Decreasing Severity of Switchgrass Pretreatment Through Wet Storage and Biological
Pretreatment
2013 USDA-NIFA Center Award
Principal Investigators and affiliations: PI: Dr. Mark Wilkins (Biosystems and Agricultural Engineeering, Oklahoma State University) Co-PI: Dr. Danielle Julie Carrier (University of Arkansas) Co-PI: Dr. Michael Buser (Oklahoma State University) Funded: $171,394 Start Date: 4/30/2013
End Date: 4/29/2015
Expected Outcomes
The research will try to overcome the issues of physico-chemical pretreatment and
reduce cost by adapting a holistic approach of exploiting a part of storage time for
a biological pretreatment process.
The following are the expected outcomes:
Demonstrate positive benefits of storage on subsequent conversion in terms of reduced
production of inhibitors during pretreatment.
Demonstrate feasibility of incorporating fungal pretreatment into baling and bale
storage.
Reduce pretreatment severity and energy use through fungal pretreatment.