Turning green into yellow

Improving plants for use as home-grown fuels

Professor Kenneth Keegstra, Director of the Michigan State University-Department of Energy Plant Research Laboratory, made a presentation in the Capitol May 8, 2006 on research that could lead to increased biofuels production from plants. Keegstra’s Congressional Seminar presentation is titled “Turning Green into Yellow: Improving Plants for Use as Home-Grown Biofuels.” The seminar was sponsored by the National Coalition for Food & Agricultural Research. The American Society of Plant Biologists (ASPB) was a contributing sponsor. Keegstra is Past President of ASPB.

Keegstra said the goals stated by President Bush in his State of the Union Address for the Advanced Energy Initiative (AEI) to reduce reliance on imported oil are achievable. Keegstra discussed opportunities in plant research that will help in meeting AEI goals for increased biomass and related biofuels production. Following are the Powerpoint slides from Keegstra’s presentation.

VIEW THE ENTIRE PRESENTATON