Sericea lespedeza biomass composition for bioenergy in the southeastern USA

Abstract

Sericea lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata (Dumont) G. Don) is used for forage or as a soil conservation plant that has shown potential for the production of ligno-cellulosic biomass in the Southeastern USA. Four genotypes of sericea lespedeza were grown at Tallassee, Alabama. Plant canopy of those genotypes was divided into three 10-cm strata. Year of harvest affected NDF, protein and hemicellulose content of leaves and stems. Cut affected NDF, cellulose and hemicellulose content and protein of leaves. No differences were measured among the four genotypes except for protein content in the stems. Leaves had a much higher protein content than stems which makes them undesirable for biofuel use. Large strata effects on stem composition were measured on all traits except lignin which had the same value across the strata. Values of NDF, ADF, cellulose, and hemicellulose increased from the top of the stem to the base whereas protein content was reduced.

Keywords

• biofuel
• biomass
• Lespedeza cuneata (Dumont) G. Don
• sericea lespedeza