The potential of biotechnology in the Biomass Production Program

Technical Report · Sat Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1988

OSTI ID:6558991

Ellis, D D; McCown, B H

This report surveys the application of biotechnology (including in vitro cloning and genetic engineering) in addressing some of the major problems encountered in growing and utilizing plants for energy production. The scope is restricted to the problems that occur in the production of the raw material (the growing of the plant) and not in the actual processing of the biomass (energy conversion). The focus is limited to the four herbaceous plants (sorghum, switchgrass, weeping lovegrass, and sericea lespedeza) and the seven woody plants (popular, black locust, sycamore, sweetgum, silver maple, alder and eucalyptus) that are currently targeted by the DOE Biomass Production Program. The first part of the report defines the problems with each species that are or may be approachable by biotechnology. The second part gives recommendations on the research emphases incorporating biotechnological approaches for three funding scenarios: (1) funding continued at the levels currently experienced by the Biomass Production Program, (2) earmarking $500,000 additional each year for biotechnology for three years, and (3) earmarking $500,000 additional each year for biotechnology for five years. 68 refs., 1 fig., 22 tabs.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• OSTI ID: 6558991
• Report Number(s): ORNL/M-606; ON: DE89005710
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

09 BIOMASS FUELS
140504* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Biomass Production & Conversion-- (-1989)
550400 -- Genetics
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
BIOMASS
BIOTECHNOLOGY
CONTROL
ENERGY SOURCES
GENETIC ENGINEERING
GRANTS
HERBICIDES
PEST CONTROL
PESTICIDES
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
WEEDS