Iowa State researcher look to integrate bioenergy crops with traditional farming

In Iowa, cropping systems that are profitable for farmers and balance societal needs for food, feed, fuel, energy and clean air and water are the focus and challenge of Iowa State University’s Landscape Biomass Project. Researchers are studying how to strategically integrate second generation bioenergy crops, such as triticale, switchgrass and trees, with food and feed crops to provide marketable products as well as ecosystem services. Highly erodible, sloped fields could be planted, for example, with the deep-rooted bioenergy crops.