The main feedstocks for bioethanol are sugarcane （Saccharum offic- inarum） and maize （Zea mays）, both of which are C4 grasses, highly efficient at converting solar energy into chemical energy, and both are food cr...The main feedstocks for bioethanol are sugarcane （Saccharum offic- inarum） and maize （Zea mays）, both of which are C4 grasses, highly efficient at converting solar energy into chemical energy, and both are food crops. As the systems for lignocellulosic bioethanol production become more efficient and cost effective, plant biomass from any source may be used as a feedstock for bioethanol production. Thus, a move away from using food plants to make fuel is possible, and sources of biomass such as wood from forestry and plant waste from cropping may be used. However, the bioethanol industry will need a continuous and reliable supply of biomass that can be produced at a low cost and with minimal use of water, fertilizer and arable land. As many C4 plants have high light, water and nitrogen use efficiency, as compared with C3 species, they are ideal as feedstock crops. We consider the productivity and resource use of a number of candidate plant species, and discuss biomass ＇quality＇, that is, the composition of the plant cell wall.展开更多
In cereals, the presence of soluble polysaccharides including（1,3;1,4）-b-glucan has downstream implications for human health, animal feed and biofuel applications. Sorghum bicolor（L.） Moench is a versatile crop, b...In cereals, the presence of soluble polysaccharides including（1,3;1,4）-b-glucan has downstream implications for human health, animal feed and biofuel applications. Sorghum bicolor（L.） Moench is a versatile crop, but there are limited reports regarding the content of such soluble polysaccharides.Here, the amount of（1,3;1,4）-b-glucan present in sorghum tissues was measured using a Megazyme assay. Very low amounts were present in the grain, ranging from 0.16%–0.27%（w/w）, while there was a greater quantity in vegetative tissues at 0.12–1.71%（w/w）. The fine structure of（1,3;1,4）-b-glucan, as denoted by the ratio of cellotriosyl and cellotetraosyl residues,was assessed by high performance liquid chromatography（HPLC） and ranged from 2.6–3：1 in the grain, while ratios in vegetative tissues were lower at 2.1–2.6：1. The distribution of（1,3;1,4）-b-glucan was examined using a specific antibody and observed with fl uorescence and transmission electron microscopy. Micrographs showed a variable distribution of（1,3;1,4）-b-glucan in fl uenced by temporal and spatial factors. The sorghum orthologs of genes implicated in the synthesis of（1,3;1,4）-b-glucan in other cereals, such as the Cellulose synthase-like（Csl） F and H gene families were de fined.Transcript pro filing of these genes across sorghum tissues was carried out using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, indicating that, as in other cereals, Csl F6 transcripts dominated.展开更多
基金supported by the Australian Research Council (ARC) though ARC-linkage project LP0883808
文摘The main feedstocks for bioethanol are sugarcane （Saccharum offic- inarum） and maize （Zea mays）, both of which are C4 grasses, highly efficient at converting solar energy into chemical energy, and both are food crops. As the systems for lignocellulosic bioethanol production become more efficient and cost effective, plant biomass from any source may be used as a feedstock for bioethanol production. Thus, a move away from using food plants to make fuel is possible, and sources of biomass such as wood from forestry and plant waste from cropping may be used. However, the bioethanol industry will need a continuous and reliable supply of biomass that can be produced at a low cost and with minimal use of water, fertilizer and arable land. As many C4 plants have high light, water and nitrogen use efficiency, as compared with C3 species, they are ideal as feedstock crops. We consider the productivity and resource use of a number of candidate plant species, and discuss biomass ＇quality＇, that is, the composition of the plant cell wall.
基金supported by funding from the Australian Development Scholarship (ADS),Australia Awards and the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plant Cell Walls,The University of Adelaide
文摘In cereals, the presence of soluble polysaccharides including（1,3;1,4）-b-glucan has downstream implications for human health, animal feed and biofuel applications. Sorghum bicolor（L.） Moench is a versatile crop, but there are limited reports regarding the content of such soluble polysaccharides.Here, the amount of（1,3;1,4）-b-glucan present in sorghum tissues was measured using a Megazyme assay. Very low amounts were present in the grain, ranging from 0.16%–0.27%（w/w）, while there was a greater quantity in vegetative tissues at 0.12–1.71%（w/w）. The fine structure of（1,3;1,4）-b-glucan, as denoted by the ratio of cellotriosyl and cellotetraosyl residues,was assessed by high performance liquid chromatography（HPLC） and ranged from 2.6–3：1 in the grain, while ratios in vegetative tissues were lower at 2.1–2.6：1. The distribution of（1,3;1,4）-b-glucan was examined using a specific antibody and observed with fl uorescence and transmission electron microscopy. Micrographs showed a variable distribution of（1,3;1,4）-b-glucan in fl uenced by temporal and spatial factors. The sorghum orthologs of genes implicated in the synthesis of（1,3;1,4）-b-glucan in other cereals, such as the Cellulose synthase-like（Csl） F and H gene families were de fined.Transcript pro filing of these genes across sorghum tissues was carried out using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, indicating that, as in other cereals, Csl F6 transcripts dominated.
