Transgenics are imperative for biofuel crops

Petroleum dependency is a challenge that can potentially be partly offset by agricultural production of biofuels, while decreasing net, nonrenewable carbon dioxide output. Plants have not been domesticated for modern biofuel production, and the quickest, most efficient, and often, the only way to convert plants to biofuel feedstocks is biotechnologically. First generation biofuel feedstock sources: sugarcane and cereal grains to produce bioethanol and biobutanol and oilseeds to produce biodiesel compete directly with needs for world food security. The heavy use of oilseed rape releases quantities of methyl bromide to the atmosphere, which can be prevented by gene suppression. Second generation bioethanolic/biobutanolic biofuels will come from cultivated lignocellulosic crops or straw wastes. These presently require heat and acid to remove lignin, which could be partially replaced by transgenically reducing or modifying lignin content and upregulating cellulose biosynthesis. Non-precipitable silicon emissions from burning could be reduced by transgenically modulating silicon content. The shrubby Jatropha and castor beans should have highly toxic protein components transgenically removed from their meal, cancer potentiating diterpenes removed from the oils, and allergens from the pollen, before extensive cultivation. Algae and cyanobacteria for third generation biodiesel need transgenic manipulation to deal with weeds, light penetration, photoinhibition, carbon assimilation, etc. The possibilities of producing fourth generation biohydrogen and bioelectricity using photosynthetic mechanisms are being explored. There seem to be no health or environmental impact study requirements when the undomesticated biofuel crops are grown, yet there are illogically stringent requirements should they transgenically be rendered less toxic and more efficient as biofuel crops. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.