Modified switchgrass boosts biofuel yield

A transgenic (GM) switchgrass has produced about one-third more ethanol by fermentation than conventional switchgrass.

Oakridge National Laboratory: 14 February 2011

TechNyou

Apologies this accidently got filed into weird nowhere category on the web site, so is a bit out of date

I have yet to look into this, but I wonder that as this switchgrass is a native of the US, whether there may be environmental implications to having a low-lignin version of switchgrass out there?  Australian researchers are working on developing low-lignin pasture grasses to improve digestability by livestock, but as they are not native and confined to an agricultural system the chances on any adverse affects on the environment are low.  This switchgrass, however,  is native (to the US anyway) and not necessarily confined to an agricultural system.

If anyone knows of any research that would shed light on my question please add it to the bottom of this page.

Jason

TechNyou