Plants have been genetically modified for more than a decade for food purposes. Now scientists at Colorado State University will begin research into genetically modifying crops meant to be used as biofuels. CSU was recently awarded a $2 billion grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to research GM biofuel crops.
The funds are meant for scientists to use to develop a system to modify plants that are currently unable to be genetically modified. The research is expected to expand the amount of plants that could be used for biofuel production.
“What we’d like to do is move to a set of feedstocks that don’t compete with animals and humans,” said Eric Toone, deputy director of the DOE’s Advanced Research Projects Agency, according to the Coloradoran.com.
The research team is expected to be used to modify sorghum so that it can be used as a biofuel.