Standardization of Switchgrass Sample Collection for Cell Wall and Biomass Trait Analysis

As a native, low-input crop with high biomass production, switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) has become a favorable feedstock for the production of cellulosic biofuels in the United States. Many efforts are being made to improve the production of cellulosic biofuels from switchgrass. Protocols regarding analysis of switchgrass biomass have been established; however, the developmental stage of the materials being analyzed has varied depending on researchers' discretion, and no standardized harvesting procedure has been defined. Developmental stages have a large impact on the results of biochemical analyses. We propose a standardized procedure for switchgrass sample collection for cell wall and biomass analyses by describing various developmental stages of switchgrass, defining the R1 stage as the stage at which tillers should be collected, and providing a detailed description of how and what material should be analyzed. Such a standardized procedure will help to maintain consistency in switchgrass evaluation methods, enable comparisons of data obtained from different approaches and studies, and facilitate efforts towards improving switchgrass as a bioenergy crop.