New corn variety turns stalks into ethanol
Published: May 5, 2007 at 2:22 AM
BOSTON, May 4 (UPI) -- Michigan researchers have developed a new variety of corn with leaves and stalks that can be fermented into ethanol.
Ethanol is usually made from corn kernels because it is too difficult and expensive to break down the cellulose in corn leaves and stalks.
Mariam Sticklen, Michigan State University professor of crop and soil, says two generations of Spartan Corn contain enzymes necessary to break down cellulose and hemicellulose into simple sugars in their leaves.
Sticklen co-chaired a panel on energy crops for biofuels Friday at BIO2007, the annual international convention of the Biotechnology Industry Organization in Boston.
"In the future, corn growers will be able to sell their corn stalks and leaves as well as their corn grain for ethanol production," Sticklen said in a release. "What is now a waste product will become an economically viable commodity."
Ethanol is usually made from corn kernels because it is too difficult and expensive to break down the cellulose in corn leaves and stalks.
Mariam Sticklen, Michigan State University professor of crop and soil, says two generations of Spartan Corn contain enzymes necessary to break down cellulose and hemicellulose into simple sugars in their leaves.
Sticklen co-chaired a panel on energy crops for biofuels Friday at BIO2007, the annual international convention of the Biotechnology Industry Organization in Boston.
"In the future, corn growers will be able to sell their corn stalks and leaves as well as their corn grain for ethanol production," Sticklen said in a release. "What is now a waste product will become an economically viable commodity."
© 2007 United Press International. All Rights Reserved.
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This material may not be reproduced, redistributed, or manipulated in any form.
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