Legume biotechnology expert Professor Peter Gresshoff said soybeans and peanuts have the edge over other biodiesel sources because legumes make their own nitrogen fertiliser, unlike canola, wheat and sugar cane.

“The Australian agricultural industry now faces the challenge of supplying the growing biodiesel market with sufficient volumes of consistently high-quality product,” said Professor Gresshoff, who is director of the Australian Research Council Centre for Excellence for Integrative Legume Research at the university.

“The focus to date has been on ethanol blends made from sugar and petrol but our research shows that the biggest potential environmental rewards are diesel alternatives made from grain legumes such as peanuts and soybeans.”

Professor Gresshoff will present his findings at the Queensland University of Technology tomorrow, as part of the German/Queensland Science and Technology Week.