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DOE OSTI · 3009252

Developmentally-specific physiological and metabolic responses support drought resilience in switchgrass and constrains biofuel yield

Basyal, Binod [Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI (United States); Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC), Madison, WI (United States)] (ORCID:0000000294242478)·Li, Xingxing [Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC), Madison, WI (United States); Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI (United States)]·Pargulski, V. J. [Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI (United States); Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC), Madison, WI (United States)]·Fu, Xinyu [Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI (United States)] (ORCID:000000034178238X)·Nightingale, Nicole M. [Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC), Madison, WI (United States); Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI (United States)]·Overmyer, Katherine A. [Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC), Madison, WI (United States); Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI (United States)]·Coon, Joshua J. [Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC), Madison, WI (United States); Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI (United States)]·Zhang, Yaoping [Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC), Madison, WI (United States); Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI (United States)]·Benucci, Gian Maria Niccolò [Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC), Madison, WI (United States); Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI (United States)]·Last, Robert L. [Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI (United States); Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC), Madison, WI (United States)] (ORCID:0000000169749587)·Sato, Trey K. [Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC), Madison, WI (United States); Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI (United States)] (ORCID:0000000165929337)·Walker, Berkley J. [Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI (United States); Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC), Madison, WI (United States)]
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Abstract

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) is a promising bioenergy crop due in part to its resilience to drought stress. However, the significance of drought timing remains poorly understood, both from a plant biology perspective and its impact on downstream biofuel production. This study determines the developmental stage-specific physiological and metabolic responses of switchgrass to drought stress and its implications for biofuel production using a custom-built programmable irrigation system. Vegetative, flowering, and senescence-stage drought significantly reduced carbon dioxide assimilation, and stomatal conductance without affecting biomass yield. Metabolic profiling revealed significant accumulation of glucose, fructose, quinic acid, shikimate and GABA during vegetative-stage drought, while flowering and senescence stages exhibited limited metabolic changes. Similarly, specialized metabolites also displayed distinct developmental patterns, with vegetative-stage drought driving the most pronounced metabolic alterations. Thermochemically-treated and hydrolyzed switchgrass biomass from vegetative-stage drought showed elevated lignocellulose-derived compounds and saponins with the latter most positively correlating with fermentation lag times. Conversely, senescence-stage drought enhanced ethanol yields while lowering saponin levels in the hydrolysates. While vegetative-stage drought enhanced physiological resilience, it compromises downstream biofuel production by introducing fermentation inhibitors, particularly saponins.

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biofueldroughtlignocellulosemetabolismphysiologysaponinswitchgrass

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Basyal, Binod [Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI (United States); Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC), Madison, WI (United States)] (ORCID:0000000294242478), Li, Xingxing [Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC), Madison, WI (United States); Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI (United States)], Pargulski, V. J. [Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI (United States); Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC), Madison, WI (United States)], Fu, Xinyu [Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI (United States)] (ORCID:000000034178238X), Nightingale, Nicole M. [Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC), Madison, WI (United States); Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI (United States)], Overmyer, Katherine A. [Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC), Madison, WI (United States); Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI (United States)], Coon, Joshua J. [Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC), Madison, WI (United States); Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI (United States)], Zhang, Yaoping [Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC), Madison, WI (United States); Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI (United States)], Benucci, Gian Maria Niccolò [Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC), Madison, WI (United States); Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI (United States)], Last, Robert L. [Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI (United States); Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC), Madison, WI (United States)] (ORCID:0000000169749587), Sato, Trey K. [Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC), Madison, WI (United States); Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI (United States)] (ORCID:0000000165929337), Walker, Berkley J. [Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI (United States); Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC), Madison, WI (United States)]. 2025-12-19. Developmentally-specific physiological and metabolic responses support drought resilience in switchgrass and constrains biofuel yield. https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb%2Feraf533

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