It’s time to move ahead, to go beyond algae, woodgas, jatropha and soybean for biofuel production. Adding one more to the list, Michigan State University (MSU) is optimistic about the recent research findings after assessing the suitability of rutabaga for biofuel. If genetically modified, rutabaga could be a better substitute for the raw materials currently in use. Such modifications will make rutabagas three times more efficient at producing oil that can further be processed for biofuel.
rutabaga as biofuel
The hybrid vegetable, a cross between cabbage and the turnip, has oil-storage seeds, and the researchers hope to enhance this storage capacity by appending it with green tissues. A single gene’s inclusion could do the trick. It makes them store more oil instead of starch. Anyhow, it might still take more than a minimum of 15 years if all goes well.
Why it’s debatable is the perspective that demands explanation on if it’s sensible to direct a food crop to biofuel production. Contrarily, if we go by the present power crunch, it’s perfectly sagacious to look for alternatives while the energy resources at hand are depleting at the rate of knots.
Image Credit: Keetsa/Wikipedia
Via: NextGen PE
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