Scientists from the Argonne National Laboratory of the United States Department of Energy (US-DOE) and University of Chicago are jointly looking into the sustainability of converting perennial forage crops into bioenergy (either direct burning or conversion to cellulosic ethanol). Argonne Laboratory scientists are planting varieties of switchgrass, and other species of native perennial grasses (big bluestem, Indiangrass and Canadian wild rye) at an experimental facility, and will evaluate them in terms of amount of harvestable biomass and carbon balance. Using molecular biology tools, the researchers will also investigate “how differing plant traits and microbial communities interact in the soil environment” and how these interactions can be controlled..