Towards Oilcane: Fueling the Bioeconomy with Metabolic Engineering and Gene Editing of Sugarcane

The National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS), established in 1990, is among India’s youngest Science Academies. It originates from the vision of the late Dr. B. P. Pal, FRS. The Academy focuses on the broad field of agricultural sciences, including crop farming, animal husbandry, fisheries, agro-forestry, and the interface between agriculture and agro-industry. The Academy’s role is to provide a forum for Agricultural Scientists to deliberate on important issues of agricultural research, education, and extension and present views of the scientific community as policy inputs to planners and decision/opinion makers at various levels. To achieve this, the Academy organizes and supports national and international congresses, conferences, seminars, symposia, workshops, and brainstorming sessions on critical issues in the field of agricultural sciences. The Academy accords recognition to scientists at various levels and encourages cutting-edge research in different areas of agricultural sciences. In 2001, the Academy instituted a scheme of NAAS-TATA Research Fellowships for Young Scientists (with one for the North East Region) with support from the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust. In 2003, the ‘Associateship’ of the Academy was introduced for Young Scientists.

In this upcoming lecture, “Towards Oilcane: Advancing the Bioeconomy through Metabolic Engineering and Gene Editing,” flanked by four distinguished scientists, will explore sugarcane’s transformation into “oilcane”. Sugarcane Long, its sweetness, is on the verge of a paradigm shift. Scientists are reshaping sugarcane’s inherent potential through innovative metabolic engineering and precise gene editing. Consider a world in which sugarcane evolves from a sugar source to a prolific source of biofuels. This lecture explores the possibilities of oilcane, a specialized sugarcane variant that produces sucrose and energy-rich oils. Join in imagining a future in which oil cane reshapes the economy by providing a renewable energy alternative that reduces our carbon footprint.