Irish-led EU study looks at grass species for production on marginal lands

In Ireland, researchers at the Irish Agriculture and Food Development Authority are leading a European project analyzing grasses that can be grown on marginal land but are also suitable for biofuel production. The GrassMargins project is analyzing tall fescue, cock’s foot (also known as orchard grass) and canary reed grass, all native to Europe. For Ireland, the main challenge is waterlogged soil or soil prone to flooding while in other parts of Europe the key will be finding grasses that can be grown successfully in salty soils or cooler temperatures.