Debate around biofuel? In 2008, scientists found a tiny fungus that could make something surprisingly close to diesel

Fungus that makes diesel: Debate over biofuels has often focused on whether they can truly replace fossil fuels without creating new environmental problems. In 2008, scientists reported an unexpected discovery that added a new idea to the conversation: a tiny fungus found in the Patagonian rainforest was naturally producing a mixture of chemicals that closely resembled diesel fuel, as per a report.

The researchers said more work would be needed before the fungus could be tested for large-scale fuel production.

A rainforest fungus produced chemicals similar to diesel

The fungus, called Gliocladium roseum, was discovered growing inside the ulmo tree (Eucryphia cordifolia) in northern Patagonia.


According to Gary Strobel, a plant scientist at Montana State University who led the research, the fungus naturally produced a range of long-chain hydrocarbon molecules that were virtually identical to fuel-grade compounds found in conventional diesel, as reported by The Guardian in 2008.

Strobel said, "This is the only organism that has ever been shown to produce such an important combination of fuel substances," adding, "We were totally surprised to learn that it was making a plethora of hydrocarbons," as quoted by The Guardian.

He named the mixture "mycodiesel" and described the discovery as completely unexpected.

What made the discovery different

Scientists already knew that some simple organisms, including algae, could produce chemicals similar to hydrocarbons found in transport fuels.

However, Strobel said none had been shown to produce the combination of high-energy hydrocarbons found in mycodiesel. He also said the chemical mixture produced by the fungus could be used in a modern diesel engine without modification, as per The Guardian.

The fungus could turn plant waste into fuel

Researchers also found that Gliocladium roseum could consume cellulose, the material that makes up much of the cell walls of plants and is found in waste such as stalks and sawdust.

Unlike conventional biofuel production, which typically converts cellulose into sugar before microbes ferment it into ethanol, the fungus consumed cellulose directly and produced mycodiesel.

Strobel said the fungus produced lower amounts of mycodiesel when feeding on cellulose than on sugars, but added that advances in fermentation technology and genetic manipulation could improve future yields, as per The Guardian.

Scientists called the discovery promising but said more work was needed

Tariq Butt, a fungus expert and professor of biosciences at Swansea University, described the discovery as the first time a fungus had been shown to produce hydrocarbons that could potentially be used as a fuel source, as per The Guardian.

He highlighted that, "More research is needed, as well as a pilot study to determine the costs and benefits. Even so, another potential supply of renewable fuel allows us to diversify our energy sources and is certainly an exciting discovery," as quoted by The Guardian.

John Loughhead, who was the executive director of the UK Energy Research Centre at that time and is currently the professor of clean energy at the University of Birmingham, had welcomed the findings, describing them as encouraging evidence that natural processes could provide valuable new energy sources capable of reducing dependence on fossil fuels, as per The Guardian.

The next stage of the research will focus on improving the extraction of mycodiesel from the fungus, identifying the most efficient ways to grow it and, if necessary, genetically modifying the organism to increase production before testing the technology on a larger scale.