By Scout Nelson
Kansas State University is set to welcome Ratan Chopra, Vice President of Research at CoverCress, Inc., to deliver the 37th annual Elmer G. Heyne Crop Science Lecture. Scheduled for April 9 at 3:30 p.m. in the Throckmorton Plant Sciences Center, Chopra's talk will shine a light on the promising development of field pennycress into a biofuel feedstock.
Founded in 2013, St. Louis-based CoverCress, Inc. aims to harness field pennycress, traditionally viewed as a nuisance weed, for its high oil content. The company's efforts focus on creating a climate-smart agriculture product that not only offers an additional revenue stream for farmers but also contributes to carbon sequestration and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
The United States is witnessing a burgeoning interest in the renewable diesel economy, with production capacity expected to reach nearly 6 billion gallons by 2025. Field pennycress is being evaluated for its potential to meet the increasing demand for oilseed feedstocks, particularly in Kansas cropping systems and Midwest corn-soybean rotations.
Chopra will detail the journey of CoverCress from concept to field, including the advanced breeding and genomic tools instrumental in the plant's development. This lecture, open to the public, honors the legacy of Dr. Elmer G. Heyne, a pioneer in wheat breeding whose work at K-State’s Department of Agronomy led to the release of numerous crop varieties.
"Dr. Heyne was a wheat breeding pioneer in his time," said Mike Stamm, K-State canola breeder and chair of the Elmer G. Heyne lecture committee, highlighting the relevance of Chopra’s topic to Heyne's groundbreaking contributions to agronomy and crop science.
This event promises to provide valuable insights into the role of innovative crop science in supporting sustainable agricultural practices and the future of renewable energy.
Photo Credit -kansas-state-university
Categories: Kansas, Crops, Education, Energy