Risk-Benefit Assessment of Growing Genus Miscanthus for Bioethanol Production

Majority of the commercially available biofuels today are derived from food crops such as corn, sugarcane and rapeseed. However, due to food security concerns and increase in the demand of biofuels, there is a need to find alternative feedstock for biofuels. One of the crops that is predicted to have a significant contribution to world energy is the perennial grass of the genus Miscanthus. This grass originated in Eastern Asia, and has about a dozen species. It is also seen as a potential bioenergy feedstock because of its desirable characteristics, such as, high yield, cold tolerance, low environmental impact, and ease of harvesting and handling.

In anticipation of the increase in the use of Miscanthus as a biofuel feedstock, researchers from the Faculty of Science, Department of Agroecology and Environment, Aarhus University, Denmark attempted to assess the benefits and risks of growing Miscanthus. In their study, they first gave an overview of the genus Miscanthus, along with the possible uses of this crop and its benefits. The researchers discussed possible risks that go along with the growing of Miscanthus  and later pinpointed avenues for improvement in the cultivation of Miscanthus.

Among the highlights of  the research are: (1) Miscanthus giganteus is the best species as bioenergy crop due to its non-invasiveness, pest and disease resistance and low emission characteristics, (2) risks of growing Miscanthus include fire in mature crop, high water use and it could serve as vector for disease in other plants,(3) avenues for risk minimization include early harvest, monitoring and stewardship programs, growing in restricted location and breeding programs.

The full paper is published in the journal, Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability (URL above).