But researchers at the Grassland Soil and Water Research Laboratory are busy experimenting with switchgrass, a native plant they say could be an environmentally friendly source of ethanol.

“We’re trying to create a multi-functional sustainable system.” said Mari-Vaughn Johnson, research agronomist at the center. “We’re trying to work away from high-input agriculture to low-input agriculture.”

Ms. Johnson is excited about switchgrass because it is mowed like hay, and does not have to be replanted every year.

“The advantage to going from an annual system like corn to a perennial system is that you cut above the ground, but you leave the root system in,” Ms. Johnson said. “It’s good for our waterways because it’s holding the soil in, holding the nutrients in, those nutrients aren’t running off into our waterways.”

The nutrients Ms. Johnson referred to can be translated to lower operating costs for switchgrass farmers. During winter, the plant goes dormant and retains nutrients in its roots, reducing the high cost of fertilizer.

“It’s a cycling system the plants have set up,” Ms. Johnson said. “Anyone who’s ever had a lawn in Texas is familiar with this. They go from being nice and green in the summer to being brown in the winter. And they’re not dead; they come back next year. When they grow dormant they pull the nutrients back down to the roots and they keep it there in a reserve, kind of like bears storing fat.”

In an effort to avoid fertilizers, the agronomists at the researcher center have planted legumes - think clover or snow peas - between the rows of switchgrass. These plants put nutrients into the soil organically.

“We’re looking at inter-cropping switchgrass. If you cut it in February, then maybe it will give the legumes you planted time to come up and make some nitrogen before the switchgrass overshadows it,” said Johnson. “Then maybe those legumes that we planted will be able to provide some nitrogen for the switchgrass.”

Agronomists at the center also point to problems with switchgrass. Unlike corn-fed ethanol plants now producing fuel for America’s automobiles, there are no switchgrass plants producing ethanol. Agronomist James Kiniry said it’s hard to convince farmers to plant switchgrass when there is no ready market available.

“It takes about three years to get a good stand of switchgrass, whereas with corn you’re going to get that stand on 95 percent of your land the first year,” Kiniry said.

But these questions may be answered as soon as next year if the nation’s first switchgrass-fed ethanol plant opens as planned. Last September, the University of Tennessee entered into a business partnership with Mascoma Corp., a Massachusetts company that says it is a “low-carbon cellulosic biomass-to-ethanol company.” According to a Mascoma press release, the two parties will jointly build and operate a 5 million-gallon per year ethanol refinery that uses switchgrass. The biorefinery will require “170 tons per day of switchgrass and other agricultural and forest biomass.” The plant is expected to open in 2009.

Switgrass has the added advantage of being good for wildlife. Kiniry said the reduction in the Texas quail population is not because of fire ants, but due to loss of native grasses. Since switchgrass is not plowed under, quail can use it for nesting year-round. Deer also enjoy bedding down in the tall, soft strands. Does can leave their fawns in switchgrass nests while they forage.

“You’re boosting bio-diversity by managing for these wildlife,” Ms. Johnson said. ”One of the tricks about wildlife, if you’re managing for the game species, you’re also managing for non-game species. You’re going to benefit all the wildlife.”

As for harvesting, Ms. Johnson recommends switchgrass producers wait until winter to harvest simply because dry grass weighs less than green grass.

“You want to be able to take it to the plant dry because it lowers your transportation cost if you can leave it in the field till it dries out when you harvest it. You’re taking less water weight off.”

Ms. Johnson said their goal working with switchgrass is to create the most self-sustainable system possible.

“We’re trying to come up with a system that isn’t dependent on fossil fuels, and requires low input in terms of fertilizer and land manipulation, going in with heavy machinery.”

fafflerbach@temple-telegram.com