Grasses are amongst the most important crops worldwide, and the composition of their cell
walls is critical for uses as food, feed, and energy crops. Grass cell walls differ dramatically …

The genus Brachypodium represents a model system that is advancing our knowledge of
the biology of grasses, including small grains, in the postgenomics era. The most widely …

Three subfamilies of grasses, the Ehrhartoideae, Panicoideae and Pooideae, provide the
bulk of human nutrition and are poised to become major sources of renewable energy. Here …

The rhizosphere microbiome is regulated by plant genotype, root exudates and
environment. There is substantial interest in breeding and managing crops that host root …

Plants optimize carbon assimilation while limiting water loss by adjusting stomatal aperture.
In grasses, a developmental innovation—the addition of subsidiary cells (SCs) flanking two …

C4 photosynthesis drives productivity in several major food crops and bioenergy grasses,
including maize (Zea mays), sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum), sorghum (Sorghum …

Root systems develop different root types that individually sense cues from their local
environment and integrate this information with systemic signals. This complex multi …

Model systems not only allow scientists to investigate complex processes that are difficult to
study in nonmodel organisms but also serve to focus community efforts and resources …

Plant genomes are complex and contain large amounts of repetitive DNA including
microsatellites that are distributed across entire genomes. Whole genome sequences of …

Biofuels developed from biomass crops have the potential to supply a significant portion of
our transportation fuel needs. To achieve this potential, however, it will be necessary to …