1. Theme 2.1 Improved crops for sustainable supply Gail Taylor

2. Current Research Topics Genomics and genetics of feedstock yield and lignocellulosic quality Woody biomass supply in a changing environment LCA and sustainability criteria for bioenergy and biofuels

3. Estimated total amounts of C in soil & vegetation in different terrestrial systems (Royal Society 2001). Pg C or Gt C croplands131 boreal forests559 wetlands240temperate forests 159 tundra127tropical forests 428 deserts & semides.199 temperate grasslands 304 tropical savannas 330 Total non forest 1,331 Total forests 1,146 Forest ecosystems – 50% global vegetation C

4. How can we improve efficiency of biomass production? Zhu et al., (2008). Current Opinion in Biotechnology, 19, 153-159 4.6% 6.0%

5. Plant Productivity- Monteith 1977 Biomass Yield T ha -1 Solar Radiation GJ m -2 Sugar beet (2.5%) Apple(2.5%) Barley(2.5%)

6. Poplar for bioenergy – globally significant

7. Identifying genes important for high yield Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4 SprSumAutWintSprSumAutWintSprSumAutWintSprSumAutWint Planted Cut back And harvest Harvest cut Assessment

8. Addressing the yield gap in energy poplar – more biomass on less land 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 YIELD – ODT ha -1 y -1 Potential Yield Actual commercial UK Yield 40 ODT ha -1 y -1 [Nonhebel, 2002 ] 35 ODT ha -1 y -1 [Scarascia-Mugnozza et al., 1997] 18 ODT ha -1 y -1 [Labreque et al., 2005] 20 ODT ha -1 y -1 [Corria et al., 1995] 18 ODT ha -1 y -1 [Rae et al., 2007] 2-3 ODT ha -1 y -1 [Bungart et al., 1995] The yield gap – high throughput biology can make step-change advances

9. P. nigra from rivers across Europe

10. Harriet Trewin Leaf size and shape vary with latitude of origin

11. Leaf development candidates - models SAM CLAVATA1 CLAVATA2, CLAVATA3 WUSCHEL, PHANTASTICA, PHABULOSA, PHAVOLUTA, PINHEAD, YABBY, FIL, KANADI1, 2 Emerging primordia BOP1, AS1, AS2, ASL1, ANTEGUMENTA, ANGUSTIFOLIA, ROTUNDIFOLIA, GROWTH REGULATING FACTOR, CELL CYCLE CONTROL, ERECTA, ETHYLENE Maturing lamina EXPANSIN, XTHS, CYCLINS, CDKs, ENDOGLUCANASES, KORRIGAN, OXIDATIVE STATUS, WRKYs Senescing SAGs, LDOX, DFR, WRKYs, MYBs, SAG21 Abscission

12. LG chromosome E2Fc 4 QTL for ECN, ECA, SI and SD (Rae et al., 2006; Rodriguez-Acosta et al, 2008) Latitude Number of cells per leaf cDNA array up in large down in large

13. 2 G crop improvement – summary Elucidating genes underlying yield traits is nearing completion We will move to proof of concept using transgenic trees For commercial release marker assisted selection in the absence of GM