The USDA and DOE are offering a Plant Feedstock Genomics Grant for Bioenergy Development

USDA Eligibility Criteria: The Secretary may award grants to State agricultural experiment stations; colleges and universities; university research foundations; other research institutions and organizations; Federal agencies; national laboratories; private organizations or corporations; individuals; or any group consisting of two or more of the aforementioned entities. Applications from scientists at non-U.S. organizations will not be accepted. Award recipients may subcontract to organizations not eligible to apply, provided such organizations are necessary for the conduct of the project.

Renewable energy from biomass has the potential to reduce or remove dependency on fossil fuels as well as reduce negative environmental impacts from emissions of greenhouse gases and toxic pollutants. Realizing this potential will require the simultaneous development of high yielding biomass production systems and bioconversion technologies that efficiently convert biomass energy into the forms of energy usable by industry. Most agricultural research to date has focused on enhancing the production of seeds, roots and tubers that are used for food and feed production. However, these improvements in food crops have frequently been directed towards increases in starch content with a corresponding reduction of lignocelluloses accumulation. Research applications are solicited for genomics-based research that will lead to improved utilization of plant biomass for the production of fuels such as ethanol or renewable chemical feedstocks. This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) co
ntinues a commitment, initiated in 2006, to conduct a fundamental research program in biomass genomics, to provide the scientific foundation to facilitate the use of lignocellulosic materials, either primary material or agricultural residues, for bioenergy and biofuels. The rationale for developing lignocellulosic crops for energy is that less intensive production techniques and poorer quality land can be used for these crops, thereby avoiding competition with food production on better quality land.