Poster Abstract
The effect of harvest date and enzyme addition on corn stover silage for bioconversion into ethanol
Qin Chen, Tom Richard, and Megan Marshall
Ph.D. Candidate, Agricultural and Biological Engineering
The Pennsylvania State University
Ensilage has been demonstrated as a promising preservation strategy for storage of lignocellulosic biomass prior to bioconversion. In temperate climates, the corn stover harvest can extend from early fall to early winter, during which the chemical composition of stover varies significantly and influences the ensilage process. The aim of this study was to explore the effects of harvest date and enzyme addition and their interactions with the characteristics of stover silage. Results indicated early fall was the best harvest period in terms of pH, dry matter, water soluble carbohydrates and monosaccharides. Furthermore, these parameters were significantly improved by enzyme addition.