Seven projects have picked up a total of $6.3million towards fundamental genomics-enabled research that will lead to the improved use of plant feedstocks and biofuel production.
The grants come from the US Departments of Energy and Agriculture under a joint DOE-USDA program that began in 2006. It is committed to research in biomass genomics that aims to provide a scientific foundation to help facilitate the use of lignocellulosic materials for both biofuels and bioenergy.
Here is a round-up of the projects that will benefit – the DOE is providing $4million for four projects while the USDA will award $2.3million to an additional three projects:
- - The University of Georgia, Athens, has been awarded $1,200,000 for the expansion of agriculture to provide plant biomass for production of fuels and/or feedstocks.
- - The Hunt for Green Every April: Factors Affecting Fitness in Switchgrass has picked up $1,182,000 to look at the winter survival in switchgrass populations and individual plants that are specifically selected for greater yields and have known differences in winter survival. The aim is to utilise the genomic and biochemical tools to investigate the molecular mechanisms that underpin nutrient partitioning. This money goes to the USDA-ARS-Lincoln.
- - The Western Regional Research Centre in Albany, California has been awarded $1,300,000 to conduct high throughput phenotypic analysis of homozygous T-DNA mutants and natural accessions of the model grass Brachypodium.
- - The University of Florida has been awarded $643,000 to identify the metabolic competition for carbon that affects growth, cellulose biosynthesis and lignification.
- - Michigan Technological University has been awarded $900,000 for a systems biology approach to elucidate regulation of root development in populus.
- - The University of Georgia, Athens, benefits again from the funding, this time with $705,000 for improving alfalfa as a biofuel feedstock.
- - Finally, the University of Nebraska, in Lincoln, has been awarded $390,000 to enhance the ability of sweet sorghum to utilise nitrogen and increase its potential as a cost-effective bioenergy crop.
