Development and use of novel gene technologies to increase biomass yield in the woody perennial Populus spec

 

The adopted "energy revolution" presents new challenges to research in Germany. Energy should increasingly come from renewable energy sources, but ideally do not compete with food production. Fast-growing poplars can comparatively easy grown on agricultural areas, however, harbor an enormous growth potential that could be exploited with green biotechnology.

Background and Objective

The objective of the work is the generation of qualitatively optimized poplar plants with increased biomass, altered lignin content and optimized plant architecture. This will be achieved by the genetic modification of genomic regulators for tree biomass yield, changes of lignin biosynthesis and alterations of branching patterns.

Approach

Biomass production can be increased by genes involved e.g. in vegetative growth capacity, vascular cambium activity, and secondary cell wall formation. The Thünen Institute of forest genetics is working with previously unknown genes that are expressed in wood as well as in poplar flowers. With changes in these genes, their function and their impact on the biomass production should be elucidated in poplars. The formation of higher biomass levels in genetically modified trees could be a starting point for legislation that would allow to cover a part of renewable energy with genetically improved trees. This is ethically acceptable and makes economically sense.

Thünen-Contact

• Fladung, Matthias Institute of Forest Genetics

Involved Thünen-Partners

• Brügmann, Tobias Institute of Forest Genetics
• Ebbinghaus, Doris Institute of Forest Genetics
• Graf, Wolfgang Institute of Forest Genetics
• Groppe, Katrin Institute of Forest Genetics
• Kersten, Birgit Institute of Forest Genetics
• Polak, Olaf Institute of Forest Genetics
• Schellhorn, Anke Institute of Forest Genetics
• Worm, Angelika Institute of Forest Genetics

Involved external Thünen-Partners

• Universität Göttingen
  (Göttingen, Deutschland)

Funding Body

• Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)
  (national, öffentlich)

Duration

3.2012 - 12.2018

More Information

Projekt type:
Project status: ongoing

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