Potential of Agricultural and Forestry Resources for Bioenergy

This article reviews the performance of dedicated lignocellulosic feedstocks from agriculture and forestry for sustainable bioenergy production. At the agronomic level, it compares biomass yield, nitrogen export, nitrogen/carbon ratios, greenhouse gas reduction, and associated costs across species such as miscanthus, switchgrass, fescue, alfalfa, sorghum, and triticale. It also illustrates ethanol productivity per hectare and discusses breeding prospects. For forestry, it presents short and very short rotation coppice and stored coppice systems, emphasizing the scope for genetic improvement and semi-dedicated biomass strategies. The article concludes that perennial C4 grasses and short rotation coppice trees are complementary feedstocks under active genetic enhancement at INRA.