How to Make Trees Grow Bigger, Faster in the Face of Climate Change

Scientists have discovered a way to make trees grow bigger and faster which, in the face of climate change, could help increase the supply of renewable resources, according to new research.

"The rate at which trees grow is determined by the rate of cell division in the stem. We have identified two genes that are able to drive cell division in the stem and so override the normal growth pattern," Professor Simon Turner from The University of Manchester, who led the study, explained in a news release.

"Although, this needs be tested in the field," he added, "this discovery paves the way for generating trees that grow more quickly and so will contribute to meeting the needs for increased plant biomass as a renewable source of biofuels, chemicals and materials while minimizing further CO2 release into the atmosphere."

The genes, called PXY and CLE, control the growth of a tree trunk. The researchers decided to manipulate these genes in poplar trees to find out whether they could cause them to grow larger and more quickly than usual. When overexpressed, the genes become more active than normal, causing the trees to grow twice as fast as normal - not to mention they were taller, wider and had more leaves. (Scroll to read on...)