Can arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi maintain sustainable native grass biofuel cropping systems?

National energy initiatives are pushing for novel strategies to optimize biofuel cropping systems and production in the US. In this study, we utilize a long-term, farm-scale, native, perennial tallgrass (Panicum virgatum) biofuel cropping system to begin to understand how cultivar-specific plant-mycorrhizal fungal interactions could minimize nitrogen fertilizer inputs by providing more nutritional benefit under no fertilization, maintaining biomass output and biofuel quality for downstream production. This research will help inform management decisions in future national biofuel initiatives, and improve the economic incentives for native biofuel cropping in the US through the application of sustainable soil ecological concepts in the field.