Expediting the biofuels agenda via genetic manipulations of cellulosic bioenergy crops

Cellulosic bioenergy crops are crops whose cellulosic matter could be converted into biofuels. The petroleum industry makes its profit not only from petro fuels, but also from petroleum‐derivative coproducts, such as lubricants and aromatic petrochemicals, that are used for production of other hydrocarbon compounds. This review explains how using the petroleum industry model in cellulosic biofuels industry could sharply increase profi tability via production of high‐value, low‐volume recombinant coproducts, such as biopharmaceuticals, and high‐value industrial chemicals in cellulosic bioenergy crops. The two major expenses associated with the production of cellulosic biofuels include the costs of pre‐treatment processes and the costs of microbial cellulases. This review summarizes the role of biomass crop genetic manipulations to reduce these costs. It also describes the challenges that farmers will soon face because of the monoculture of new bioenergy crops, such as perennial grasses, and how genetic manipulations of these crops could overcome such challenges. Finally, this review addresses concerns about the effect of cellulosic biomass removal from soil on the soil carbon reserve and the role that crop transgenic technology will play to assure sufficient carbon sequestration in soil. It also addresses the role that modern crop genetic engineering technology plays in avoiding the presence of herterologous coproducts in the food chain to overcome consumer concerns. © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd