Eleven biomass genomics projects funded.

The Department of Energy and the Department of Agriculture have jointly selected 11 projects for awards totaling $8.3 million for biobased fuels research that will accelerate the development of alternative fuel resources. These awards continue a commitment begun in 2006 to conduct fundamental research in biomass genomics that will provide the scientific foundation to facilitate and accelerate the use of woody plant tissue for bioenergy and biofuels.


The awards will be made through the Office of Biological and Environmental Research in DOE’s Office of Science, and USDA’s Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service  National Research Initiative. In this second year of the program, new research projects on cordgrass, rice, switchgrass, sorghum, poplar, and perennial grasses join the portfolio of research on poplar, alfalfa, sorghum, and wheat.


Starting in 2007, DOE will provide $5.5 million in funding for seven projects, while USDA will award more than $1.5 million to fund three projects; one project will receive $1.3 million in joint funding from both agencies. Initial funding will support research projects for up to three years.


Awards were granted to: University of Minnesota, $715,000; South Dakota State University, $420,000; Mississippi State University, $1,300,000; University of Georgia, $400,000; Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, $1,200,000; University of Florida, $750,000; University of Delaware, $600,000; USDA-ARS Western Regional Research Center (Albany, CA), $600,000; USDA-ARS Western Regional Research Center, $600,000; USDA-ARS (Cornell University), $700,000; Oak Ridge National Laboratory, $1,040,000.

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