Manjot Singh Sidhu, Sourav Singh
While we have long modified plants for higher yield, herbicide tolerance, virus resistance, vitamin enrichmentetc, a new forefront of researchers is exploring the vanguard of genetic engineering to tackle the climate crisis head-on.This forefront is in the heart of a bustling business park in Hayward, California, where more than 200 vibrant and hybrid poplar saplings await their chance to break free from their pots kept in greenhouse. Standing amongst these saplings is Maddie Hall, the co-founder and CEO of Living Carbon (a climate biotech firm) explains that these saplings have been Genetically Modified (GM) with the aim of making them better at absorbing carbon dioxide (CO2).
Scientists have spent decades trying to take over where evolution left off in the mechanism photosynthesis. In 2019, Donald Ort and his colleagues announced that he had genetically hacked tobacco plants to photosynthesize more efficiently. The researchers added genes from pumpkins and green algae to induce tobacco seedlings to recycle toxins produced as photosynthesis byproducts into more sugars, causing plants to grow nearly 40% larger. Similarly Living Carbon researchers are trying to enhances the ability of trees to absorb more carbon dioxide (CO2) by improving their photosynthesis process. Photosynthesis is how plants use light, water, and CO2 to make sugars and release oxygen. By making this process more efficient, genetically altered trees can capture more CO2 than they naturally would, turning forests into long-term carbon sinks.Traditional photosynthesis in plants can be inefficient because, in daylight, they sometimes take in oxygen and release some CO2. Living Carbon has found a way to modify this process, redirecting the released CO2 into tree growth.
In a recent scientific paper published in April 2023, the company shared some exciting results. They tested their modified poplar saplings in a greenhouse for four months and found that these saplings grew 35-53% more in terms of size compared to regular saplings, which is like taking out 17-27% extra CO2 from the air. The company is also working on patents for their technology.
As of this spring, Living Carbon initiated pilot projects to assess carbon sequestration potential in field condition by planting clones of their top-performing lines on private land in Georgia and Ohio. These endeavours are formed through collaborations with landowners who are willing to monitor the carbon-capturing capabilities of the modified trees. For the trees planted in Georgia and Ohio, they opted for an older technique known as the gene gun method. This method essentially involves blasting foreign genes into the trees’ chromosomes.Usually, researchers developed the greenhouse-tested trees by using a bacterium to integrate foreign DNA into another organism’s genome.
Many critics, such as the environmental group Global Justice Ecology Project, have raised concerns about the genetically altered trees of Living Carbon, calling them “growing threats” to forests. They are alarmed that the federal government allowed the company to avoid regulations, potentially allowing for commercial plantings much sooner than what is typical for engineered plants. The poplars modified using the gene gun method sidestepped certain federal regulations that often delay biotech projects for extended periods (although these regulations have since been revised). By contrast, a group of scientists working on a blight-resistant chestnut tree using the same bacterium method utilized by Living Carbon has been awaiting a decision since 2020.
The potential influence of this innovative approach on global CO2 emissions remains challenging to quantify.Donald Ort (whose plant experiments helped inspire Living Carbon’s technology), said that they have some encouraging results, but he remains cautious about assuming their success in real-world conditions. Steve Strauss, a geneticist at Oregon State University, also aligns with this perspective, emphasizing the need for field data, as greenhouse outcomes may not accurately predict the performance of genetically modified trees outdoors. On other hand many researchers express bullish optimism and believe that just as the introduction of the Flavr Savr tomato introduced in 1994 has transformed the industry, similarly these trees will completely transform the forest industry.
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