genomic.science@science.doe.gov
Office of Biological and Environmental Research
U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science
Susan Gregurick
Office of Biological and Environmental Research
U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science
genomic.science@science.doe.gov
Office of Biological and Environmental Research
U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science
Office of Biological and Environmental Research
U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science
The
Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office
of Biological and Environmental Research has teamed with the U.S. Department
of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative to fund projects that accelerate plant breeding programs and improve biomass
feedstocks by characterizing the genes, proteins, and molecular interactions
that influence biomass production. The goal is to lay the groundwork for
a new class of fuels, called biofuels, derived from lignocellulosic biomass
materials—the fibrous, woody, and generally inedible portions of plant
matter.
Biomass feedstocks are fast-growing trees, shrubs, and grasses that are bred for the specific purpose of producing energy (electricity or liquid fuels) from all or part of the resulting plant. The rationale for developing such feedstocks for energy is that less intensive production techniques and marginal or surplus agricultural lands can be used for these crops, thereby avoiding competition with food production on better quality land. Consequently, identifying the genes that facilitate tolerance and survival during exposure to drought, freezing, and other abiotic stresses is vital.
Additionally, for biofuels to become economically viable as mainstream fuels, the total amount of lignocellulosic biomass produced per acre per year must be maximized, as does the amount of fuel produced per unit of biomass. At the same time, these crops must be environmentally sustainable, requiring far fewer inputs—pesticide and herbicide applications, fertilizer, water, and the use of energy-consuming farm equipment—than are needed, for example, for the corn and soybean crops currently used to produce ethanol and biodiesel.
Major agricultural crops grown today for food, feed, and fiber in the United States have not been bred for biofuels, so many carefully selected traits—such as a high ratio of seed to straw production—are disadvantageous in biofuel production. However, significant advances in breeding, molecular genetics, and genomic technologies provide an opportunity to build upon the existing knowledge base of plant biology to be able to confidently predict and manipulate the biological function of biomass feedstocks for bioenergy resources.
To capitalize on this potential, DOE and USDA initiated a competitive grant program in 2006 to support fundamental research in biomass genomics. Ultimately, the research seeks to develop and demonstrate environmentally acceptable crops and cropping systems for producing large quantities of low-cost, high-quality biomass feedstocks. Specific focus areas include:
Also of interest is the National Biofuels Action Plan released by USDA and DOE in October 2008. See Press Release or Download PDF
Text largely adapted from Breaking the Biological Barriers to Cellulosic Ethanol: A Joint Research Agenda, U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science and Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, June 2006, DOE/SC-0095.
For more information, contact Cathy Ronning, 301-903-9549.
FOA: Plant Feedstock Genomics for Bioenergy DOE and USDA announce funding call. Close: Feb 25, 2013; Pre-applications Due 12/18/2012
