Opportunity: Plant Feedstock Genomics for Bioenergy: A Joint Re

Renewable energy from plants, from lignocellulosic biomass and from seed oils, has the potential to reduce or remove dependency on fossil fuels as well as reduce negative environmental impacts from emissions of greenhouse gases and toxic pollutants. Realizing this potential will require the development of high biomass yielding crops that can be sustainably grown, requiring few inputs. The growth of such newly developed crops as dedicated bioenergy feedstocks, many of which may possess modified cell wall structures, will likely present previously unseen challenges such as the potential for increased pressure from known and newly identified diseases/disease complexes. Opportunities exist as well in the development of high-yielding oilseed crops producing high quality oil that can provide a ready source of renewable fuels such as biodiesel and jet fuel; such crops have been understudied but with increased research have the potential for large genetic gains. This FOA continues a commitment initiated in 2006 to conduct a fundamental research program in biomass genomics, providing the scientific foundation to facilitate the use of plant materials for bioenergy and biofuels. In 2016, the program continues to build upon gains in genetic and genomic resources for bioenergy and biofuels by supporting research to investigate potential challenges and to exploit new opportunities in order to accelerate breeding of dedicated bioenergy feedstocks, specifically 1) identification and characterization of the molecular mechanisms underlying plant resistance/tolerance to pathogens, and 2) a new request for research on non-food oilseed feedstock crops: o Genomics-based research to identify and functionally characterize plant genes/alleles influencing plant response to pathogens, with a long-term focus on crop improvement. Targeted crops include perennial grasses, sorghum, energy cane, woody biomass, and oilseed crops. The long-term goal is to develop a clearer understanding of