Production of Giant Reed for Biofuel

Giant reed is currently being evaluated as a potential biomass energy crop in Florida, even though some scientists and those in other states consider it to be a noxious or invasive weed. This revised 4-page fact sheet discusses the adaptation and production of giant reed as a potential energy crop and presents measures for controlling giant reed as an escaped weed. It does not give specific recommendations on whether it is better to control giant reed or produce it for biofuel. Written by Dennis Odero, Robert Gilbert, Jason Ferrell, and Zane Helsel, and published by the UF Department of Agronomy, November 2011.