Research Grant for “Diesel Tree” Gene Study

Chhandak Basu, assistant professor from the University of Northern Colorado, United States, has received a research grant to study the feasibility of using a diesel-like fuel (called “oleoresin”) from the “copaiba” or “diesel tree” as automotive fuel without further refining. The grant, amounting to about $100,000 (from the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade, together with matching university research funds) will be channelled to a two-year collaborative research project headed by Basu. "The agricultural/physiological aspects of oleoresin have been studied extensively, but not the molecular biology part, nor the genes responsible for this type of synthesis", said Basu. One of the targets of the research is to transform Arabidopsis plants and algae with oleoresin genes. Arabidopsis is a non-invasive flowering plant (related to mustard and cabbage) and is a model organism in the study of plant biology. It was chosen for the study, partly because, according to Basu, “it would not negatively affect food supplies or strain the economy”, if successfully modified. In addition, it could also be applied to grasses. Basu is hopeful that the “proof of concept” will bring economic opportunities for the use of the oleoresin as biofuel.

Related information on copaiba and “diesel trees”
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/duke_energy/Copaifera_langsdorfii.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copaiba