Effect of Plant Population Density on Growth Parameters and Biomass Yield of Energycane.

Energycane (Saccharum officinarum L) is recognized as a viable cellulosic feedstock for the biofuels industry in the Southeastern United States. The planting spacing currently in use for energycane, where biomass is for harvest is same as for sugarcane harvested for sugarcane of the stem. A field experiment was carried out at the Agricultural Research Station to compare energycane performance with three between row (1.22, 1.52, and 1.83 m) and two in-row spacing (0.61and 0.91m) in a randomized complete block with factorial arrangement of  treatments. The treatment combination were recorded as R1 (1.22 x0.61), R2 (1.22 x 0.91), R3 (1.52 x 0.61), R4 (1.52 x 0.91), R5 (1.83 x 0.61) and R6 (1.83 x 0.91). Preliminary results have shown   biomass yield range of 19-22 Mg ha^-1 with no difference among inter-and intra row spacing. No significant differences were observed for growth parameter values among different treatment combinations. The maximum values observed per plant basis for plant height, leaf area index, total number of leaf, chlorophyll content, net photosynthesis rate, and total number of tillers were 2.2 m, 4.40, 228 leaves,  639 mg m^-2 , 28 µmol m^-2 s^-1, and 33 in treatments R4, R1, R6, R4, R6 and R6 respectively. Multiple year data is required for definitive conclusions.