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Title: HULLESS BARLEY AS A FEEDSTOCK FOR FUEL ETHANOL PRODUCTION

Author
item Hicks, Kevin
item Taylor, Frank
item O Brien, Dennis
item Flores, Rolando
item BRANN, D - VIRGINIA STATE UNIV.
item BROOKS, W - VIRGINIA STATE UNIV.
item GRIFFEY, C - VIRGINIA STATE UNIV.

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/15/2004
Publication Date: 6/30/2004
Citation: Hicks, K.B., Taylor, F., O Brien, D.J., Flores, R.A., Brann, D., Brooks, W., Griffey, C. Hulless barley as a feedstock for fuel ethanol production. Meeting Abstract 2004. AACC/TIA Joint Meeting, San Diego, CA. September 19-22. Barley and Oats Oral Paper 4.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The 2.8 billion gallons of fuel ethanol produced in the U.S. in 2003 were made primarily from corn. Alternative feedstocks are needed for production of fuel ethanol in 'corn deficit' states where demand for ethanol is high, such as the East and West Coasts. The objectives of our study are to develop new varieties of hulless barley (HB) for ethanol production and to develop cost-effective ways to convert them into fuel ethanol and higher valued coproducts. New varieties of HB were grown in 2001/2002, harvested and analyzed for starch, lipid, protein, and beta-glucan as well as agronomic factors to select optimum varieties. 'Doyce' variety was chosen for fermentation studies using a traditional corn-to-ethanol dry-grind process. Compared to typical hulled barley, Doyce produced 17% higher yields of ethanol and produced a distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS)with 29.9% protein compared to 22.6% protein for the hulled variety. Yields of ethanol were still lower than for corn and the presence of beta-glucans made mashing and fermentation difficult. The presence of beta-glucan in the DDGS also restricts their use in poultry and swine feeds. To increase ethanol yield and solve beta-glucan problems, we are using new beta-glucanase enzymes to convert beta-glucan to glucose during mashing and fermentation.