Biotech Updates

Results of Field Trials for Comparative Evaluation of Productivity Between Switchgrass and Miscanthus Help Assess Ethanol Production Potentials

July 27, 2007
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/07/070710064827.htm
http://www.grainnet.com/articles/Univ__of_Illinois_Testing_Switchgrass_and_Miscanthus_for_Ethanol_Potential__Grainnet_Exclusive__-46113.html

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) and Miscanthus (Miscanthus x giganteus) are two “C4” perennial grasses which have been reported to be promising cellulosic feedstocks for ethanol production in the United States. “C4” is one of 3 pathways that plants use to fix carbon dioxide into sugars by photosynthesis. However, which of these two grasses is better?  Recently, the team of Frank Dohleman of the Plant Biology Department of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign published their side-by-side field trial results, comparing the productivities of these two grasses.  Overall, Miscanthus was shown to be more productive than switchgrass. Greater productivity means greater ethanol production potential.  The following were the key attributes that may explain why Miscanthus produced more usable biomass relative to switchgrass: (1) 45% greater leaf area, (2) capability to gain more photosynthetic carbon per leaf area (33% greater than switchgrass), and (3) longer growing season (11 days longer than switchgrass). 

More information about C4 photosynthesis from Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C4_photosynthesis