18 Apr 2019

New Miscanthus variety to launch at Cereals event

Leading biomass firm, Terravesta is to launch a new rhizome-based Miscanthus variety, ‘Athena’, at Cereals this summer.

Said to deliver staggering results in commercial-scale trials, resulting in quicker and higher returns with more than double the energy per hectare, Anthea will be available to growers for 2020 spring planting.

The new variety is said to produce higher yields in year two of the crop’s 20-year life cycle, with the potential to yield double that of original Miscanthus giganteus, and has a calorific value increase of 8%, resulting in a 180% increase in energy per hectare (megajoules).

Terravesta chairman, William Cracroft-Eley says, “The results of the trials are remarkable. Not only does Athena produce a higher yield than standard Miscanthus giganteus, it’s also more uniform so yields are more stable and the biomass quality improved.

“The new variety competes with virgin wood for calorific value and ash is reduced by a whole percent point, which means less biomass boiler erosion and slagging (molten ash deposits).

“The variety has undergone rigorous selection and development to ensure that it’s tolerant to a variety of conditions and we have tested it in Europe to ensure hardiness to frost and drought. Farmers will be able to plant Athena next spring and orders are already being taken, with a target of 1,200 hectares next year,” adds William.

 

 

 

 

 

Terravesta will be on stand 754 at Cereals 2019 and is encouraging farmers to come and talk to the team to find out more.

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