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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Tifton, Georgia » Crop Genetics and Breeding Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #210907
Title: Assessment of Bermudagrass as a Feedstock for Ethanol

Author
item Anderson, William - Bill
item Dien, Bruce
item PETERSON, JOY - UNIV OF GA
item BRANDON, SARAH - UNIV OF GA
item Akin, Danny

Submitted to: American Society of Agronomy
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/21/2007
Publication Date: 11/5/2007
Citation: Anderson, W.F., Dien, B.S., Peterson, J., Brandon, S.K., Akin, D.E. 2007. Assessment of bermudagrass as a feedstock for ethanol. [abstract]. ASA-CSSA-SSSA International Meetings, November 4-8, 2007, New Orleans, Louisiana. Cd Rom.

Interpretive Summary: not required

Technical Abstract: It is critical to determine appropriate dedicated bioenergy feedstock crops for Southern United States. Bermudagrass is considered a good candidate as a feedstock for the conversion of cellulose to ethanol because of its high yields and predominance as a forage and hay crop for the South. There have been significant genetic improvements of rumen digestibility along with increased yields in bermudagrass over the last half century. Preliminary results indicate that the conversion efficiency of bermudagrass to ethanol through simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) is higher than other grass feedstock including switchgrass. The objective of this study was to evaluate bermudagrass germplasm with variability in rumen digestibility for ethanol production through SSF and enzyme pretreatments. A low stringency conversion protocol was used to compare genotypes for ethanol production and was correlated with rumen digestibility, neutral detergent fiber, and acid detergent fiber data. A select number of germplasm was also assessed for ethanol production using pretreatment enzymes (esterase and cellulase) followed by fermentation. Significant variability exists between bermudagrass accessions and was only moderately correlated with rumen digestibility. Discussion will include methods for breeding and evaluation of bermudagrass as a biofuel feedstock.