Michigan State University researchers have solved a puzzle that could help switchgrass realize its full potential as a low-cost, sustainable biofuel crop and divert some of our dependence on fossil fuels.
Among switchgrass’s attractive features are that it’s perennial, low maintenance and native to many states in the eastern U.S., including Michigan. But it also has a peculiar behavior working against it that has stymied researchers – at least until now.
Mauricio Tejera-Nieves, a postdoctoral researcher and the lead author of the team’s study said, “We want bigger plants, period, so being able to crack this and lift this limitation, that is the goal.” Rhizomes store food in the form of starch to help plants survive winter, and that starch is made from the sugars produced by photosynthesis. Once switchgrass rhizomes are full of starch, they signal the plant to stop making sugars and adding biomass through photosynthesis.“Imagine getting a call from your bank and they tell you, ‘Hey, your account is full. You can take a vacation, go on sabbatical, do whatever you want.
“Now we can start looking for breeding solutions,” said Walker. “We can start looking for plants that have an insatiable appetite for photosynthesis.”We haven’t been seeing nearly as much biofuel news as we did a few years ago. Biofuel news isn’t rare but it has become unusual.
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