In fields around the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS) at the University of Aberystwyth in Wales they are planting crops of Miscanthus. The plots contain hundreds of different types of Miscanthus, but it is not for its aesthetic appeal that Miscanthus is being grown in Wales, rather its promise as a bioenergy crop. Researchers at IBERS have been undertaking a large-scale study of the plant for the last six years in the hope of providing improved varieties for energy production. Dr Elaine Jensen, has been funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) to study the plants' flowering times. Read more ...
