Biofuels and Biotechnology: Cassava (Manihot esculenta) as research model
Fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel, obtained from plants and their constituents, have recently received the world’s attention as a true alternative to the global energy supply, mainly because they are cheaper and less contaminant of the environment than the currently used, non-renewable fossil fuels. Due to the pushing biofuel market, the world is currently experiencing an increase of agricultural land devoted to grow crops used to obtain them, like maize and sugar cane, as well as crops that have the potential to become new sources of biofuels. Similarly, this emerging market is boosting the basic research oriented towards obtaining better quality and yield in these crops. Plants that store high quantities of starch, simple sugars or oils, are the target of the biofuel industry, although the newest technologies use also cellulose as raw material to produce fuels. Cassava (Manihot esculenta) is widely grown in the tropics and constitutes a staple food for approximately 10% of the world population. The high starch content of its storage roots, together with the use of conventional and non-conventional breeding turn this crop into an option to obtain better adapted varieties for ethanol production. This reflexion article reviews the current status of biofuels worldwide and at the national level, and discusses the benefits and challenges faced in terms of effect on the environment and the human food chain. Finally, it discusses the potential of cassava as a source of raw material for obtaining biofuels in Colombia.
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Universidad Nacional de Colombia - Sede Bogotá - Facultad de Ciencias - Departamento de Biología
2010
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Cortes, Simon Lopez, Camilo Chavarriaga, Paul |
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Cortes, Simon Lopez, Camilo Chavarriaga, Paul Biofuels and Biotechnology: Cassava (Manihot esculenta) as research model |
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Cortes, Simon Lopez, Camilo Chavarriaga, Paul |
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Cortes, Simon |
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Biofuels and Biotechnology: Cassava (Manihot esculenta) as research model |
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Biofuels and Biotechnology: Cassava (Manihot esculenta) as research model |
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Biofuels and Biotechnology: Cassava (Manihot esculenta) as research model |
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Biofuels and Biotechnology: Cassava (Manihot esculenta) as research model |
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Biofuels and Biotechnology: Cassava (Manihot esculenta) as research model |
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biofuels and biotechnology: cassava (manihot esculenta) as research model |
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Fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel, obtained from plants and their constituents, have recently received the world’s attention as a true alternative to the global energy supply, mainly because they are cheaper and less contaminant of the environment than the currently used, non-renewable fossil fuels. Due to the pushing biofuel market, the world is currently experiencing an increase of agricultural land devoted to grow crops used to obtain them, like maize and sugar cane, as well as crops that have the potential to become new sources of biofuels. Similarly, this emerging market is boosting the basic research oriented towards obtaining better quality and yield in these crops. Plants that store high quantities of starch, simple sugars or oils, are the target of the biofuel industry, although the newest technologies use also cellulose as raw material to produce fuels. Cassava (Manihot esculenta) is widely grown in the tropics and constitutes a staple food for approximately 10% of the world population. The high starch content of its storage roots, together with the use of conventional and non-conventional breeding turn this crop into an option to obtain better adapted varieties for ethanol production. This reflexion article reviews the current status of biofuels worldwide and at the national level, and discusses the benefits and challenges faced in terms of effect on the environment and the human food chain. Finally, it discusses the potential of cassava as a source of raw material for obtaining biofuels in Colombia. |
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Universidad Nacional de Colombia - Sede Bogotá - Facultad de Ciencias - Departamento de Biología |
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2010 |
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https://revistas.unal.edu.co/index.php/actabiol/article/view/13940 |
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oai:www.revistas.unal.edu.co:article-139402014-07-10T18:20:24Z Biofuels and Biotechnology: Cassava (Manihot esculenta) as research model BIOCOMBUSTIBLES Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA: LA YUCA (Manihot esculenta) COMO MODELO DE INVESTIGACIÓN. Cortes, Simon Lopez, Camilo Chavarriaga, Paul Yuca Biocombustibles Almidón Etanol Biotecnología. Fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel, obtained from plants and their constituents, have recently received the world’s attention as a true alternative to the global energy supply, mainly because they are cheaper and less contaminant of the environment than the currently used, non-renewable fossil fuels. Due to the pushing biofuel market, the world is currently experiencing an increase of agricultural land devoted to grow crops used to obtain them, like maize and sugar cane, as well as crops that have the potential to become new sources of biofuels. Similarly, this emerging market is boosting the basic research oriented towards obtaining better quality and yield in these crops. Plants that store high quantities of starch, simple sugars or oils, are the target of the biofuel industry, although the newest technologies use also cellulose as raw material to produce fuels. Cassava (Manihot esculenta) is widely grown in the tropics and constitutes a staple food for approximately 10% of the world population. The high starch content of its storage roots, together with the use of conventional and non-conventional breeding turn this crop into an option to obtain better adapted varieties for ethanol production. This reflexion article reviews the current status of biofuels worldwide and at the national level, and discusses the benefits and challenges faced in terms of effect on the environment and the human food chain. Finally, it discusses the potential of cassava as a source of raw material for obtaining biofuels in Colombia. Los combustibles obtenidos a partir de materia vegetal, como el etanol y el biodiesel, están tomando importancia en la dinámica energética mundial, gracias principalmente a que son más económicos y menos contaminantes del medio ambiente que los combustibles fósiles. El mercado de biocombustibles ha producido un incremento en las áreas de cultivo tanto de plantas regularmente usadas como materia prima para su obtención como de aquellas con potencial de ser nuevas fuentes de producción, al igual que ha impulsado la investigación básica orientada hacia el incremento en calidad y producción de diferentes cultivos. Las plantas que almacenan cantidades importantes de almidón, azúcares simples o aceites son el blanco principal para la producción de biocombustibles, aunque nuevas tecnologías están permitiendo la utilización de celulosa como materia prima. El cultivo de yuca (Manihot esculenta) está ampliamente distribuido en toda la zona tropical y es la base alimenticia de cerca del 10% de la población mundial. El alto contenido de almidón en las raíces almacenadoras de la yuca hace de este cultivo una opción para la obtención de etanol. El uso de técnicas de mejoramiento no convencional de variedades de yuca permitirá la generación de plantas más aptas para la industria de biocombustibles. En este artículo de reflexión se revisa el estado actual de los biocombustibles a nivel mundial y nacional, y se comentan los beneficios y retos a afrontar en cuanto a las implicaciones respecto al medio ambiente y la alimentación humana. Finalmente se discute el potencial de la yuca como fuente eficiente de materia prima para la obtención de biocombustibles en Colombia. Universidad Nacional de Colombia - Sede Bogotá - Facultad de Ciencias - Departamento de Biología 2010-01-01 info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion application/msword text/html application/pdf application/pdf https://revistas.unal.edu.co/index.php/actabiol/article/view/13940 Acta Biológica Colombiana; Vol. 15 No. 1 (2010); 3-24 Acta Biológica Colombiana; Vol. 15 Núm. 1 (2010); 3-24 1900-1649 0120-548X spa https://revistas.unal.edu.co/index.php/actabiol/article/view/13940/14661 https://revistas.unal.edu.co/index.php/actabiol/article/view/13940/14662 https://revistas.unal.edu.co/index.php/actabiol/article/view/13940/15220 https://revistas.unal.edu.co/index.php/actabiol/article/view/13940/18200 Derechos de autor 2010 Acta Biológica Colombiana https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 |