A team from the University of Illinois has discovered two plant stem-specific expression of genes, the promoters of which could potentially serve as a tool for increasing oil production in energycane, a type of sugarcane with the capability of producing more biomass in harsh conditions, leading to higher oil production for fuels. 

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) awarded the University of Illinois a $10.6 million, five-year grant to transform two of the most productive crops in America into sustainable sources of biodiesel and biojet fuel. The new research project Renewable Oil Generated with Ultra-productive Energycane—or ROGUE—kicks off on Feb. 25 with a team meeting held in conjunction with the 2018 Genomic Sciences Program Annual Principal Investigator Meeting in Tysons, Virginia.