Switchgrass and Miscanthus long-term yield across Michigan and Wisconsin

Perennial grasses like switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) and miscanthus (Miscanthus × giganteus) are expected to supply a substantial amount of the United States bioeconomy’s feedstock demand. However, uncertainties around patterns of long-term yields challenge the viability of this potential. To resolve long-term yield patterns, we analyzed over 200 plantings of switchgrass and miscanthus across Michigan and Wisconsin USA measured over 5 to 15 years. During a yield-building phase, peak yields occurred within 4 – 5 years after planting, followed by a 6 – 7 year yield-decline phase in which switchgrass and miscanthus lost 30 – 47% and 14 – 40% of peak yields, respectively. Added nitrogen increased peak-yields by 10 – 20% and attenuated the yield decline by 20 – 50%. A farm-to-gate economic analysis suggests replanting switchgrass and miscanthus 5 and 9 years following their peak yields optimize profit over a 30-year time horizon. This conserved long-term yield pattern has implications for c..., Switchgrass and M. × giganteus long-term Yield data for this analysis was collected from were collected from multiple long-term experiments along Michigan and Wisconsin, USA. The 12 different experimental sites were planted through 2007 – 2013 and provided a wide range of conditions experimental conditions, plot sizes, and N fertilization rates. Given the multiple planting years our long-term yield dataset included different experiment lengths; 16 plots with up to 5 years of data, 86 plots with up to 9 years of data, 60 plots with up to 10 – 12 years of data, 32 plot with up to 13 years of data, and 20 plots with up to 15 years of data at the moment of analysis.
, , # Switchgrass and Miscanthus Long-term Yield Dataset

[https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.6m905qg9x](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.6m905qg9x)

## Description of the data and file structure

The file contains Switchgrass and *M. × giganteus* long-term yield data were collected from multiple long-term experiments along Michigan and Wisconsin, USA. The 12 different experimental sites were planted through 2007 – 2013 and provided a wide range of conditions experimental conditions, plot sizes, and N fertilization rates. Given the multiple planting years our long-term yield dataset included different experiment lengths; 16 plots with up to 5 years of data, 86 plots with up to 9 years of data, 60 plots with up to 10 – 12 years of data, 32 plot with up to 13 years of data, and 20 plots with up to 15 years of data at the moment of analysis. These multiple planting years also allowed us to compare yields of different ages grown under the same growing seasons to better separate the age and growing seas...,