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

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 in terms of its impact on downstream biofuel production. This study determines the developmental stage-specific physiological and metabolic responses of switchgrass to drought stress and their 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 γ-aminobutyric acid (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.