The purpose of this Golden LEAF grant is to provide funding to genetically engineer switchgrass to reduce lignin and increase cellulose, which will improve ethanol production, and will make switchgrass more digestible as feed. The project will also develop a technology that efficiently converts genetically engineered switchgrass to bioethanol. Switchgrass is a NC native forage grass and has been identified as a herbaceous energy crop by the Bioenergy Feedstock Development Program of DOE because of its high biomass production.
