Research peach tree genome to produce fuel

(fast-growing trees) - Fast growing tree species such as birch trees and willow trees are bright biofuel candidates.Scientists predict that it can be extracted from these plants of high cellulose ethanol and high-energy biofuels.

Domestication of these plants as plants requires a deep understanding of their physiological and genetic characteristics, and scientists are now turning to fruit trees. Long domesticated for hints.The relationship between a peach tree and a birch tree may not be obvious at first, but for botanists both plants are part of the rose family, the family includes not only fruit trees such as apples, strawberries, cherries and almonds, but also include other crops, including roses - plants that make up the name of this consortium.

Researching peach tree genes for biofuel production

'The close relationship between peach trees and birch trees is evident from their DNA sequence,' said Jeremy Schmutz, head of the Plant Program at the faculty of the Energy Joint Genome Institute, the US Department of Energy. .

According to the March 24 edition of the natural genetic magazine, Schmutz and several colleagues participated in the International Peach Genome Initiative (IPGI).This organization has published 265 million genes of Lovell peach belonging to the peach family Prunus persica.

'Using genomic comparisons, peach traits can be used to improve and maintain the sustainability of peach trees and other important plants, but also to promote our understanding. about the basic biology of crops' , the research team wrote in the above edition.They compared 141 peach tree genes to six plant species, all arranged in species diversity order, to elucidate the unique chain of metabolic biochemical reactions, such as those The reaction chain creates a biochemical synthesis of lignin (a glue that binds plant cells together), while also learning about the key barrier to destroy biomass into fuel.

For bioenergy researchers, the size of the digging gene makes it ideal to serve as a crop model to help research the genes found in the relevant genome, for example. like birch trees, and develop methods to improve plant biomass productivity to produce biofuels.

The researchers said they were interested in a gene called " evergreen" in the peach trees, which would extend the growing season, and in theory, the gene could also be affected. in birch trees to increase biomass accumulation.