Abstract
Opportunities for matching chemical and physical properties of woody feedstocks to ethanol production process requirements via genetic improvement have long been recognized. Exploitation is now feasible owing to advances in trait measurement, breeding, and gene transfer technologies. Poplar genetic parameters are favorable largely for reducing lignin and increasing cellulose contents and specific gravity. Transgenic poplars with decreased lignin and increased cellulose contents, but otherwise normal growth and development, have been produced via genetic transformation. The long-standing debate on feasibility has thus become one of when, not if, designer varieties will become available.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Dinus, R. J. (2000) US Department of Energy, Biomass Feedstock Development Program Report, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Environmental Sciences Division Oak Ridge, TN.
Goldstein, I. S. and Easter, J. M. (1992), TAPPI J. 75(8), 135–140.
Gregg, D. and Saddler, J. N. (1996), Appl. Biochem. Biotechnol. 57/58, 711–726.
Sewalt, V. J. H., Glasser, W. G., and Beauchemin, K. A. (1997), J. Agric. Food Chem. 45(5), 1823–1828.
Sewalt, V. J. H., Ni, W., Jung, H. G., and Dixon, R. A. (1997), J. Agric. Food Chem. 45(5), 1977–1983.
Gregg, D., Boussaid, A., and Saddler, J. N. (1998), Bioresour. Technol. 63, 7–12.
Wooley, R., Ruth, M., Sheehan, J., and Ibsen, K. (1999). National Renewable Energy Laboratory Technical Report NREL/TP-580-26157, US Department of Energy, Golden, CO.
Clarke, C. R. E. and Wessels, A. E. (1995), in Eucalypt Plantations: Improving Fibre Yield and Quality, Proceedings of the CRC-I UFRO Conference, Potts, B. M., Borralho, N. M. G., Reid, J. B., Cromer, R. N., Tibbits, W. N., and Raymond, C. A., eds., CRC for Temperate Hardwood Forestry, Hobart, Australia, pp. 93–100.
Costa, E., Silva, J., Wellendorf, H., and Pereira, H. (1998), Silvae Genetica 47, (1), 20–33.
Tuskan, G., West, D., Bradshaw, H. D., Neale, D., Sewell, M., Wheeler, N., Megraw, B., Jech, K., Wiselogel, A., Evans, R., Elam, C., Davis, M., and Dinus, R. (1999), Appl. Biochem. Biotechnol. 77–79, 55–65.
Evans, R. and Downes, G. (1995), in Eucalypt Plantations: Improving Fibre Yield and Quality, Proceedings of the CRC-IUFRO Conference, Potts, B. M., Borralho, N. M. G., Reid, J. B., Cromer, R. N., Tibbits, W. N., and Raymond, C. A., eds., CRC for Temperate Hardwood Forestry, Hobart, Australia, pp. 101–105.
Dinus, R. J., Dimmel, D. R., Feirer, R. P., Johnson M. A., and Malcolm, E. W. (1990), Biomass Production Program Report No. ORNL/Sub/88-SC006/1, US Department of Energy, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge, TN.
Bertolucci, F. L. G., Demuner, B. J., Garcia, S. L. R., and Ikemori, Y. K. (1995), in Eucalypt Plantations: Improving Fibre Yield and Quality. Proceedings of the CRC-IUFRO Conference, Potts, B. M., Borralho, N. M. G., Reid, J. B., Cromer, R. N., Tibbits, W. N., and Raymond, C. A., eds., CRC for Temperate Hardwood Forestry, Hobart, Australia, pp. 33, 34.
Malan, F. S. and Arbuthnot, A. L. (1995), in Eucalypt Plantations: Improving Fibre Yield and Quality, Proceedings of the CRC-IUFRO Conference, Potts, B. M., Borralho, N. M. G., Reid, J. B., Cromer, R. N., Tibbits, W. N., and Raymond, C. A., eds., CRC for Temperate Hardwood Forestry, Hobart, Australia, pp. 19–24.
Stettler, R. F., Zsuffa, L., and Wu, R. (1996), in Biology of Populus and Its Implications for Management and Conservation, Stettler, R. F., Bradshaw, H. D., Jr., Heilman P. E., and Hinckley, T. M., eds., NRC-CNRC Research Press, Ottawa, Canada, pp. 87–112.
Olson, J. R., Jourdain, C. R., and Rousseau, R. J. (1985), Can. J. Forest. Res. 15, 393–396.
Zobel, B. J. and Jett, J. B. (1995), Genetics of Wood Production, Springer-Verlag, Berlin.
Yanchuck, A. D., Dancik, B. P., and Micko, M. M. (1983), Wood Fiber Sci. 15 (4), 387–394.
Herpka, I. (1990), in Improvement of Feedstock Quality, Proceedings of the Second IEA/BA Task V Workshop, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada, pp. 49–85.
Timmis, R. and Trotter, P. C. (1989), in Proceedings of the International Workshopon Applications of Biotechnology in Forestry and Horticulture, Plenum, New York, pp. 349–367.
Campbell, M. M., and Sederoff, R. R. (1996), Plant Physiol. 110, 3–13.
Hu, W.-J., Harding, S. A., Lung, J., Popko, J.L. Ralph, J., Stokke, D. D., Tsai, C. J., and Chiang, V. L. (1999), Nat. Biotechnol. 17, 808–812.
Delmer, D. P. (1999), Annu. Rev. Plant Physiol. Plant Mol. Biol. 50, 245–276.
Han, K.-H., Gordon, M. P., and Strauss, S. H. (1996), in Biology of Populus and Its Implications for Management and Conservation, Stettler, R. F., Bradshaw, H. D., Jr., Heilman, P. E., and Hinckley, T. M., eds., NRC-CNRC Research Press, Ottawa, Canada, pp. 201–222.
van Doorsselaere, J., Baucher, M., Chognot, E., Chabbert, B., Tollier, M. T., Petit-Conil, M., Leple, J. C. Pilate, G., Cornu, D., and Monties, B. (1995), Plant J. 8(6), 855–864.
Tsai, C.-J., Popko, J. L., Mielke, M. R., Hu, W.-J., Podila, G. K., and Chiang, V. L. (1998), Plant Physiol. 117, 101–112.
Hu, W.-J., Akiyoshi, K., Tsai, C.-J., Lung, J., Osakabe, K., Ebinuma, H., and Chiang, V. L. (1998), Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 9, 5407–5412.
Douglas, C. J., Cukovic, D., Pereira, J., and Allina, S. (1999), in Program International Poplar Symposium II, I.N.R.A., Orleans, FR, p. 28.
Boudet, A. M., and Grima-Pettenati, J. (1996), Mol. Breeding 2(1), 25–39.
Baucher, M., Christensen, J. H., van Doorsselaere, J., Meyermans, H., Chen, C., Burggraeve, B., Leple, J.-C., Pilate, G., Petit-Conil, M., Jouanin, L., Chabbert, B., Monties, B., van Montagu, M., and Boerjan W., (1997), Med. Facul. Landbouwk. Toegepaste Biol. Wetenschappen Univ. Gent. 62(4AB), 1403–1411.
Boerjan, W., Meyermans, H., Chen, C., Christensen, J., Leple, J.-C., Pilate, G., Lapierre, C., Pollet, B., Jouanin, L., Baucher, M., van Doorsselaere, J., Petit-Conil, M., and van Montagu, M., (1999), in Program International Poplar Symposium II, I. N.R.A., Orleans, FR, p. 18.
Baucher, M., Chabbert, B., Pilate, G., van Doorsselaere, J., Tollier, M.-T., Petit-Conil, M., Cornu, D., Monties, B., van Montagu, M., Inze, D., Jouanin, L., and Boerjan, W. (1996), Plant Physiol. 112, 1479–1490.
Lapierre, C., Pollet, B., Petit-Conil, M., Toval, G., Romero, J., Pilate, G., Leple, J.-C., Boergan, W., Ferret, V., DeNadai, V., and Jouanin, L. (1999), Plant Physiol., 119 (1) 153–163.
Pilate, G., Leple, J. C., Noel, N. de Nadai, V., Jouanin, L., Pollet, B., Mila, I., Vallet, C., and Lapierre, C. (1999), in Program International Poplar Symposium II, I.N.R.A., Orleans, FR, p. 71.
Loopstra, C., Eun-Gyu, N., Zho, Y., Puryear, J., Hongyan, W., and Pawlak, D. (1998), in 1998 Information Éxchange Group-40 Workshop: Wood and Wood Fibers: Properties and Genetic Improvement, Institute of Paper Science and Technology, Atlanta.
Xue, B., Ellis, D., Newton, D., Gawley, B., Gibbert, M., and Sutton, B. (1997), Plant Physiol. 114 (Suppl. 3), 300.
Meilan, R. and Strauss, S. H. (1997), in Micropropagation, Genetic Engineering and Molecular Biology of Populus, Klopfenstein, N. B., Chun, Y. W., Kim, M.-S., and Ahuja, M. R., eds., USDA Forest Service General Technical Report RM-GTR-297, USDA, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station. Fort Collins, CO, pp. 212–219.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Dinus, R.J. Genetic improvement of poplar feedstock quality for ethanol production. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 91, 23–34 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1385/ABAB:91-93:1-9:23
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1385/ABAB:91-93:1-9:23