Alternative Energy Crops Grown in Rotation with Potatoes

My Nuffield study has evolved into exploring the alternative energy crops that can be grown in a complementary rotation with potatoes. In New Brunswick, our crop cycle consists of a year of potatoes followed by either a wheat or barley crop under-seeded to a forage / grass. Cereal crops have suffered two issues in the past three plus years that have reduced profitability, these being poor commodity prices and reduced yield and quality due to Fusarium contamination. A large percentage of the crop having to be dumped for high DON levels. Farmers are loosing money on their rotation crops.

New crops have included switch grass, coppiced willow and oilseed crops for biodiesel, and uses for existing crop residue. Incorporating a biofuel crop as a replacement to traditional fuels must overcome a number of issues:

• Fuel combustion systems need to incorporate easy of use and flexibility in biofuel sources.
• Biofuel sources need secure long term contracts that provide operators with a measure of comfort to invest in new technology.
• Biofuel combustion and handling systems require additional operator attention and can incur additional costs.
• Emission control limitations have been implemented in Europe and there is a shift in Canada to follow.
• Farmers may be viewed as taking a lead role in reducing climate change by sequestering carbon in long term perennial cropping systems.

Of the new crops reviewed the use of cereals in the form of direct burning for energy provides an encouraging option. Oats are part of a potato rotation, and do not involve further transformation into a fuel source, thus having a high energy balance.