Bioethanol is an important renewable energy source due to its cleaner combustion and reduced environmental impact compared to fossil fuels. It is biodegradable, less toxic, and contributes to lower emissions of harmful pollutants such as carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons. Despite these advantages, the economic feasibility of bioethanol production remains constrained by the relatively low ethanol yields obtained from commonly used commercial yeast strains, which increases production and processing costs. This study aimed to evaluate the fermentation performance of indigenous yeast strains isolated from pre-germinated finger millet (Eleusine coracana) and compare their ethanol production efficiency with that of the standard industrial strain, Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
Two yeast strains (Y1 and Y2) were isolated, cultured, and purified from finger millet malt, while a commercial S. cerevisiae strain (Y3) served as the control. Fermentation experiments were conducted under static conditions for 48 hours across selected plant substrates. Ethanol production varied significantly among the tested strains (p = 0.0273). The mean ethanol concentrations obtained were 6.68% v/v for Y1, 8.15% v/v for Y2, and 6.96% v/v for Y3. Strain Y2 exhibited the highest ethanol yield, outperforming both the commercial strain and the other isolate, while Y1 showed performance comparable to the control.
These findings demonstrate that indigenous yeast strain Y2 possesses superior fermentative capacity and holds strong potential for enhancing bioethanol production. The use of such locally sourced, high-performing strains could improve the efficiency, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness of biofuel production systems.