Defining and engineering bioenergy plant feedstock ideotypes

• Published in: Current opinion in biotechnology Vol. 62; no. C; pp. 196 - 201
• Main Authors: Markel, Kasey, Belcher, Michael S, Shih, Patrick M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.04.2020; Elsevier
• ISSN: 0958-1669; 1879-0429
• DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2019.11.014

[Display omitted] •Ideotypes are idealized versions of crops used as a goal of breeding programs.•Bioenergy crops require improvement to be economically and environmentally favorable.•Ideotypes should be developed for bioenergy crops to guide bioengineering efforts. Ideotypes are theoretical archetypes of crops which serve as a practical framework for plant breeders to critically evaluate what traits they should be targeting for specific applications. With advances in plant biotechnology and a growing urgency to adopt more sustainable practices across our economy, new uses for crops as bioenergy feedstocks may pivot our definition of an ideal crop that is engineered for biomass and bioenergy production, in contrast to food production. Although there is a plethora of specific applications to which plant engineering efforts can contribute, here we highlight recent advances in two broad areas of research: increasing available plant biomass and engineering production of higher value co-products.