How Low Can You Go? Chilling and Frost Tolerance in Miscanthus Germplasm

As in any other lignocellulosic biomass crop, one of the main targets in miscanthus breeding is improvement of the above-ground yield. Yield limitations in miscanthus are caused to a large extent by abiotic stress factors such as cold, drought and salinity. We have investigated the available variability for chilling and frost tolerance using a broad miscanthus germplasm collection containing Miscanthus sinensis, M. sacchariflorus, M. x giganteus and hybrid (M. sinensis x M. sacchariflorus) genotypes. M. x giganteus, the most commonly planted, has a relatively high tolerance to chilling and frost stress. In recent research, combining controlled freezing tests, field trials and growth chamber screenings, we have identified several genotypes with an even higher tolerance to cold stress (chilling and frost). These genotypes display ideal characteristics for the development of varieties with an early canopy closure and a long growing season resulting in larger biomass accumulation over the year, and open perspectives to expand the miscanthus growing area and to reduce the risk of winter mortality.