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Submitted to: Southern Pasture and Forage Crop Improvement Conference Proceedings
Publication Type: Abstract Only Publication Acceptance Date: 4/10/2007 Publication Date: 5/30/2007 Citation: Anderson, W.F. 2007. Current assessment of dedicated bioenergy feedstock crops for southeastern United States. Proc. Southern Pasture and Forage Crop Improvement Conference. Interpretive Summary: not required Technical Abstract: Renewable fuel production has become an important topic in the United States over the past few years. Increased ethanol production and use as fuel, in particular, is seen as a means of reducing the nation’s dependence on petroleum. Brazil has become independent from petroleum imports by converting carbohydrates (primarily sucrose) from sugar cane to ethanol. Currently, ethanol is produces from grain starch (corn) in the United States. There is a limit to the amount of ethanol that can be produced from corn or other starch grains in the U.S. and increased emphasis has been put on developing more efficient means of converting biomass (as defined by cell wall ligno-cellulose) to bioenergy. Besides improving industrial conversion processes, it is also important to improve plant feedstock crops through breeding and efficient production practices. High biomass yields and decreased production costs are first priorities. Biomass must be plentiful, cheap and within a short distance from the processing plant. Designing plants that maintain yields but have reduced recalcitrance to cell wall breakdown is a challenge to plant breeders. This talk will focus on different crop species that are presently or have potential of being the best candidates for dedicated bioenergy feedstock crops for Southeastern Unites States. |
