Bioenergy Feedstocks: Breeding and Genetics

Energy has been an important driver of economic development throughout the world. Shortages of energy, whether real or orchestrated by special interests, have always negatively impacted consumers in many ways—for example, the ‘gasoline shortage of 1974’ in the USA. Energy generation by use of non-renewable fossil fuels (coal, petroleum, etc.) has had negative effects on the environment. Direct or indirect use of fossil fuels for energy has now been linked to release of greenhouse gases (GHGs) (carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide), which leads to global warming and climate change. Climate change impacts food production and water resources in addition to impacting energy use, transmission of diseases, and other aspects of human health and well-being. The search for renewable sources of energy has attracted attention in many developed countries—for example, use of maize grain for ethanol production. The world witnessed a sharp rise in food prices in 2008–2009 on account of two climate change-related actions—one, the use of bioenergy produced from maize grain as a substitute for fossil-fuel energy, and second, reduced foodgrain production as a consequence of erratic weather/climate change. It is therefore imperative to look for and promote non-food sources of bioenergy production. In the book under review Bioenergy Feedstocks: Breeding and Genetics, the editors point out in the preface that the world energy use increased between 1990 and 2008 by 39% and that the global energy need was expected to increase by more than 50% during the next two decades. The major sources of energy are indicated to be hydrocarbons, petroleum, coal, and natural gas, which are all non-renewable and subject to depletion, and causes of GHG emissions. Biofuels and biopower are suggested as sustainable alternatives to hydrocarbons, which are expected to reduce GHG emissions, enhance rural economy, and ensure food security. Co-firing of bioenergy feedstocks and coal (i.e., biopower) is indicated to be helpful in reducing GHG emissions. Mention is made of food vs. fuel controversy, referring to the use of maize grain, sugarcane, and vegetable oil feedstocks to produce biofuels. The use of non-food, lignocellulosic materials (e.g., municipal waste and wood chips) as well as the use of crops, such as switchgrass and Miscanthus, is covered in the book. The editors correctly argue that plant breeding was critical for crop improvement and cite the fact that systematic breeding had increased average maize grain yields by 745% since 1930. They suggest that for biofuel purposes, vigorous, dedicated breeding efforts would be needed to improve switchgrass and Miscanthus because these species had only recently been taken from their natural habitat. Bioenergy Feedstocks: Breeding and Genetics is written to promote breeding of such new biomass crops. A chapter-wise discussion of the book follows. In the introductory chapter (Ch. 1), Bouton et al. provide a brief historical development of the bioenergy concept, indicating that by 1912, Rudolf Diesel had demonstrated that diesel obtained from plant biomass could be used in automobiles, and that crude oil shortage provided an impetus to research plant biomass in the 1970s. Brazil is said to have been using plant-based, specifically sugarcane-based, ethanol in automobiles since the late 1920s and to have produced >16 billion liters of ethanol in 2007. According to the authors, genetic improvement of switchgrass and Miscanthus is in its infancy. The authors