Field trials in Europe with Miscanthus over the past 25 years have demonstrated that interspecies hybrids such as M. × giganteus (M × g) combine both high yield potentials and low inputs in a wide range of soils and climates. Miscanthus hybrids are expected to play a major role in the provision of perennial lignocellulosic biomass across much of Europe as part of a lower carbon economy. However, even with favourable policies in some European countries, uptake has been slow. M × g, as a sterile clone, can only be propagated vegetatively, which leads to high establishment costs and low multiplication rates. Consequently, a decade ago, a strategic decision to develop rapidly multiplied seeded hybrids was taken. To make progress on this goal, we have (1) harnessed the genetic diversity in Miscanthus by crossing and progeny testing thousands of parental combinations to select several candidate seed‐based hybrids adapted to European environments, (2) established field scale seed production methods with annual multiplication factors >1500×, (3) developed the agronomy for establishing large stands from seed sown plug plants to reduce establishment times by a year compared to M × g, (4) trialled a range of harvest techniques to improve compositional quality and logistics on a large scale, (5) performed spatial analyses of yield potential and land availability to identify regional opportunities across Europe and doubled the area within the bio‐climatic envelope, (6) considered on‐farm economic, practical and environmental benefits that can be attractive to growers. The technical barriers to adoption have now been overcome sufficiently such that Miscanthus is ready to use as a low‐carbon feedstock in the European bio‐economy.

Chlorophyll a fluorescence gives information about the plant physiological status due to its coupling to the photosynthetic electron transfer chain and to the further biochemical processes. Environmental stresses, which acts synergistically, disturbs the photosynthesis. The OJIP test, elaborated by Strasser and co-workers, enables comparison of the physiological status of plants grown on polluted vs. control areas. The paper shows that the Chl a measurements are very useful tool in evaluating of heavy metal ions influence on perennial grasses, tested as potential phytoremediators. Among 5 cultivars tested, the highest concentration of Cd and Zn ions, not associated with the yield reduction, was detected in the biomass of tall fescue cv. Rahela. Chl a fluorescence interpreted as double normalized curves pointed out Rahela as the outstanding cultivar under the HM ions stress.

Heavy metals (HMs) contamination of soils is a major problem occurring worldwide. Utility of energy crops for biofuel feedstock production systems offers a feasible solution for a commercial exploitation of an arable land contaminated with HMs. Experiments involved field testing of Miscanthus x giganteus and Spartina pectinata cultivated on HMs-contaminated soil with standard NPK fertilizers and commercially available microbial inoculum. Biomass yield, water content, macronutrients (N, P, K, Mg, Ca), and heavy metal (Cd, Pb, Zn) concentrations in plant shoots were assessed at the end of the first and the second growing season. Independently of the applied fertilizers, Miscanthus x giganteus produced higher biomass yield while contrary results were obtained for S. pectinata. Higher HMs content in plants influenced the status of the mineral macronutrients in particular N and K. Occurrence of hasted senescence induced by drought in the second growing season caused reduction in the concentrations of all elements (except Pb), due to earlier rhizomes relocation.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of three C4 perennial grasses (Miscanthus x giganteus, Panicum virgatum and Spartina pectinata) for biomass production on arable land unsuitable for food crop cultivation due to Pb, Cd and Zn contamination. We assessed soil properties, biomass yield, metal concentrations, and the photosynthetic performance of each species. Physico-chemical and elemental analyses were performed on soil samples before plantation establishment (2014) and after three years of cultivation (2016), when leaf area index, plant height, yield and heavy metal content of biomass were also determined. Physiological measurements (gas exchange, pigment content, chlorophyll a fluorescence) were recorded monthly between June and September on mature plants in 2016. Cultivation of investigated plants resulted in increased pH, nitrogen, and organic matter (OM) content in soil, although OM increase (13%) was significant only for S. pectinata plots. During the most productive months, maximal quantum yield values of primary photochemistry (Fv/Fm) and gas exchange parameter values reflected literature data of those plants grown on uncontaminated sites. Biomass yields of M. x giganteus (15.0 ± 0.4 t d.m. ha-1) and S. pectinata (12.6 ± 1.2 t d.m. ha-1) were also equivalent to data published from uncontaminated land. P. virgatum performed poorly (4.1 ± 0.4 t d.m. ha-1), probably due to unfavourable climatic conditions, although metal uptake in this species was the highest (3.6 times that of M. x giganteus for Pb). Yield and physiological measurements indicated that M. x giganteus and S. pectinata were unaffected by the levels of contamination and therefore offer alternatives for areas where food production is prohibited. The broad cultivatable latitudinal range of these species suggests these results are widely relevant for development of the bioeconomy. We recommend multi-location trials under diverse contaminant and environmental regimes to determine the full potential of these species.