“Feeding and Fueling the World from Crops: Will it be Possible by 2050?” by Stephen P. Long

• Event Date: Tuesday, October 27, 2015
• Time: 7:30 pm (CDT)
• Location: Knight Auditorium, Spurlock Museum, 600 S. Gregory St., Urbana, IL
• Cost: Free Admission

• Talk

Part of the Center for Advanced Study Annual Lecture Series

As we look to plants for energy as well as food and feed, demand for major crops is expected to rise 70% by 2050. Yet yield increases from the Green Revolution, a period of agricultural innovation, are stagnating. The Green Revolution’s approaches have reached their biological limits, but photosynthesis—the process of turning light into food—is far below its theoretical effectiveness. Analysis and computer modeling suggest a number of ways the process could be improved, particularly in the context of global atmospheric change. Some of these improvements have already shown promise in field trials. Through bioengineering, we can solve the anticipated shortfall in food, feed and biofuel supply.

This lecture is presented by the Center for Advanced Study (CAS) and is the 25th lecture in this lecture series. The CAS Annual Lecture series offers a rare opportunity for audiences to hear the Center's most distinguished scholars speaking about their work.