Agrivida is developing improved corn varieties that are used to produce environmentally friendly fuels and chemicals such as ethanol. This corn can increase yields of ethanol per acre of farmland by up to 50% and cut production costs for ethanol producers by over 20%, increasing ethanol's competitiveness with gasoline.

The
problem

In the U.S., ethanol is made almost exclusively from corn. But, manufacturers only use the corn kernel, or grain, leaving the corn stalk, leaves, and husk on the field. These parts, called the "stover," account for 50% of the total biomass yield per acre and are roughly one-third the price of grain, but they cannot be economically converted into ethanol using today's technology.

The solution

Agrivida's corn seed and process technologies allow the entire corn plant to be converted into ethanol, including the unused stover. In technical terms, this corn variety has improved liquefaction and saccharification characteristics, which allows both the corn grain (the kernels) and the corn stover (the stalk and leaves) to be converted into ethanol. Liquefaction and saccharification are the steps by which corn is broken down into small sugars, which can then be fermented to make ethanol. These steps use common enzymes, such as amylases and cellulases, to break down the crop. Agrivida's ethanol-optimized corn variety is different because the crop produces its own enzymes. But, these enzymes are dormant while the crop is growing and only become active after the harvest.

The result

Because Agrivida's corn variety produces its own enzymes, the corn grain can be broken down more efficiently and with less expense. The end result: a significant reduction in the cost of ethanol. Ethanol is a clean-burning, renewable fuel that can be used as either a gasoline additive or a gasoline replacement. Ethanol reduces greenhouse gas emissions and, because it is domestically produced, improves our nation's energy security.