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When it comes to agricultural outputs, the Canadian Prairies is a field crop powerhouse, producing cereals, pulses and oilseeds to be consumed around the world, but did you know these fields do more than just put grains on your plate? While some crops are grown specifically for food or biofuel, some food crops have byproducts that can also become biofuel and biomass. As anyone who has grown a garden understands, growing plants produce a lot of leaves, stalks (crop residue biomass) and other unwanted materials (byproducts). This is where researchers working on biomass, biofuels and byproducts come in.
Woody biomass as heating fuel for northern greenhouses
As people have become more aware of their carbon footprint, more thought is being given to biomass as a fuel to heat homes and other buildings, to lessen the dependence on fossil fuels. This is because biomass energy works in a closed carbon cycle and is considered carbon neutral.
In Saskatoon, researchers are studying the economic feasibility of using willow and poplar as bioenergy sources for heating small greenhouses in northern Saskatchewan. This research was partially inspired by work done at the former Prairie Farm Rehabilitation site in Indian Head, Saskatchewan, where an onsite greenhouse had been heated with a woody biomass boiler system that saved money on their heating bill.
In their current economic analysis of bioburner opportunities for the North, AAFC researchers including Drs. Raju Soolanayakanahally, Xue Li, Edmund Mupondwa (Saskatoon) and technician Chris Stefner (Indian Head), note that almost 75% of Canada’s 250 remote communities are not connected to the electrical grid or gas pipelines and face high levels of food insecurity because fresh produce must be supplied from far afield.
The study specifically looked at naturally fast-growing poplar and willow trees, as they are native to the Prairies – they could be found growing on their own or planted for biofuel harvest. They also considered the nearby forestry industry as a potential source for woody biomass.
While some of the bigger challenges for biofueled buildings are higher startup costs and consistent supply chain for biofuels, the team wanted to focus on the issues particular to greenhouses in Northern Saskatchewan. Key findings included:
- greenhouse unit heat demand and bioenergy cost reduced as greenhouse size increased
- biomass heating is cheaper than diesel or electric but more expensive than natural gas
- fuel and biomass costs are key factors influencing biomass boiler profitability
- willow is recommended as the preferred feedstock for greenhouse heating systems in Northern Saskatchewan
- hybrid systems that combine biomass boilers with solar panels have been studied in other regions and show promise for enhancing clean energy output
Winter cultivars - a new chapter for the biofuel crop camelina
Camelina is an oilseed belonging to the mustard family. It can be grown as part of a healthy cropping rotation, as it has resistance to insect pests and diseases that threaten other crops in the mustard family, like canola. Camelina is touted as a biofuel crop because of its broad adaptability, short growing season, and low-maintenance nature; however, its oil is high in omega-3 fatty acids and has a high smoke point, making it a healthy culinary oil. The oil is also used as a feed ingredient for fish in aquaculture. The byproduct of the crushing process, camelina meal, is used to feed poultry.
Dr. Christina Eynck (Saskatoon) breeds camelina and is particularly interested in winter-type camelina varieties. Winter camelina plants do not readily flower, but require a period of cold temperatures, also known as vernalization, to flower and produce seeds. It is sown in September, establishes before winter, and commences growth in early spring, when it takes advantage of the available moisture.
“Ever since we grew germplasm we had obtained from Plant Genetic Resources of Canada (PGRC), which is an extremely useful resource for breeders, I’ve been excited about winter camelina because of its exceptional winter hardiness, which is comparable to that of fall rye” says Dr. Eynck. “It’s the only winter oilseed that can be grown on the Canadian Prairies – we’ve had almost a decade worth of plot studies, and each winter it has stayed green and survived."
While plant breeder Dr. Eynck is excited about the crop because of its unique growth properties and its potential to facilitate a true winter crop rotation on the Prairies, the agriculture industry is interested in the crop because of its environmental score as a biofuel feedstock. Growing winter camelina has benefits for the environment, such as preventing soil erosion, absorbing excess nitrogen and as an early flowering plant, providing first-of-the-season food for pollinators. In places with a longer growing season, for example in southern Manitoba and Ontario, winter camelina can be double-and relay- cropped with short-season summer crops; in this scenario, camelina provides all the benefits of a winter cover crop and does not take land out of food production.
Work with winter camelina is ongoing, with Dr. Eynck developing winter camelina varieties featuring improved seed yield, increased seed size and altered fatty acid profiles. She is also studying the genetics underlying the winter trait; her team has developed molecular tools to identify and develop true- breeding winter types. These tools are now routinely used in public and private breeding. The breeding efforts are complemented by agronomy work of Dr. William May (Indian Head), who is researching the optimal timing for seeding of winter camelina at different sites in the Prairies.
Oat and flax byproducts: coming to noodles and bread near you
AAFC scientists in Winnipeg, Drs. Lovemore Malunga and Sijo Joseph, are helping find a use for underutilized byproducts: oat starch and flax meal.
In the Prairies, flax is usually grown for its oil, but once it is extracted from the kernel, there is a lot of byproduct (flax meal) left behind, including a gummy substance called “mucilage.” The unique properties of flax mucilage may have potential to be used as a functional ingredient in gluten-free baking. After hearing from local gluten-free bakeries about the lack of locally grown alternatives to expensive imported ingredients, Dr. Joseph and team embarked on a study that spans the entire process of adding value to flax meal – from the methods to extract mucilage right through to functional characterization and evaluation in baked products.
The results of this study could potentially add value to flax industrial waste and pave the way for bread that not only competes favorably with other gluten-free products on the market but also incorporates a unique local byproduct twist.
The Prairies grow an incredible amount of cereals, pulses and oilseeds. While people have traditionally thought of one or two main food products from these crops, there is so much more potential value to add, and waste that can be reduced. It’s all part of the circular economy.”
- Dr. Sijo Joseph, Research Scientist
The next steps for his team are to put the product through sensory and human trials.
Oats, while traditionally used as porridge, cereal or in baking, can also be broken down into component parts. With an increased interest in plant-based proteins, companies have experimented with oat protein. However, as protein represents only up to 25% of an oat kernel’s dry mass, there is a lot of waste, which can make it cost prohibitive as an alternative protein, despite its desirable neutral taste.
While Dr. Malunga and team have developed methods to concentrate protein from Canadian oats, they have also studied the starch, as starch is a big component of the waste. In effect, they are studying ways to subsidize the production of oat protein through starch byproducts. This includes using it as a noodle ingredient (similar to rice noodles) and as a protective film for vegetables like cucumbers.
Whether it be to reduce byproduct waste, to find alternative winter crops, or to provide heating so those in the north can have secure access to vegetables, AAFC scientists are helping make best use of what the Prairies have to offer!
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