In a very interesting recent development in biofuel Michigan State University scientists are working on the project of transforming rutabaga into a biofuel source.
The idea of this project is based on the fact that rutabaga together with its oily seed can be genetically modified to produce more oil, and this oil can be used as a fuel source. In the course of experiments its leaves, shafts and roots will be capable to produce oil instead of starch.
Rutabaga is not a very popular food product and this is actually one of the plant’s advantages, it is very under utilized in the food industry. For some reason it has gotten a bad name for itself, although we do grow quite a few in our garden and enjoy them very much.
Using corn, soybeans and other food plants in producing biofuel made experts predict deficit of these products in the near future, and thus other sources are needed if production is to continue. There’s a suggestion that biofuel boom is able to cause provisions prices to soar, and make more marginal oil sources viable.
In other words, this plant is capable to make the US independent from foreign biofuel importers, it is easy to grow, and very few pests too.
The main researchers’ aim is to modify the rutabaga so that it would produce several times more oil than canola or rapeseed, which currently is the major biofuel source in the world.
Because of some peculiarities of rutabaga blooming, there is no danger of cross pollination of genetically modified and ordinary crops in most cases.
To cultivate the first generation of genetically modified rutabaga in university greenhouses scientists needed approximately a year. Even if things go as planned it might take up to 15 years to make rutabaga biofuel viable. It is in the test stages now and when more is known we will report it
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