Why Bioenergy Makes Sense; A Primer on Genetics, Genomics and Plant Breeding; Production of Ethanol from Grain; Composition and Biosynthesis of Lignocellulosic Biomass; Selection of Promising Biomass Feedstock Lines Using High-Throughput Spectrometric and Enzymatic Assays; Current Technologies for Fuel Ethanol Production from Lignocellulosic Plant Biomass; Genetic Improvement of Corn for Lignocellulosic; Development and Utilization of Sorghum as a Bioenergy Crop; Genetic Improvement of Sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) as an Energy Crop
Summary
Ethanol as an alternative fuel is receiving a lot of attention because it addresses concerns related to dwindling oil supplies, energy independence, and climate change. The majority of the ethanol in the US is produced from corn starch. With the US Department of Energya (TM)s target that 30% of the fuel in the US is produced from renewable resources by 2030, the anticipated demand for corn starch will quickly exceed the current production of corn. This, plus the concern that less grain will become available for food and feed purposes, necessitates the use of other feedstocks for the production
