Going Native: Diverse grassland plants edge out crops as biofuel

Mixtures of plants native to prairies can give a better energy return as biofuel than corn and soybeans do, a new study finds. Biofuel production from grassland plants would also result in lower emissions of carbon dioxide and reduced pollution from agricultural chemicals.

VARIETY RULES. These plots of grassland species in Minnesota showed that mixtures of such plants might be a smart choice for biofuels and the environment.