Future of Fuel
Credit: Robert Goodwin
The switchgrass plant is arguably one of the strongest candidates to help the world meet its goal of 36 billion gallons of biofuel by next year. The grass sequesters carbon underground, can produce ethanol, grows in more types of soil than other plants used for biofuel (like corn) and is cheap and widely available. University of Texas at Austin biologist Tom Juenger and his colleagues recently helped to unlock the secrets of switchgrass using genome analysis. The team identified genes that help switchgrass grow optimally in varying climates across North America. This latest research offers a road map for breeding the crop in a wide range of climate conditions to help the United States and the globe plan for a more sustainable energy future.