Upland Switchgrass Cultivars have Similar Bioethanol Production Profile under Separate Hydrolysis and Fermentation: A Course Based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) in Biofuel Production

Authors

Kadyn Berg, South Dakota State University
Derek Follett, South Dakota State University
Adelyn Jackson, South Dakota State University
Mark Kalyegira, South Dakota State University
JaLeigha Kambeitz, South Dakota State University
Nathaniel Lanthier, South Dakota State University
Elaina Merfeld, South Dakota State University
Nathan Nelson, South Dakota State University
Sara Parliament, South Dakota State University
Peyton Plagman, South Dakota State University
Thomas Poegel, South Dakota State University
Alex Schemek, South Dakota State University
Sajan Mathew, South Dakota State University
Brady Steffen, South Dakota State University
Chloe Van Heuveln, South Dakota State University
Keerthi Mandyam, South Dakota State University
Arvid Boe, South Dakota State University
Ananda K. Nanjundaswamy, South Dakota State UniversityFollow

Abstract

The modified Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) in bioenergy research evaluated four upland switchgrass cultivars namely Carthage, NE2010, RC Sundance, and Sunburst for bioethanol production using a separate hydrolysis and fermentation (SHF) process. The cultivars were not different in their biomass composition, sugar and ethanol yields. Carthage produced the highest ethanol yield (10 g/L), followed by Sunburst (9 g/L). A strong correlation was observed between glucose concentration at 48 hours (maximum glucose release) and ethanol yield at 72 hours. Ethanol production increased after 48 hours, and by 72 hours, residual glucose levels in the fermentation medium were negligible. The fermentation efficiency was approximately 85%, with a theoretical ethanol yield of 0.51 g per gram of glucose.

Recommended Citation

Berg, Kadyn; Follett, Derek; Jackson, Adelyn; Kalyegira, Mark; Kambeitz, JaLeigha; Lanthier, Nathaniel; Merfeld, Elaina; Nelson, Nathan; Parliament, Sara; Plagman, Peyton; Poegel, Thomas; Schemek, Alex; Mathew, Sajan; Steffen, Brady; Van Heuveln, Chloe; Mandyam, Keerthi; Boe, Arvid; and Nanjundaswamy, Ananda K. (2025) "Upland Switchgrass Cultivars have Similar Bioethanol Production Profile under Separate Hydrolysis and Fermentation: A Course Based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) in Biofuel Production," RURALS: Review of Undergraduate Research in Agricultural and Life Sciences: Vol. 17: Iss. 1, Article 4.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/rurals/vol17/iss1/4