Creation of new knowledge on global warming countermeasures using domestic edible fuel biomass

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K12247
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 64030:Environmental materials and recycle technology-related
• Research Institution: Kindai University
• Principal Investigator: Suzuki Takahiro 近畿大学, 生物理工学部, 教授 (60281747)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 再生可能エネルギー / 二酸化炭素排出量 / 光合成効率 / 甘藷 / メタン / バイオマス / 資源作物 / 超大量生産

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Productivity of sweet potato and methane could be increased to 200 MJ/㎡ per year (photosynthetic efficiency: 4.0%) using the rhizosphere irrigation multi-layer cultivation method. Compared with the production efficiency of various biomass reported so far and the CO2 absorption efficiency, the productivity of sweet potato obtained in this study can absorb 200 times more CO2 per unit area than woody biomass. It was also found that the annual photosynthetic efficiency of sweet potatoes could be further enhanced by achieving the world's highest efficiency, exceeding the maximum productivity of sugarcane reported in the tropical region of 170 MJ/㎡.
These results demonstrated that super mass production of sweet potatoes as edible fuel crops is possible, and succeeded in creating new knowledge on global warming countermeasures.

Free Research Field

地球温暖化対策

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

各種再生可能エネルギーの普及にもかかわらず、大気の二酸化炭素濃度は毎年上昇速度を加速しているのが現状である。したがって、従来の再生可能エネルギーでは二酸化炭素排出量を削減することが困難であることが示唆される。これに対し、本研究成果は、甘藷の生産効率を大幅に高めることで、地球温暖化対策のゲームチェンジャーとなる得る新たな知識と技術の創出に成功した。