Plants have long been used for the benefit of humans - useful plants and plant-derived products touch every aspect of our lives. The recent spike in energy prices and our growing awareness of the need to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions have resulted in a renewed interest in plants that can be grown for fuel or biomass production. Modern advances in genome sequencing, plant genetics, transgenesis and cultivation of plant-associated microbes are allowing rapid improvements to be made in crops that have seen little enhancement in the past. Using these methods, SGI is developing high-yielding, more disease resistant and economic plant feedstocks that are supplemented with efficient and environmentally friendly microbes to replace chemical fertilizers and confer disease and stress resistance.