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New tree gene could help boost biomass for fuels
10/02/2010
Scientists in Manchester have identified a gene that could help produce wider trees for use in the production of greener fuels.
The piece of research by a team of scientists at the university is being published today in the journal, Development.
One of the scientists, Professor Simon Turner, says the breakthrough could help the US to reach its energy targets. Turner explains: “The US has set the ambitious goal of generating a third of all liquid fuel from renewable sources by the year 2025. Estimates suggest to reach their goal they would need 1 billion tons of biomass, which is a lot.”
He continued, “our work has identified the two genes that make plants grow outwards. The long, thin cells growing down the length of a plant divide outwards, giving that nice radial pattern of characteristic growth rings in trees."
The researchers claim now the genes that make trees grow width-ways have been discovered, they can breed trees to grow ‘fatter’ thus boosting the amount of biomass available for renewable fuel production.
They add that the new development will not put biofuels at further odds with food production, as the gene identified is linked with the growth of the plant’s stem, not the grain.
The piece of research by a team of scientists at the university is being published today in the journal, Development.
One of the scientists, Professor Simon Turner, says the breakthrough could help the US to reach its energy targets. Turner explains: “The US has set the ambitious goal of generating a third of all liquid fuel from renewable sources by the year 2025. Estimates suggest to reach their goal they would need 1 billion tons of biomass, which is a lot.”
He continued, “our work has identified the two genes that make plants grow outwards. The long, thin cells growing down the length of a plant divide outwards, giving that nice radial pattern of characteristic growth rings in trees."
The researchers claim now the genes that make trees grow width-ways have been discovered, they can breed trees to grow ‘fatter’ thus boosting the amount of biomass available for renewable fuel production.
They add that the new development will not put biofuels at further odds with food production, as the gene identified is linked with the growth of the plant’s stem, not the grain.
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