India and Brazil will tie up for research collaborations in bioenergy. To start with, professor Bharat Chattoo from M S University (MSU) recently led an Indian delegation sponsored by the Indian government’s Department of Science and Technology to Brazil.
It is to be noted that the two countries are largest producers of sugarcane in the world. They are now exploring collaborations ranging from land use strategies and cultivation technologies to sugarcane breeding and improvement, agronomic practices, processing technologies and use of genomics to develop new generation biofuels.
Brazil leads the world in the production and use of bioethanol. By 2013, some 15 million automobiles in Brazil will be able to operate with gasoline or ethanol, leading to enhanced energy security and reduced dependence on oil imports.
“But the focus now is to produce cellulosic ethanol made from biomass, known as ‘second generation’ ethanol. The emphasis of the workshop was to take a holistic view of current bioenergy research and how both the countries can benefit by joining forces in this important area,” Chattoo said.
Around 50 scientists from Brazilian institutes and universities under the leadership of professor Telma Franco attended the two-day deliberations at University of Campinas, Sao Paulo Brazil.