Variability of Biomass and Harvest Index from Several Soybean Genotypes as Renewable Energy Source

Soybeans is a legume crop that has economic value on seed yield, straw and biomass. This study was aimed to identify the biomass and harvest index from several soybean genotypes. The research was conducted at Pasuruan (East Java, Indonesia), from January to March 2014, using 29 genotypes. The analysis variance elucidated that days to maturity, straw weight, and harvest index were significant, except the seed yield. Seed yield varied from 1 977.58 kg ha–1 to 3 008.03 kg ha–1 with an average of 2 464.98 kg ha–1, straw weight between 3 033.98 kg ha–1 to 5 329.58 kg ha–1 (average of 4 069.26 kg ha–1), and biomass production varied from 38.40 kg ha–1 d–1 to 63.64 kg ha–1 d–1 with an average of 51.81 kg ha–1 d–1. The best genotype as source of biomass for energy was G27 with the highest yield, highest straw weight, and also the highest productivity of straw weight d–1 ha–1.