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Exploring the Potential of Agave as a Biofuel Crop on Arid Land
| Content Provider | Semantic Scholar |
|---|---|
| Author | Conlu, Rhea Ha, Diana B. Shen, Jeffery Q. |
| Copyright Year | 2011 |
| Abstract | As residents of a desert environment, the main concern stemming from climate change is the future availability of water. Decreasing water levels forces us to consider not only conservation, but also the smarter use of the resulting waste water. The genus Agavaceae comprises over 200 species of plants, many of which are capable of growing in very harsh, arid environments, including the Nevada desert. The plant has adapted in various ways to a lack of hydration, including the storage of water throughout its tissues and a Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM), where its sugar production and carbon fixation around 87% is done mainly at night [2]. This allows the stomata to remain shut during the day, and reduces the amount of water lost through transpiration. Because of this drought tolerance, it can be cultivated on the 18% of the earth’s landmass which is semi-arid land, much of which is no longer being used for agricultural production [3]. Global warming coupled the imminent depletion of world fossil fuels has shifted the focus of alternative energy toward the production of biofuels. Throughout its history, the agave has been grown and harvested as a source of alcohol and as a sugar substitute because of its high concentration of fructans, which are oligomers of fructose units bound to a sucrose. The pinas, or heads, of these plants contain a high amount of fructan polymers such as inulin, which can be hydrolyzed to free fructose [1]. Because the sugars can thereafter be fermented, Agave is considered an economically important plant. It is estimated that the Agave can yield 3,000-10,500 liters/ha of ethanol, which is more than other potential sources of biofuels such as corn, sugarcane, and poplar [3]. These predictions, combined with a higher projected productivity than corn and the plant’s ability to flourish with less water and nitrogen requirements, makes a compelling argument for further research on the Agave. Introduction |
| File Format | PDF HTM / HTML |
| Alternate Webpage(s) | http://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1029&context=focs_ug_research |
| Alternate Webpage(s) | https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1029&context=focs_ug_research&httpsredir=1&referer= |
| Language | English |
| Access Restriction | Open |
| Content Type | Text |
| Resource Type | Article |
