Location

University of Illiniois crop scientist Fred Belows has been experimenting with growing tropical maize in the midwest and the results are very encouraging. Tropical maize is simply a different strand of corn that grows in the tropics. The long summer days in the midwest delay flowering in tropical maize, which means it produces no fruit. Instead, all the sugar is concentrated in it's stalks. Because fruiting is an energy and nitrogen intensive process, it is believed that ethanol produced from tropical maize stalks could be on par with sugar cane, in regards to energy output. This would prove to be a big boost for the midwest ethanol industry, while concurrently reducing the use of nitrogen fertilizers.

Researcher Investigates Tropical Maize as Biofuel Crop; "Sugarcane of the Midwest" - Green Car Congress, October 2007