Genetically engineered ‘super wood’ absorbs more carbon and reduces emissions

It can also offer more sustainable, durable and cost-effective alternative to traditional building materials

File. Poplar trees in Nailloux near Toulouse, France (AFP via Getty)

Scientists have developed a new method for producing a “super wood” that stores more carbon and reduces emissions, thanks to a groundbreaking genetic modification.

The modified wood could also offer a more sustainable, durable and cost-effective alternative to traditional building materials.

Researchers at the University of Maryland genetically modified poplar trees to lower their lignin content by 12.8 per cent. Lignin is a key component that makes wood durable but complicates its processing.

By reducing lignin, the wood can be directly used for high-strength applications without chemical treatment. This not only simplifies the production process but increases the wood’s ability to store carbon, researchers said in a study published in the journal Matter on Monday.

“Our method not only reduces chemical waste and energy consumption, but also improves the wood’s carbon storage capabilities, which is crucial for mitigating climate change,” Prof Yiping Qi, one of the researchers, said.

The genetically modified wood resists decay better, allowing it to store carbon for a longer time. This means less carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere, contributing to a reduction in overall carbon emissions.

Traditional wood, often processed with chemicals, tends to deteriorate quickly.

In addition to its carbon storage benefits, the new method reduces emissions associated with wood processing, researchers said.

Traditional wood needs significant energy and chemical inputs, which result in greenhouse gas emissions and chemical waste. The new approach eliminates these processes, making production of high-performance wood more environment friendly.

Researchers tested their genetically modified poplars alongside unmodified ones in a greenhouse for six months and found no significant differences in growth or health. They then produced compressed wood samples from the modified trees that are used in furniture and construction.

This compressed wood performed just as well as chemically treated wood, being more than 1.5 times stronger than untreated wood and as strong as aluminium alloy 6061, a material commonly used in various engineering and construction applications.

Poplar trees, known for rapid growth and widely used in the timber and paper industries, have been genetically modified by other researchers in the past.

In 2023, Living Carbon, a San Francisco-based biotechnology company, planted the first batch of genetically modified poplars in the United States outside of a research trial or a commercial fruit orchard.