Singapore Partnership Develops GM Jatropha with High Oleic Acid
(Biodiesel Magazine/JOil) Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory and JOil Pte. Ltd. have successfully developed genetically modified jatropha plants with high oleic acid content in seeds.
“Oleic acid is the most desirable oil component for the purpose of biofuel, it gives the best balance between cold flow property and oxidation stability,” said YE Jian, the team leader of the group of scientists that developed this. “We managed to achieve greater than 75 percent seed oleic acid content, much higher than the 45 percent in regular seeds, through specifically down-regulating a jatropha gene in a seed-specific manner.”
This work has just been published online by Biotechnology for Biofuels. Being the exclusive commercial partner, JOil is expected to further develop varieties with this trait for commercialization.
…Its main business activities include the development, propagation and sale of elite jatropha seedlings and improved genetically-modified seedlings for commercial cultivation as well as to engage in agronomy research and provision of agronomy advisory. It has operations in India, Indonesia, China, Kenya, Thailand and the Philippines. READ MORE Abstract
