A new biofuel made of genetically engineered rutabagas has begun to take root.

A Michigan State University (MSU) research team has added a new gene to rutabaga plants to produce oil. Instead of turning plant sugars into carbohydrates, the gene alters the conversion of sugars from carbohydrates to oil. This conversion typically takes place in the seeds of plants, making extraction of the oil uncomplicated. After extraction, the plant oils will be converted into biofuels for energy needs.

The discovery of the malfunctioning plant protein, trigalactosyldiacylyglycerol (TGD4), helped scientists identify how oil production could be moved throughout the plant. If scientists can engineer the malfunctioning protein to various parts of the plant, there is hope that oil can be produced throughout the plant adding more oil capacity per plant. More oil for extraction equates to more oil available for biofuel production.

Rutabaga research is part of the greater MSU and US Department of Energy grant and research program to fund advances in biofuels technology and efficiency. In addition to chemical research, mechanical engineers at MSU are working on building engines that burn biofuels at high performance levels. The Department notes that, “biomass is the only clean, renewable energy source that can help to significantly diversify transportation fuels in the U.S.”  Thus, the $4 million in grant funding to take the biofuel industry to the next level.

Six months from now, MSU will see the results of the gene’s performance on the conversion to oil. Head researcher Christoph Benning notes that finding ways to convert sugars to oils in other parts of the plant, “green tissues, like the leaves, stems or even underground tissues like roots or tubers,” will provide more efficient and greater quantities of oil to extract for biofuels.