Developmental Morphology of Erianthus Tillers

Abstract

Bioethanol is a promising alternative to fossil fuels and a potential countermeasure to global warming. We have been studying Erianthus, a perennial C4 grass, as a raw material for cellulosic bioethanol, mainly because it has potential of high biomass production due to its large canopy. The effect of tillering on biomass production in Erianthus has hardly been studied. Preliminary observation showed that there might be three kinds of tillers, namely dead, old and new ones in Erianthus. Old tillers with a stem apex restarted growing after overwintering. Such old tillers were slowly followed by the appearance of new ones which started to develop. Both old and new tillers were well developed in the peripheral zone of each individual, probably because there was room for the development of tiller buds. The shifting and formation of these tillers in Erianthus secures leaf number and leaf area at the growing stage, contributing to high biomass productivity.