Sustainable Use of Biotechnology for Bioenergy Feedstocks |
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Authors: | Hong S Moon Jason M Abercrombie Albert P Kausch C Neal Stewart Jr |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA;(2) Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Rhode Island, West Kingston, RI 02892, USA; |
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Abstract: | Done correctly, cellulosic bioenergy should be both environmentally and economically beneficial. Carbon sequestration and
decreased fossil fuel use are both worthy goals in developing next-generation biofuels. We believe that biotechnology will
be needed to significantly improve yield and digestibility of dedicated perennial herbaceous biomass feedstocks, such as switchgrass
and Miscanthus, which are native to the US and China, respectively. This Forum discusses the sustainability of herbaceous feedstocks relative
to the regulation of biotechnology with regards to likely genetically engineered traits. The Forum focuses on two prominent
countries wishing to develop their bioeconomies: the US and China. These two countries also share a political desire and regulatory
frameworks to enable the commercialization and wide release of transgenic feedstocks with appropriate and safe new genetics.
In recent years, regulators in both countries perform regular inspections of transgenic field releases and seriously consider
compliance issues, even though the US framework is considered to be more mature and stringent. Transgene flow continues to
be a pertinent environmental and regulatory issue with regards to transgenic plants. This concern is largely driven by consumer
issues and ecological uncertainties. Regulators are concerned about large-scale releases of transgenic crops that have sexually
compatible crops or wild relatives that can stably harbor transgenes via hybridization and introgression. Therefore, prior
to the commercialization or extensive field testing of transgenic bioenergy feedstocks, we recommend that mechanisms that
ensure biocontainment of transgenes be instituted, especially for perennial grasses. A cautionary case study will be presented
in which a plant’s biology and ecology conspired against regulatory constraints in a non-biomass crop perennial grass (creeping
bentgrass, Agrostis stolonifera), in which biocontainment was not attained. Appropriate technologies that could be applied to perennial grass feedstocks
for biocontainment are discussed. |
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