Field performance of switchgrass plants engineered for reduced recalcitrance

• DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1181035
• Publication Date: 2023-05-31T09:33:21Z
• Authors: Aymerick Eudes; Chien-Yuan Lin; Christopher De Ben; Jasmine Ortega; Mi Yeon Lee; Yi-Chun Chen; Guotian Li; Daniel H. Putnam; Jenny C. Mortimer; Pamela C. Ronald; Corinne D. Scown; Henrik V. Scheller
• Keywords: Panicum virgatum; Energy crop

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a promising perennial bioenergy crop that achieves high yields with relatively low nutrient and energy inputs. Modification of cell wall composition for reduced recalcitrance can lower the costs deconstructing biomass to fermentable sugars other intermediates. We have engineered overexpression OsAT10, encoding rice BAHD acyltransferase QsuB, dehydroshikimate dehydratase from Corynebacterium glutamicum, enhance saccharification efficiency in switchgrass. These engineering strategies demonstrated lignin content, ferulic acid esters, increased yield during greenhouse studies switchgrass plant species. In this work, transgenic plants overexpressing either OsAT10 or QsuB were tested field Davis, California, USA three growing seasons. No significant differences content wall-bound p-coumaric detected lines compared untransformed Alamo control variety. However, had slightly properties plants. This work demonstrates good performance field, also shows changes not replicated emphasizing need validate under relevant conditions.