College of Business and Technology

Alternate Crops Day points out the possibilitiesCollege of Business and Technology

Western Illinois University’s Alternative Crops Field Day 2009, held July 16 at WIU’s Agriculture Field Laboratory in Macomb, provided a fascinating and promising look into the world of possibilities that are alternative crops.

CBT Field Day photo“Attendees had the opportunity to see demonstration plots of bioenergy crops, oilseeds and other general alternative crops, as well as hear research updates about milkweed, cuphea and biomass crops,” said Win Phippen, associate professor in Western’s School of Agriculture. “We also showed displays about winter annual oilseed production, and conducted a presentation about the recent research from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) on field pennycress.”

Terry Isbell, research leader of the New Crops and Processing Technology Research Unit at the USDA, was on hand to discuss recent advances in commercializing pennycress production, and Peter Johnsen, chief technology officer from Biofuels Manufacturers of Illinois, LLC, discussed his company’s efforts to develop a new biodiesel plant.

According to Phippen, the day is set up as a guided tour through the plots.
It has been nearly a decade since Western Illinois University’s School of Agriculture started its Alternative Crops Research Program, which was established to investigate new crops for the Midwest and to help revitalize local economies.

“We started it in August 2000 to research crops that can fit into the corn and soybean rotations already in place to assist with pest problems and to increase crop diversity,” explained Phippen. “As a result of funding we received from the Illinois Council for Food and Agricultural Research (C-FAR), we have demonstration plots that produce oilseed, fiber and biomass crops, which may have implications for biofuels like ethanol and biodiesel. We are also engaged in long-term studies that focus on improving yields and adapting crops to the current rotations,” he added.

Photo: Phippen shows attendees the cuphea crops grown at WIU’s Agriculture Field Laboratory in Macomb.

 

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