Creating corn for cars

Right now, most U.S. ethanol is made from corn kernels. This is because breaking down the cellulose in corn leaves and stalks into sugars that can be fermented into ethanol is difficult and expensive.

“We've developed two generations of Spartan Corn,” said Mariam Sticklen, MSU professor of crop and soil sciences. “Both corn varieties contain the enzymes necessary to break down cellulose and hemicellulose into simple sugars in their leaves. This will allow for more cost-effective, efficient production of ethanol.”

Sticklen will co-chair a panel on energy crops for biofuels today at BIO2007, the annual international convention of the Biotechnology Industry Organization.

“In the future, corn growers will be able to sell their corn stalks and leaves as well as their corn grain for ethanol production,” Sticklen said. “What is now a waste product will become an economically viable commodity.”