Scientists Develop First Genetically Modified Miscanthus
A research team from the University of Hokkaido in Japan completed the first ever genetically modified Miscanthus. The herbaceous perennial that originated from East Asia is considered to be a promising energy crop. The plant is considered as a cellulosic feedstock material which contains lignocellulose, a structural material that can produce abundant ethanol.
The newly developed gene transfer technology for Miscanthus is expected to create new varieties such as those which have improved saccharification through modification of the cell wall composition (by lowering lignin content) and those which have environmental stress tolerance among others.
The original article is available at http://www.hokudai.ac.jp/en/news/201103.html.
This article is part of the Crop Biotech Update, a weekly summary of world developments in agri-biotech for developing countries, produced by the Global Knowledge Center on Crop Biotechnology, International Service for the Aquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications SEAsiaCenter (ISAAA)
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