Debra Mohnen, professor of biochemistry and molecular biology, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, and a member of UGA’s Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, has determined that certain manipulations of a specific group of plant genes significantly alter growth and biomass recalcitrance. Work by Mohnen’s group shows that not only do these modifications cause plants to grow faster, taller and wider than their wild-type counterparts, they also make it easier to process plant material into biofuels and biomaterials, and increase the availability of simple sugars from plant matter to fermentation processes. This work is part of a larger group of patent-pending inventions by Mohnen’s group leading to increase in biomass yield and usefulness to the biotechnology industry. This work was funded by the U.S. Department of Energy through the BioEnergy Science Center, a partnership of Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the University of Georgia and other university and industry partners. The technology is the subject of a commercial partnership with company in the plant biotechnology sector.