ARDMORE, Okla., Dec. 29 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists have uncovered a gene responsible for plants' key growth characteristics, specifically their density, a finding that could improve agriculture.
Researchers at the Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation in Oklahoma say denser plants have more biomass without increasing the agricultural footprint, meaning farmers and ranchers can produce more plant material from the same sized field, a foundation release said Wednesday.
"This is a significant breakthrough for those developing improved plants to address pressing societal needs," Richard Dixon of the Noble foundation's Plant Biology Division said.
"This discovery opens up new possibilities for harnessing and increasing the potential of crops by expanding their ranges of use," he said. "These plants will be part of the next generation of agriculture which not only impacts food, but many other vital industries as well."
The researchers found that manipulating the gene can increase the production of carbohydrate-rich cellulose material in portions of the plant stem, which can be converted to sugars to create advanced biofuels such as ethanol.
More cellulose means more sugars to use for carbohydrate-based energy production, the researchers say.
