Sustainable crop removal: Maintaining soil quality

Agricultural biomass, the aboveground plant material that is not grain, is being looked to as a promising renewable energy source for heat and power, ethanol, syngas and bio-oil. When used for these purposes biomass is often referred to being a cellulosic bioenergy feedstock. Currently of particular interest is the use of crop residue—the biomass left on the field after grain harvest. The primary crop residue being considered in the Corn Belt of the United States is corn stover. Perennial grasses such as switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) and Miscanthus giganteus are also being researched for their potential as cellulosic bioenergy feedstocks.