Energy Crops
Energy Crops
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能源作物
DOI：
10.1039/9781849732048-00013
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发表时间：
2010
期刊：
影响因子：
--
通讯作者：
Shewry P
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Shewry P
Over 600 million tonnes of wheat are harvested annually in the world, with about 15–16 million tonnes being grown in the UK. It is the major crop grown in the UK and Europe and, together with maize and rice, one of the three major cereal crops that dominate world agricultural production. Intensive plant breeding and, in particular, the exploitation of dwarfing genes [reviewed by refs. 1, 2], has resulted in a harvest index of about 50%, making wheat one of the most efficient conversion systems for solar energy into harvested organs. Furthermore, about 70% of the dry grain is starch, which is readily fermented to give ethanol or butanol. It is therefore an attractive ‘‘primary’’biofuel crop and two major new facilities in the north of England (operated by Ensus at Wilton and Vivergo Fuels at Saltend) will process up to 2 million tonnes of wheat a year when fully operational. However, two other factors must also be taken into account.
