Developments in crops and management systems to improve lignocellulosic feedstock production

Abstract

There is an urgent need to develop viable, renewable, sustainable energy systems that can reduce global dependence on fossil fuel sources of energy. Biofuels such as ethanol are being utilized as blends in surface transportation fuels and have the potential to improve sustainability and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the short term. Bioethanol, the most widely used liquid biofuel, is currently produced by converting sugars or starches from feed crops into ethanol. Use of this fuel source displaces and draws water consumption away from agricultural crops, increases soil erosion by shifting land from perennial grasses to annual crops, and increases use of fertilizers and insecticides. In contrast, bioethanol made from lignocellulosic biomass feedstocks does not have these limitations and in addition, offers a larger resource base: the amount of cellulosic material available for potential use vastly outweighs the amount of available starch‐based feedstock. Therefore, bioethanol from lignocellulosic biomass has attracted considerable interest from biofuel developers. This review is an update of some developments to optimize cellulose extraction from feedstock crops and to improve crop yields and logistics. It concludes that agricultural and forestry systems that incorporate lignocellulosic biomass crops can be designed for improved ecological function and energy use efficiency. Development of crops that have both desirable cell‐wall traits and high biomass productivity under sustainable low‐input conditions can significantly enhance the economics and efficiency of the conversion process. Optimizing the logistics of moving feedstock from field or forest to bio‐refinery can significantly reduce costs of using lignocellulosic feedstocks. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

The prospects of Jerusalem artichoke in functional food ingredients and bioenergy production

“…Therefore, significant academic and industrial activities are focused on identifying abundant biomass sources and/or developing crops that are less competitive with conventional crops in terms of water, land and nutrient requirements. The availability and application of biomass sources are region-dependent and it is therefore essential to identify plant species suitable to local cultivation conditions to increase the economic viability of biomass production [4] , [5] , [6] . Two commonly cited examples of successful transition to a bioeconomy include bioethanol production from sugarcane in Brazil and biodiesel production from non-edible Jatropha oil in South Asia; however, these species cannot be applied readily to North America without considering the degree of climatic adaptation [7] , [8] , [9] .…”

A Midwest USA Perspective on Von Cossel et al.’s Prospects of Bioenergy Cropping Systems for a More Social-Ecologically Sound Bioeconomy

“…There are other bioenergy crops for which cultivar development is in progress including pennycress (Thlaspi arvense L.), camelina (Camelina sativa (L.) Crantz), and miscanthus (Miscanthus spp.). Improved crop management, including better nutrient and pest management, can also increase biomass yield [32,33].…”

Development of Rhodococcus opacus as a chassis for lignin valorization and bioproduction of high-value compounds

“…Other sources of biomass, like lignocellulose, are readily available as by-products of the agriculture and forestry industries. Moreover, the dedicated cultivation of properly selected and/or engineered species as sources of lignocellulose can be achieved in a wider distribution of climate and soil conditions with reduced water and fertilizer requirements compared to first-generation sources [7]. However, lignocellulose does require more complex processing to produce a second-generation biofuel or bioproduct.…”