Ethanol-based biofuel still faces plenty of hurdles.
Most of the fuel continues to be derived from corn in the United States and sugar cane in Brazil. This concentration is sparking concerns that U.S. agricultural land is shifting from food to fuel production at a time when developing countries still struggle to feed themselves. The problem will only worsen as ethanol plants expand to generate the vast volumes needed to make a dent in gasoline demand.
University of Illinois researchers found contamination in 85 samples of switchgrass and Miscanthus taken in six states
Adding to the travails are fears that developing countries will clear cut forests to replace the corp-bearing land lost in the U.S. and Europe to biofuel agriculture.
This is motivating groups such as the National Wildlife Federation to oppose corn-based biofuels. This week the federation urged Congress to favor second-generation cellulosic ethanol and asked for the elimination of tax incentives supporting corn farmers.
Not so fast! Cellulosic ethanol development is proceeding at a fast pace. Numerous companies are building pilot plants to ferment fuel from popular trees, switchgrass and other non-edible plants. But what they haven’t counted on is an explosion of plant parasite and other tiny organisms interested in feeding on these potentially lucrative fuel sources.
Late last month, the University of Illinois researchers reported they discovered the first parasite to appear in biofuel crops – in this case switchgrass and Miscanthus.
“Diseases and pests have the potential to cause significant constraints on biomass production, putting the crops at risk for reductions in biomass yield and quality,” said lead researcher and post-doctoral associate Tesfamariam Mekete.
The researchers looked at 37 samples of Miscanthus and 48 samples of switchgrass from Illinois, Iowa, Georgia, Kentucky, South Dakota and Tennessee. All the samples were contaminated.
“The high levels of nematodes found in our survey and the damage symptoms observed in infected roots suggest parasitism may contribute to the decline of biomass production,” Mekete said in a university publication.
Corn farmers, After decades of modern agriculture, know what to expect from pests and parasite. Cellulosic cultivation is still new. Time will tell whether farmers are prepared for the unexpected.
Posted by Mark Boslet 
