University of Nevada, Reno researchers ID cactus pear varieties suited to biofuel production

In Nevada, a research team led by University of Nevada, Reno researchers has identified several varieties of cactus pear that are particularly well-suited to producing biomass for fuels production.

The new findings build on earlier research led by John Cushman, a professor in the University’s Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology in the College of Agriculture, Biotechnology & Natural Resources. The earlier work identified the cactus pear as a climate-resilient, water-efficient and highly productive source of biomass for fuels production.

Now, research published in the Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science tracks the result of a three-year field trial of 14 varieties of cactus pear grown under semi-arid conditions at the National Arid Land Plant Genetics Resources Unit near Fresno, California. The test compared the amount of biomass produced by each of the 14 varieties.