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Turning Maize Cobs into a Valuable Feedstock

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Abstract

With rising energy demand and limited resources, the need for alternative energy production is increasing. Maize cobs have an advantageous composition for the production of biofuels such as cellulosic ethanol but are currently left unused on the fields after harvest. Furthermore, cobs contain a low concentration of nitrogen (<1%). Therefore, cob harvest will not deplete soil fertility. Consequently, maize cobs are a cheap and promising source for sustainable energy production. Yet with primary focus on grain yield, no or little effort has been spent to increase cob biomass yield in addition to grain yield. Both cob and grain yield are complex inherited traits affected by the environment. Breeding of dual-purpose maize varieties with simultaneously increased cob and grain yield requires a deeper understanding of factors influencing both cob and grain development. In this article, the available knowledge on the genetics of cob formation and current and future applications of maize cob utilization are discussed to evaluate the prospects for development of dual-purpose maize varieties.

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Abbreviations

ADL:

Acid detergent lignin

ba1:

Barren stalk1

ba2:

Barren stalk2

BC1S1:

Back cross 1 self 1

bm:

Brown midrib

bm1:

Brown midrib1

bm2:

Brown midrib2

bm3:

Brown midrib3

C:

Carbon

Ca:

Calcium

CCM:

Corn cob mix

ct2:

Compact plant2

CY:

Cob yield

DM:

Dry matter

DNA:

Desoxyribonucleic acid

F1:

Filial 1 generation

F2:4 :

Filial 2:4 generation

F4:

Filial 4 generation

fea2:

Fasciated ear2

GEM:

Germplasm enhancement of maize

GY:

Grain yield

H:

Hydrogen

IBM:

Intermated B73xMo17

K:

Potassium

K2O:

Potassium oxides

MAS:

Marker-assisted selection

Mg:

Magnesium

N:

Nitrogen

NO x :

Nitrogen oxides

O:

Oxygen

P:

Phosphorus

P2O5 :

Phosphorus oxides

Ph1:

Pith abscission1

PI station:

Plant introduction station

PVP:

Plant variety protection

QTL:

Quantitative trait locus/loci

ra1:

Ramosa1

Ri1:

Rind abscission1

S:

Sulfur

S x O y :

Sulfur oxides

td1:

Thick tassel dwarf1

te1:

Terminal ear1

TEP:

Theoretic ethanol potential

TYP:

Theoretic ethanol yield potential

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  1. Department of Agronomy, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA

    Constantin Jansen & Thomas Lübberstedt

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Jansen, C., Lübberstedt, T. Turning Maize Cobs into a Valuable Feedstock. Bioenerg. Res. 5, 20–31 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12155-011-9158-y

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