The milestones of the project are listed in a table below and the projected timing of deployment of the different deliverables of this project is shown in Figure 2.

No Tasks, Milestones Year 1
Month
Year 2
Month
Year 3
Month
Year 4
Month
Year 5
Month
1-1 Metabolic bottlenecks identified in the most promising transgenic lines using carbon-13 flux measurements.
Strategy designed to overcome the bottlenecks.
     30    
1-2 WRI1 and LEC1 overexpressors produced and oil content analyzed    18      
1-3 Polycomb targets involved in oil accumulation identified  12        
1-4 Polycomb targets for increasing oil accumulation tested in transgenic hybrid aspen      36    
1-5 AGPase downregulated plants generated and analyzed for oil    24      
1-6 Genetic loci and markers underlying oil accumulation in trees identified        48  
2-1 Strategies of xylan deacetylation for bioconversion evaluated based on field experiments        48  
2-2 Mechanism of stress responses elucidated and strategies for xylan side chain manipulation designed      36    
2-3 Stability of xylan backbone manipulation effects on growth and bioconversion evaluated based on field experiments        48  
3-1 Transgenic trees with strong modifications in lignin content of the wood  12        
3-2 Transgenic trees with modified lignin polymer size    24      
3-3 Transgenic trees with modified lignin composition    24      
3-4 Trees superior for biochemical conversion      36    
3-5 Strategies to increase carbon flow to lignocellulose        48  
3-6 Improved genotypes tested in the field conditions          60