08.08.2015   Switchgrass

Switchgrass Establishment Costs

Table 3 includes a switchgrass conventional tillage establishment budget. Table 4 includes a no-till establishment budget. Custom rates are used to reflect the cost of budgeted machine operations (Doye and Sahs 2012). These cost estimates depend on the assumption that a sufficient quantity of custom operators could be hired to perform the operations in a timely manner. Both establishment budgets include a mowing operation designed to clip weeds that extend over the top of the switchgrass. If weed pressure is minimal, this operation would not be necessary.

Establishment costs are estimated to be $498/ha for no-till and $580/ha for conventional tillage. Stands of established switchgrass are expected to thrive for a minimum of ten years. The establishment costs are amortized over ten years at a 7 percent rate. This estimated amortized cost of establishment is $83/ha/year for conventional tillage and $71/ha/year for no-till. The $83/ha/year charge is included on the maintenance and harvest budget (Table 5).

Table 1. Field operations budgeted for switchgrass establishment with conventional tillage.

Month

Operation

Description

For establishment in cropland harvested in the fall or in pasture land

Sept-Oct

Test soil

Chisel Plow

Fertilize

If needed, apply P2O5, K2O, and lime. If pH is below 5.0, lime should be applied and incorporated before establishment

Disk

Apr

Disk

Cultipack

prepare firm seedbed

Plant

5.6 kg/ha pure live switchgrass seed 0.6 to 1.3 cm deep

Spray

glyphosate to terminate growing weeds prior to switchgrass germination if weeds have emerged after the April disking

May-Jun

Spray

broadleaf herbicide

Jun-Jul

Rotary mow

clip over the top of the switchgrass if grassy weeds have canopied

For establishment in winter wheat field that was grazed out or harvested for hay in April

Sept-Oct

Test soil Fertilize

If needed, apply P2O5, K2O, and lime prior to seeding wheat. If pH is below 5.0, lime should be applied.

Apr

Disk

Cultipack

prepare firm seedbed

Plant

5.6 kg/ha pure live switchgrass seed 0.6 to 1.3 cm deep

Spray

glyphosate to terminate growing weeds prior to switchgrass germination if weeds have emerged after the April disking

May-Jun

Spray

broadleaf herbicide

Jun-Jul

Rotary mow

clip over the top of the switchgrass if grassy weeds have canopied

Adapted from Griffith et al. 2010.