Durham Scientists Study Plants for Biofuel Production

by Whitney L.J. Howell (NewsObserver) ...Inside its redesigned, sustainable lab space near the Durham Performing Arts Center, GrassRoots Biotechnology uses patented research methods to study plant genes.

The goal, said company co-founder Philip Benfey, is to pinpoint ways to strengthen plants considered useful in biofuel production, such as switchgrass.

...GrassRoots, launched in 2007, uses its two technology platforms - RootArray and Root Imaging - to dissect plant gene regulation, understand gene function and identify root traits.

Ultimately, the company wants to use its findings to boost crop yield and strength, Benfey said. It's an objective that is in line with the Biofuels Center of North Carolina, a General Assembly-funded endeavor that supports biofuel production statewide.

...Scientists manipulate each gel environment to see how the plants respond. For example, one tray of plants could be exposed to a high-salt environment, or another to low nitrogen levels. The RootArray process is highly efficient, Eisner said, allowing GrassRoots to test and observe the expression of 100 times more genes than other current technologies.

"Understanding the unique root structure for crops is critical because nutrients are often scarce in soil," Eisner said. "If we know how plants will respond to the soil and what their uptake of the nutrients and bacteria is, then we will know what to do so they can cope with their environments." READ MORE