Tequila Plant Shows Promise for Biofuel

A plant known for producing tequila in Mexico, is a promising source of biofuel according to a University of Adelaide research.

Researchers at the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plant Cell Walls showed that agave (Agave tequilana) could produce large amounts of biofuel while growing on marginal land under low rainfall conditions.

"Bioethanol yields from agave fermentation could rival the most successful biofuel feedstock crops around the world," says Associate Professor Rachel Burton, Node Leader with the ARC Centre in the School of Agriculture, Food and Wine.

The agave plant produces large amounts of sugar that is easily fermented to bioethanol, and suitable also for use as raw material for products and high value chemicals. Waste agave leaves are also capable of generating biofuels, increasing the profit from an agave crop.

Further research is in progress to establish the best cultivation methods for bioethanol production.