Adaptability, density and energetic potential of three grass species of the genus Pennisetum in San Francisco de la Paz, Olancho

Abstract

The use of biomass can contribute to advantages in the energy and environmental fields. Species that are easy to manage and have good production potential often have promising prospects in the energy sector. This study aimed to, determining the adap-tability, density, and energy potential of three grass species of the genus Pennisetum in San Francisco de la Paz, Olancho. A plantation was established using the random complete block method with three species and three spacings as variables, with three repetitions for each combination, resulting in 27 plots. It was found that the Purple Cameroon species (P. purpureum) has the best energy and adaptation characteristics, with average heights of 2.94 meters, biomass production exceeding 250 tons/ha, and a higher calori-fic value of 3574 kcal/kg with a 9% moisture content, highlighting the excellent energy potential of this species. Despite differences between species and their energy conditions, it is concluded that they can be used as a basis for biomass-based energy production.