Sunflower DNA Map Could Produce Plants for Fuel
(CBC News, AP) A $10.5-million-US research project aimed at mapping the DNA sequence of sunflowers could one day yield a towering new variety for both food and fuel.
Researchers envision crossbreeding a standard sunflower with the Silverleaf species from Texas to produce a hybrid with bright yellow flowers bursting with tasty seeds and thick stalks filled with complex sugars that can be turned into ethanol.
The wild, drought-resistant Silverleaf is known for its woody stalks, which can grow up to 4.5 metres tall and 10 centimetres in diameter.
…The Genomics of Sunflower project is funded by Genome Canada through the Canadian government, Genome British Columbia, the U.S. Energy and Agriculture departments and France’s National Institute for Agricultural Research. READ MORE
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