Xian Zhang , Minli Xu

Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Crop Molecular Breeding, Sanya, 572000, China
Author    Correspondence author
Journal of Energy Bioscience, 2024, Vol. 15, No. 6   doi: 10.5376/jeb.2024.15.0029
Received: 29 Sep., 2024    Accepted: 03 Nov., 2024    Published: 16 Nov., 2024

This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Zhang X., and Xu M.L., 2024, Case study: developing high-fiber maize for bioethanol production, Journal of Energy Bioscience, 15(6): 349-357 (doi: 10.5376/jeb.2024.15.0029)

Bioethanol is an important component of renewable energy and a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels. Corn is the main raw material for bioethanol production, but there are still challenges in optimizing its varieties to improve yield and efficiency. This study explores the characteristics, breeding strategies, and impact on fermentation efficiency of high fiber corn. It introduces methods using traditional breeding, molecular technology, and genetic engineering techniques to increase the content of cellulose and hemicellulose in the fiber biosynthesis pathway. Through case studies, these methods are integrated to demonstrate the improvement of field performance and bioethanol production, emphasizing the benefits of high fiber corn, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions and economic advantages for farmers. Challenges such as breeding trade-offs, adoption barriers, and regulatory issues are discussed. The aim of this study is to emphasize the potential of genome editing and global collaboration in advancing high fiber corn production, incorporating bioethanol into a broader renewable energy framework.

High-fiber maize; Bioethanol production; Renewable energy; Maize breeding; Fiber biosynthesis