Populus euramericana is emerging as a viable feedstock for producing bioethanol from renewable resources. Steam explosion pretreatment of P. euramericana can solubilize a significant portion of the hemicellulosic component and enhance the glucose conversion of the remaining cellulose for fermentation into ethanol. In this study, steam explosion condition of P. euramericana is performed in a steam explosion reactor at severity log Ro 4.02 and severity log Ro 4.37. Glucose conversion varied from 72.3% to 80.1% of steam exploded P. euramericana at severity log Ro 4.02 and severity log Ro 4.37. Ethanol yields(%) based on sugar content after enzymatic hydrolysis after 48 h fermentation ranged from 87.0% to 88.4%. As a result, from 100 g of raw material, 14.0 g of ethanol are recovered of 47.3 g available cellulose content. This research of steam explosion pretreatment was a promising method to improve glucose conversion and ethanol yield for bioethanol production.
The efficiency of in vitro regeneration of four clones of Populus euramericana, Canada blanc, Eugenii, I-45/51, and Wisconsin #5, was examined. Cytokinins and the combinations with auxins affected the rate of regeneration from the explants of root segments, stem internodes, and leaf discs. Overall, BA and the combination with auxins were effective in root segments and leaf discs of the Canada blanc clone, whereas zeatin and the combination with auxins were important in stem internodes of the Wisconsin #5 clone. The highest number of shoots averaging 17.6 ± 0.47 from root segments in the Canada blanc clone,18.2 ± 3.0 from stem internodes in the Wisconsin #5 clone, and 17.8 ± 1.92 from leaf discs in the Canada blanc clone were obtained with 2.0 mg/1 BA, 2.0 mg/l zeatin combined with 0.2 mg/l IAA, and 0.5 mg/l BA combined with 0.05 mg/l 2,4-D, respectively. In particular, the addition of 2,4-D into cytokinin medium promoted shoot proliferation.