Water Efficient Sorghum Technologies (WEST) is developing more water-efficient sorghum crops that require less water to produce more biomass. Regular sorghum requires an Olympic-sized swimming pool of water to produce 9 tons of biomass per acre, while WEST sorghum will require 40% less water and produce 27% more biomass (11 tons) on average. Through 2016-2019, with ARPA-E funding, WEST aims to develop sorghum plants with 20% less water demand by engineering genes for reduced water loss and improved crop canopies. After 2019, WEST seeks additional funding to combine these improvements into a single plant that requires 40% less water for a 27% higher yield.

1. WESTWater Efficient Sorghum Technologies
more sorghum for less water

2. Olympic-sized
pools per acre
“We never know
the worth of water
‘til the well is dry.”
Of the less than 1% of fresh water available for human use,
70% is used to feed and fuel us. Each day there are more and
more people who depend on this finite supply. To sustain
future generations, we must find ways to do more with the
water we have.
Water Efficient Sorghum Technologies (WEST) is developing
water-efficient crops that require less water to produce
more biomass that can be converted into bioproducts and
clean-burning biofuels. Today, it takes an Olympic-sized
swimming pool of water to produce nine tons of biomass
per acre of sorghum. WEST sorghum will require 40% less
water and will produce 27% more biomass (about 11 tons),
on average, in areas where sorghum is currently grown.
Thomas Fuller (1654 – 1734)
making every drop count
REGULAR ENERGY
SORGHUM
WATER-EFFICIENT
SORGHUM
produces 9 tons
of biomass
produces 11 tons
of biomass

3. conserves water
boosts yield
increases viable acreage
capitalizes on large market
applies to other crops
Water Efficient Sorghum Technologies (WEST)
is developing water-efficient crops that require
40% less water to produce biomass, ensuring
a productive, resilient, and sustainable
source of bioproducts and biofuels.
Our water-efficient sorghum could increase yields
by nearly 30% (on average) on the 7.9 million
acres where sorghum is currently grown.
WEST sorghum could also be grown in drier areas,
expanding the crop’s growing region further
west without irrigation. With WEST sorghum,
an additional 9.5 million acres of marginal land
(that is currently too dry for economically viable
crop production) could be brought into use for
sustainable bioproduct and biofuel production.
WEST techniques, once proven in sorghum, could
be applied to increase the sustainability and
profitability of other fuel, feed, and food crops
such as corn, sugarcane, and Miscanthus.
According to industry projections, the global
water-efficient crop market is projected to grow to
$200 billion, of which only 6 billion is realized today.
7.3 billion gallons of biofuel could
be produced on 9.5 million acres in
WEST’s expanded growing region.
5.1 billion gallons of biofuel could be produced
through potential yield increases on 7.9 million acres
where sorghum is currently grown.
* The federal Renewable Fuel Standards Mandate (RFS2) requires 36 billion gallons of biofuel by 2022.
could meet at least
34%of the RFS2 mandate.*
WEST
sustainable and profitable
>50%40-50%30-40%20-30%0-20%

4. In each sorghum leaf, photosynthesis
converts carbon dioxide into biomass.
For every molecule of carbon dioxide
taken into the leaf through the stomatal
pores in the leaf surface, 400 molecules of
water are lost to the atmosphere. Recent
increases in atmospheric carbon
dioxide concentrations will allow
WEST to adjust this trade-off.
Plants with fewer stomatal pores
will lose less water without
a decline in carbon dioxide
uptake and productivity.
Reduce the number of microscopic openings
in the leaf that allow water to escape.
Conserve water by promoting photosynthesis
in the humid lower canopy.
The top leaves of the crop canopy capture
the most light, shading lower leaves. The
air at the top of the canopy is also drier,
which causes faster water loss in these
leaves. To conserve water, WEST plants
will have more vertical, paler green leaves
that allow light to reach leaves lower in the
canopy where it is more humid. The higher
humidity limits water loss to the atmosphere
while maintaining photosynthesis.
objectives to realize west
REDUCE WATER LOSS
IMPROVE CROP CANOPY
two targets
for improvement

5. WEST will genetically engineer sorghum
plants with genes for reduced water loss
and improved crop canopies. Genes will
be identified that decrease the number of
stomata and make the crop canopies lighter
green with more vertical leaves. These
genes will then be optimized and expressed
in sorghum leaves. Using novel and rapid
phenotyping methods, WEST will screen
for water use efficiency traits in the field.
Using hundreds of sorghum lines whose
genomes have been sequenced, WEST
will screen for water efficiency in the
field. Genome-wide association studies
will link water-use-efficiency traits with
their underlying genes. Computer models
will select complementary varieties that
interact well with transgenic constructs.
In the end, the best natural and transgenic
inbreds will be crossed to create super
water-efficient sorghum hybrids.
Develop sorghum plants with genes for reduced
water loss and improved crop canopies.
Breed sorghum plants that are naturally more
water efficient to create superior hybrids.
ENGINEER WATER-EFFICIENCY GENES
GENERATE SORGHUM HYBRIDS
two approaches
for success

6. 2016 - 2019
20%LESS WATER
20%LESS WATER
TARGET 1 : Reduce water loss TARGET 2 : Improve crop canopy
REQUIRES REQUIRES
with arpa-e funding
From 2016-2019, with ARPA-E funding,
WEST will realize the project’s two
targets: reduce water loss and improve
the crop canopy. By 2019, each of the
approaches will reduce demand for
water by 20%. These two targets will
be incorporated in plants through two
approaches: engineering water-efficiency
genes and generating sorghum hybrids.
PROCESS:
• Engineer known genes
controlling leaf angle, color,
and stomatal patterning
• Identify natural variation
in water efficiency traits
of diverse sorghum
• Engineer and hybridize
sorghum with promising
genes for targets 1 & 2
• Conduct field trials in
Texas and Illinois
realizing water-efficient sorghum

7. WEST can dramatically
expand sorghum’s horizon
by making this crop a more
productive, resilient, and
sustainable source of biofuels.
2019 -
40%LESS WATER
27%MORE YIELD
Final water-efficient plant for WEST
REQUIRES ON AVERAGE
with additional funding
After 2019, WEST will require additional
funding to combine these two targets
into one super water-efficient plant.The
resulting plant would require 40% less
water to yield 27% more biomass (on
average) which can be converted into
bioproducts and clean-burning biofuels.
Andrew Leakey, WEST Director

8. INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE
OR PARTNERING WITH WEST?
CONTACT:
Ank Michielsen
Project Manager
michiels@illinois.edu
(217) 244-7473
WEST.ILLINOIS.EDU west@igb.illinois.edu
The Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) funds concepts, like WEST, that
industry alone cannot support but whose success would dramatically benefit the nation. Its
high-risk, high-reward programs aim to substantially reduce foreign energy imports, cut
energy-related greenhouse gas emissions, and improve efficiency across the energy spectrum.
@arpaeWEST
TEXAS
FUNDED BY: LED BY:
PARTNERS:
WESTWater Efficient Sorghum Technologies
expanding sorghum’s horizon