and A. Boe .. ‘ cen a Potential of Native Warm-Season Grass Monocultures and Mixtures for Bioenergy itin1 the Northern Great Plains Samson, R. A., C. Ho Lem andiS)Balley 2.4... 25. 2222x125). Bi eee eee ae eee 6 Developing Warm-Season Grasses as a Densified Heating Fuel Sanderson, M. A., P. R. Adler,R . H. Skinner, and C. Dell .. age aoe eee 8 Biofuels Research ‘with Native Grasses at the USDA-ARS Pasture Systems and Watershed _ Management Research Unit, University Park, Pennsylvania Sanderson, M. A., P. R. Adler, R. H. Skinner, and C. Dell .....00.00 cc. ec.e c0ec.e cc.c e0ce e0u ee0ueee0enee0neee es 9 Switchgrass for Biofuel, Forage, and Mushrooms Singer, S. D.. ape te Grass Farming for Local Energy: “Opportunities and Strategies for Utilizing Native Grasses to Deliver Clean Energy for Today's Energy Markets Staver K. W.. ciidi't napai ai nie satan oy = eee Using Switchgrass iti naa Small- Scale Boiler to‘ Supplement Farm Heating Needs _ Biomass Allen, Coand S. Thames 3.007265 either ee te cs on sos ec dee ose ean anes See Us) Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) Use by the Caddo Tribe for House Construction Krizek, D. T., J. C. Ritchie, M. J. Camp, A. M. Sadeghi, and C. D. Foy ...........c.cc.c c0cc .cc0 e.ec.ee. ee.ee .ee e e Ti Influence of Time of Stand Establishment on Biomass Production of Eastern Gamagrass Owens, V. N., D. Lee, and A. Boe .. ‘ies Effect ofM anure Application and Harvest Timing. on ‘Switchgrass and Big Bluestem Biomass and Seed Production Across Landscape Position Ritchie, J.C. D.-T..Krizek, D. C: Gitz Ill-and C. D. Foy «2.2... se). ee ee 30 A Nine-Year Study of Biomass Production by Eastern Gamagrass vi