Source: UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA submitted to
PRODUCTION OF GMO SORGHUM LINES WITH HIGH LIGNIN CONTENT
Sponsoring Institution
Agricultural Research Service/USDA
Project Status
NEW
Funding Source
USDA COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
0418284
Grant No.
(N/A)
Project No.
3042-21220-032-01S
Proposal No.
(N/A)
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Program Code
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Sep 15, 2009
Project End Date
Sep 15, 2014
Grant Year
(N/A)
Project Director
SATTLER S E
Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA
(N/A)
LINCOLN,NE 68583
Performing Department
AGRONOMY & HORTICULTURE
Non Technical Summary
(N/A)
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
70%
Applied
30%
Developmental
0%
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
20115201040100%
Knowledge Area
201 - Plant Genome, Genetics, and Genetic Mechanisms;

Subject Of Investigation
1520 - Grain sorghum;

Field Of Science
1040 - Molecular biology;
Goals / Objectives
To develop sorghum lines with high lignin content in order to test the hypothesis that higher lignin will increase bioenergy available through combustion.
Project Methods
Transgenes expected to increase lignin content will be inserted into the sorghum genome. Transformed lines will be evaluated for lignin content and for energy released during combustion.

Progress 10/01/12 to 09/30/13

Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416): To develop sorghum lines with high lignin content in order to test the hypothesis that higher lignin will increase bioenergy available through combustion. Approach (from AD-416): Transgenes expected to increase lignin content will be inserted into the sorghum genome. Transformed lines will be evaluated for lignin content and for energy released during combustion. Five transgenes were designed and constructed to increase the amount of the cell wall polymer, lignin, in sorghum biomass intended for use in combustion or for conversion to liquid fuels via pyrolysis. These transgenes have been inserted into sorghum, and two to three elite transformed lines were selected based on the highest accumulation of gene product from the transgene(s). These elite lines are being evaluated for their ability to increase lignin concentration of sorghum biomass. The five sets of transgenic sorghum lines represent the experimental foundation for exploring the potential to engineer increased lignin content through biotechnology in sorghum and unlock this potential resource for the U.S. sorghum and bioenergy industries.

Impacts
(N/A)

Publications


    Progress 10/01/11 to 09/30/12

    Outputs
    Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416): To develop sorghum lines with high lignin content in order to test the hypothesis that higher lignin will increase bioenergy available through combustion. Approach (from AD-416): Transgenes expected to increase lignin content will be inserted into the sorghum genome. Transformed lines will be evaluated for lignin content and for energy released during combustion. Five transgenes were designed and constructed to increase the amount of the cell wall polymer, lignin, in sorghum biomass intended for use in combustion or for conversion to liquid fuels via pyrolysis. These transgenes have been inserted into sorghum and the transformed lines are being evaluated for their ability to increase lignin concentration in sorghum biomass. The five transgenic sorghum lines represent the experimental foundation for exploring the potential to engineer increased lignin content through biotechnology in sorghum and unlock this potential resource for the U.S. sorghum and bioenergy industries.

    Impacts
    (N/A)

    Publications


      Progress 10/01/10 to 09/30/11

      Outputs
      Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416) To develop sorghum lines with high lignin content in order to test the hypothesis that higher lignin will increase bioenergy available through combustion. Approach (from AD-416) Transgenes expected to increase lignin content will be inserted into the sorghum genome. Transformed lines will be evaluated for lignin content and for energy released during combustion. During the duration of this agreement, the five transgenes were designed and constructed to increase cell wall polymer, lignin for bioenergy. These transgenes have been inserted into the sorghum and these lines are under evaluation for their ability to increase lignin. A pilot study using sorghum plants with reduced lignin content demonstrated that lignin content had a significantly affected total energy available for combustion. This outcome defines lignin as a viable target to increase energy content for combustion. These five transgenic sorghum lines represent the experimental foundation to explore our ability to engineer increased lignin content through biotechnology in sorghum and unlock this potential resource for the U.S. sorghum and bioenergy industries. The project is monitored through regular emails, telephone conferences, and a monthly meeting with the cooperator.

      Impacts
      (N/A)

      Publications


        Progress 10/01/09 to 09/30/10

        Outputs
        Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416) To develop sorghum lines with high lignin content in order to test the hypothesis that higher lignin will increase bioenergy available through combustion. Approach (from AD-416) Transgenes expected to increase lignin content will be inserted into the sorghum genome. Transformed lines will be evaluated for lignin content and for energy released during combustion. Seventeen successful transformation events have been accomplished. First generation plants are currently growing in the greenhouse. Two additional constructs have been assembled and delivered to the cooperator who is currently attempting to insert those constructs into sorghum. All constructs contain genes expected to increase lignin and total energy content of the resulting transformed lines. Efforts to transform the forage variety �Atlas� proved unsuccessful. All transformation events were made in the proven parental line RTx430. Monitoring of the project was accomplished by regular on-site visits and telephone conversations with the cooperator.

        Impacts
        (N/A)

        Publications