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USDA and DOE award $12.2M to 10 research projects to accelerate bioenergy crop production and spur economic impact

The US Departments of Energy (DOE) and Agriculture (USDA) have awarded 10 grants totaling $12.2 million to spur research into improving the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of growing biofuel and bioenergy crops. The investments are part of a broader effort by the Obama administration to develop domestic renewable energy and advanced biofuels.

Overall, the USDA and DOE projects are designed to improve special crops to be grown for biofuels—including selected trees and grasses—by increasing their yield, quality and ability to adapt to extreme environments. Researchers will rely on advanced genomics techniques to develop breeding and other strategies to improve the crops. The research will be conducted on switchgrass, poplar, Miscanthus and Brachypodium, among other plants.

The potential benefits of this research range from decreasing oil consumption to increasing options for American farmers. Because these crops will be optimized to tolerate conditions such as drought and poor soils, they can be grown on marginal lands unsuitable for food crops, thereby avoiding competition with food production. Farmers will have the option to grow bioenergy crops in addition to other existing crop choices.

The 10 projects are located in California, Colorado, Illinois, Florida, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Virginia:

  • Association Mapping of Cell Wall Synthesis Regulatory Genes and Cell Wall Quality in Switchgrass. Laura E. Bartley, University of Oklahoma, Norman.

    Goal: Identify natural genetic variation in switchgrass that correlates with lignocellulose-to-biofuel conversion qualities. Most plant dry matter is composed of lignocellulose, and because switchgrass yields high amounts of this material and tolerates drought and other stresses it is an attractive candidate for development into a biofuel crop. This project should enhance understanding of the qualities that critically impact the conversion efficiency of lignocellulose into biofuels.

  • Functional Interactomics: Determining the Roles Played by Members of the Poplar Biomass Protein-Protein Interactome. Eric Beers, Virginia Polytechnic and State University, Blacksburg.

    Goal: Identify key interactions between proteins associated with wood formation in poplar, a woody biomass crop. Wood characteristics result from the coordinated actions of enzymes and structural proteins in the cells, which typically interact with other proteins to perform their roles. This project will uncover the potential of the biomass protein-protein interactome to contribute to the development of poplar trees with superior biomass feedstock potential.

  • Functional Genomics of Sugar Content in Sweet Sorghum Stems. David M. Braun, University of Missouri, Columbia.

    Goal: Improve sucrose accumulation in sweet sorghum through investigating the mechanisms regulating carbon allocation to stems. A rapidly growing, widely adaptable crop, sweet sorghum accumulates in the stem high concentrations of sucrose that can be efficiently converted to ethanol, making this a valuable candidate bioenergy feedstock. This research will use a combination of approaches to identify bioenergy relevant genes and to understand their functions in carbon partitioning in sweet sorghum.

  • Creation and High-precision Characterization of Novel Populus Biomass Germplasm. Luca Comai, University of California, Davis.

    Goal: Provide new genomic tools for poplar breeders to identify germplasm with unique genotypes and increased biomass yields, and develop techniques for creating poplar hybrids with unique combinations of chromosomal regions. Because such properties can confer faster growth, this project addresses a challenge posed by the long generation time of trees through fast and cost-effective nontransgenic genetic manipulation.

  • Genomic and Breeding Foundations for Bioenergy Sorghum Hybrids. Stephen Kresovich, University of South Carolina, Colombia.

    Goal: Build the germplasm, breeding, genetic, and genomic foundations necessary to optimize cellulosic sorghum as a bioenergy feedstock. This project will facilitate breeding sorghum lines optimized for energy production and selected to maximize energy accumulation per unit time, land area, and/or production input.

  • An Integrated Approach to Improving Plant Biomass Production. Jan Leach, Colorado State University, Fort Collins.

    Goal: Expedite discovery of genes controlling biomass productivity in switchgrass by leveraging results from rice, a well-studied model grass. Switchgrass and other perennial grasses are promising candidates for bioenergy feedstocks; however, the genetic resources necessary to develop these species are currently limited. This work will greatly expand the research tool box for switchgrass and advance its improvement as an energy crop.

  • Modulation of Phytochrome Signaling Networks for Improved Biomass Accumulation Using a Bioenergy Crop Model. Todd C. Mockler, Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St. Louis.

    Goal: Identify genes involved in light perception and signaling in the model grass Brachypodium distachyon to increase yield and improve the composition of bioenergy grasses. Plant growth and development, including biomass accumulation, are affected by the light environment. Finding key genes involved in modulating light perception could be useful in targeted breeding or engineering efforts for improved bioenergy grass crops.

  • Quantifying Phenotypic and Genetic Diversity of Miscanthus sinensis as a Resource for Knowledge-Based Improvement of M. x giganteus (M. sinensis x M. sacchariflorus). Erik J. Sacks, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

    Goal: Facilitate development of Miscanthus as a bioenergy crop by acquisition of fundamental information about genetic diversity and environmental adaptation. Miscanthus is among the most promising cellulosic biofuel crops, but its improvement as a feedstock will require a broader genetic base. Identification of molecular markers associated with traits of interest will improve Miscanthus breeding efforts.

  • Discovering the Desirable Alleles Contributing to the Lignocellulosic Biomass Traits in Saccharum Germplasm Collections for Energy Cane Improvement. Jianping Wang, University of Florida, Gainesville.

    Goal: Improve energy cane by identifying the genetic components contributing to biomass production. Energy cane (Saccharum complex hybrids) holds great potential as a bioenergy feedstock in the southern United States. This project will produce foundational genetic resources for energy cane breeders to efficiently develop cultivars with increased biomass production and reduced input requirements.

  • Sorghum Biomass Genomics and Phenomics. Jianming Yu, Kansas State University, Manhattan.

    Goal: Integrate key genomics-assisted approaches into biomass sorghum research, and combine with high-throughput and traditional field-based phenotyping methods to enable advanced breeding strategies. By both exploiting genetic diversity and understanding the genotype-phenotype relationship, predictive approaches for efficient and cost-effective breeding can be developed.

This is the sixth year of the joint USDA and DOE funding program. DOE’s Office of Science will provide $10.2 million in funding for eight projects, while USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) will award $2 million to fund two projects. Initial funding will support research projects for up to three years.

Comments

HarveyD

While Rome is burning and millions are starving, we will spend $$$M to find better ways to grow fuels for our inefficient gas guzzlers. Many are starting to question our ways.

Treehugger

Right, read the "scientific American" of august, they have a good article to show that this biofuel stuff is a bunk.

Reel$$

Yes, the extremists don't see the value in domestic made liquid fuel alternatives - mostly for political reasons. If they were truly interested in the benefits of a low carbon society - they would think differently.

Alcohols and biodiesel made from waste and cellulosic crops grown on marginal lands - can do nothing but help the transition away from fossil fuels. The $450B spent each year to import foreign oil damages our economy and security - not to mention the ecology. Or the cost of supporting the military actions needed to guarantee the oil comes out of the ground.

The future market for biomass derived jet fuel is enormous and will provide thousands of jobs to energy farmers with vision.

Harvey I wasn't ware Rome was burning... In fact it looks rather lovely IMO:
http://bit.ly/qA4iWT

Treehugger

cellulosic crops on marginal lands will help to transition from fossil fuels, yeah, the problem is that there is no such a thing as cellulosic ethanol, today it is just an empty promise, after years and billions $ spend the results doesn't make anybody optimistic than cellulosic ethanol will ever work. As for other attempt like jatropha curca, on going experiment in India and China at big scale are an absolute failure.

Engineer-Poet

Reel isn't interested in zero-carbon electricity from nuclear power, so watching him rail about people who say (correctly) that cellulosic liquids aren't a realistic option until they're proven is richly ironic.

ToppaTom

$12.2M isn't much, but the gov has grown big enough (and is getting bigger) so that it can easily add significantly to our debt with little public awareness – this is why we need the tea party.

HarveyD

It would be wiser to learn how to burn less fuel instead of producing more of it.

Reel$$

EP - now touting the old-school nuclear industry? You and Stan - together? Have you solved that annoying radiation and waste problem yet? SOME nuclear is destined to remain for the life of fission plants. But there are better solutions on the way.

And Brazil continues to run well on cane-based ethanol. Returning the cellulose via char to the soil is just one good option - which I suppose IS richly ironic. As is THIS $12 Billion JV between Shell and Cosan:

http://www.shell.com/home/content/media/news_and_media_releases/2011/shell_cosan_raizen_biofuels_02062011.html

BTW, $12B buys a lot of the lowest carbon fuel commercially available.

PNNL reports algal oil grown on land could replace 17% imported oil (21B gallons). With cheap desalinated water, algae growing by the sea - this number can increase to 30% economically.

Cheap energy will provide low cost fresh water to millions and in turn provide the biomass to liquid fuel industry a huge advantage. We WILL need liquid fuel in the foreseeable future. Mixtures of petro and biomass derived oil will be the heavy lift / jetfuel flight path.

http://www.solazyme.com/media/2011-08-08

http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-20053868-54.html

Engineer-Poet
EP - now touting the old-school nuclear industry? You and Stan - together?
You mean the nuclear industry which supplies 20% of US electric consumption? You betcha.

What's the nameplate capacity of all the LANR-based plants on the US grid again?

Have you solved that annoying radiation and waste problem yet?
Have you solved the annoying lack of proof of net energy problem yet?
And Brazil continues to run well on cane-based ethanol.
No, Brazil actually runs on Petrobras.
PNNL reports algal oil grown on land could replace 17% imported oil (21B gallons).
Another bogus argument pulled out of nowhere. The bioreactors required to grow said algal oil are beyond the reach of the US economy to build.

Reel$$

"The bioreactors required to grow said algal oil are beyond the reach of the US economy to build."

Fresh or saltwater raceways?? Plastic bags with aerators? Boeing just told us they're flying their new 787 composite aircraft on 50% biofuel. Nice.

Engineer-Poet

No answer to the rebuttals? Typical.

Keeping algal predators out requires sealed systems. Sealed systems require energy-intensive CO2 supplies (or recycled fossil fuel). Robert Rapier said some time ago that you can't buy even one barrel of algal biodiesel; it isn't available in quantities big enough to test at any price. If that's changed, it's a very recent development.

Reel$$

EP:

"Solazyme, Inc. (NASDAQ:SZYM), a renewable oil and bioproducts company, announced June 20 (2011) that the US Navy successfully demonstrated Solazyme’s 100% algal-derived jet fuel, Solajet®HRJ-5, in an MH-60S Seahawk helicopter test flight in a 50/50 blend with petroleum-derived jet fuel."

Engineer-Poet

One test, less than two months ago.

What did the fuel for that test cost?

danm

EP,
What were the development costs for nuclear power? Answer: Absolutely astronomical.
I'm not ruling out nuclear as part of our future energy mix, but the paltry sums spent on algal oil so far are not even measurable when compared to nuclear.

D

I can see that you are putting a lots of efforts into your blog. Keep posting the good work.
Replica Birkin

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