Molecular-level studies of tension wood formation in poplars could ultimately fuel the discovery of biomass crops with thicker cell walls, less lignin and more cellulose that can be converted into ethanol. While typical poplar woody biomass is composed of about 45 percent cellulose, tension wood cell walls are composed of more than 90 percent cellulose. "If you increase the cellulose in your feedstock material, then you can potentially extract more sugars," said Udaya Kalluri of ORNL's Biosciences Division. From a functional perspective, tension wood enables trees to flex in the wind, but that secondary cell wall layer could also end up powering more flex fuel vehicles. Partners in this BioEnergy Science Center project are Georgia Tech and National Renewable Energy Laboratory. [Contact: Ron Walli, (865) 576-0226; wallira@ornl.gov] - Ron Walli, 865.576.0226, February 14, 2012
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