A new study develops a roadmap for scientists showing how genetic changes can affect how much oil a plant can produce.

Arabidopsis may seem like a simple plant, but at the University of Missouri, plant biochemist Jay Thelen is using it as a powerful model to explore ways to boost oil production — an important step toward creating more sustainable, plant-based energy sources.

To meet the increasing global demand for biofuels, scientists are already modifying plant genes to boost the amount of plant oil being produced. That’s because inside the plant, a complex network of metabolic pathways turns sunlight, carbon dioxide (or atmospheric carbon), water and nutrients into vital compounds including oil, the foundational ingredient of biofuel.

Genes give instructions to enzymes, and, in turn, those enzymes help control the plant’s metabolic pathways. But we are only beginning to understand how modifying these genes to produce more oil affects the plant’s other metabolic pathways, which are all interconnected.

In their new study, Thelen and his colleagues have charted how plant metabolism responds to these genetic changes. Their findings will provide fellow scientists with clues for how to tweak a plant’s oil production to create the maximum amount of biofuel.

Vice Chancellor and Dean Daubert leads international food science and technology event.

Michael Byrne contributes shark tracking data to one of the largest marine telemetry analyses ever assembled.

Participants can learn about the latest in agricultural research and real-world applications.

Six awardees were granted $2,000 each to support dissertation research projects.

CAFNR faculty members have received the following recent grants (listed by Principal Investigator):

Allison Pease, GRRI CESU – Leadership, Coordination, and Administrative Oversight for the Great Rivers Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, National Park Service, 9/15/25-9/14/26, $35,000

Noel Aloysius, Missouri River Basin Monitoring and Modeling and Development of Engineering Tools, Standards, Decision Support Tools, Agricultural Research Service, 7/1/25-6/30/26, $1,012,500

John Kabrick, Applying biochar and subsoiling treatments to soils in log landings to mitigate compaction and increase productivity, Society of American Foresters, 6/16/25-12/31/25, $1,475

Zipei Zhang, Assisting Specialty Crop Exports, Sustainable Packaging Innovation Lab (ASCE-SPIL), Clemson University (Foreign Agricultural Service), 5/1/25-5/31/26, $117,172

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LinkedIn: Mizzou College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources and Shibu Jose, Associate Dean of Research

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