Miscanthus - Industrial Crops: Breeding for BioEnergy and Bioproducts - page 51

has been found in high-altitude areas [ 87 ]. However, Chou et al. [ 88 ] found that the
M. floridulus that are dominant in Taiwan lowlands could not grow well at 2,600 m.
M. floridulus flowers around July, earlier than other Miscanthus spp. such as
M. sinensis [ 36 ]. Similar to M. sinensis var. condensatus , M. floridulus does not
senesce in winter [ 36 ] and is adaptable in warm areas. Because it is distributed
mainly in tropical areas, Deuter [ 31 ] suggested that M. floridulus could be used as a
parent stock for biomass crop breeding in the tropics or areas with warm, moist
climates.

Section: Triarrhena

Miscanthus sacchariflorus

Another major species of the genus Miscanthus is M. sacchariflorus (Fig. 3.6 ).
Lafferty and Lelley [ 89 ] reported that there are two types of M. sacchariflorus , one
with 38 chromosomes and another with 76 chromosomes. Hirayoshi et al. [ 38 ]
found that M. sacchariflorus in Japan were tetraploids (2 n ¼ 4 x ¼ 76), while those

found in China were diploids (2 n 38) [ 31 , 69 ].

The tetraploid M. sacchariflorus has larger and hardier stems with higher lignin
content; taller and branching culms, which can reach more than 3 m; lower culm
number; and creeping, stout rhizomes than the diploid type. Its leaf sheaths are
densely covered with bristles when young [ 36 , 41 ]. Also, it has culm nodes from
which aerial branches and roots develop [ 41 ]. M. sacchariflorus develops hollow
stems to adapt to soils with high moisture [ 69 ]. It has awnless spikelets with callus
hairs that are about 2-4 times longer than the spikelets [ 41 ].

¼ 2 x ¼

Fig. 3.6 Miscanthus
sacchariflorus