US Invents In Genetic Research To Boost Yield Of Bioenergy Crops - Energy Dept.

The United States is designating a combined $66 million for genetic research that could help in improving the performance of crops used for bioenergy, the Energy Department said in a press release on Tuesday

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 12th February, 2019) The United States is designating a combined $66 million for genetic research that could help in improving the performance of crops used for bioenergy, the Energy Department said in a press release on Tuesday.

"The $30 million plant initiative focuses on research and technological innovation aimed at expanding knowledge of gene function in plants to be grown for bioenergy and bioproducts," the release said. "The microbe initiative will provide $36 million for research on how communities of microbes cycle nutrients in soil and the environment."

The research will be used to model Earth's ecosystem and possibly enable improvements in the performance of crops grown for bioenergy, the release added.

Funding will be awarded to universities, industry and nonprofit research institutes as three-year grants, with recipients chosen by peer review, the release said.