Increasing the value of Salicornia bigelovii green biomass grown in a desert environment through biorefining
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
Utilizing saline soil and water resources are essential in meeting future demands for food, feed, and biofuels in a world of increasing freshwater scarcity, by use of halophytes (salt-loving plants). The succulent halophyte Salicornia bigelovii Tor. was cultivated as a green biomass crop irrigated with saline aquaculture effluents, and bio-fractionation was tested as a way to improve the value of the crop. Bio-fractionation proved to be an effective way of extracting ash and nitrogen into the green juice fraction, from which a protein concentrate was produced with 15 % crude protein and 33 % ash. The fiber fraction was not found useful as fodder due to a relatively low crude protein content of 4.1 % and 10–12 % remaining ash. However, the high digestibility of the structural carbohydrates in the fiber demonstrated its potential as a feedstock for biorefining with estimated bioethanol yields around 2500 L/ha.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 113105 |
Journal | Industrial Crops and Products |
Volume | 160 |
ISSN | 0926-6690 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2021 |
- Bio-fractionation, Bioethanol, Halophyte, Protein concentrate, Salicornia bigelovii
Research areas
ID: 258399403