Exploring New Feedstock Sources: Pongomia Shows Promise as New Oil Source
by Erin Voegele (Biodiesel Magazine) A legume tree native to tropical and temperate regions around the world is attracting attention as a potential new biodiesel feedstock. Pongamia Pinnata—also known as Millettia Pinnata—produces oil-rich seeds that can be harvested via the same mechanical shaking methods employed in the olive and macadamia nut industries.
Peter Gresshoff, a professor at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia, is currently working to unravel and understand the plant’s genetics. “We are trying to understand it’s DNA, we are trying to understand which traits and characteristics are controlled by which gene, and we are trying to understand the causation between genes and phenotype characteristics,” he says.
According to Gresshoff, there are several reasons he has chosen to work with the Pongamia tree. One of the most important factors is that the tree is a legume. This means it can generate its own nitrogen fertilizer. READ MORE and MORE (Biorefining Magazine)
