Apr 28 2009
SG Biofuels has announced the opening of its Jatropha Genetic Resource Center (GRC) to further accelerate profitable, large-scale production of Jatropha as a low-cost, sustainable source of feedstock for biofuel.
With research sites in San Diego and several Latin American countries, SG Biofuels and its GRC posses the largest, most genetically diverse library of Jatropha genetic material in the world. The GRC will enable the company's efforts to drive genetic improvements that will enhance yield, improve agronomic practices and broaden the effective growing range of this promising subtropical crop, which results in no direct or indirect land use changes.
"Our library of genetic material provides an unprecedented opportunity to push this undomesticated crop to its full potential," said Kirk Haney, president and CEO for SG Biofuels. "We already have identified many strains whose characteristics suggest we've only scratched the surface for the production capabilities of Jatropha."
Jatropha curcas is a non-edible shrub that is native to Central America. Its seeds contain high amounts of oil that can be used for a variety of bio-based materials including biodiesel and feedstock substitutes for the petrochemical and jet fuel industries. It can be effectively grown on abandoned lands that are unsuitable for other crops.
The company's team of genetic scientists, led by Dr. Robert Schmidt of the University of California, San Diego includes three members of the National Academy of Sciences. Through its GRC, SG Biofuels has begun evaluating thousands of diverse accessions of Jatropha obtained from a range of geographical and climatic conditions.
Research efforts include selection and breeding, and the company has generated hybrids among genetically distinct lines to address such issues as yield, cold tolerance and resistance to insect pests. A range of opportunities exist to improve Jatropha's oil yield and develop improved strains, including those that can further enhance production in colder climates of southern and southwestern United States.
With proper site selection and agronomic practices, oil yields of 200-300 gallons of extractable oil per acre are realistic today. In addition, Jatropha has very-low input costs relative to other biofuel feedstocks, which makes Jatropha profitable with current yields.
"Based on early returns from our genetic research, as well as experience with other similar, undomesticated crops, we are confident we can double the yield of Jatropha within the next few years," said Haney.