Advancing Pennycress (Thlaspi arvense L.) as a Renewable Feedstock: Setting the Stage for Biofuel Success

The development of Thlaspi arvense L. (Field Pennycress; pennycress) as a winter-annual oilseed crop presents a transformative opportunity to integrate cover cropping benefits with renewable energy production. Domesticated pennycress, marketed as CoverCress™ by CoverCress Inc. (CCI), addresses the growing demand for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). This aligns with the Biden administration's SAF Grand Challenge, which targets 1.63 billion liters of SAF annually by 2030 and 100% of U.S. aviation fuel demand by 2050. Pennycress offers the potential to produce up to 2 billion gallons of oil annually while enhancing soil health and avoiding displacement of food crops or ecosystems.
Advances in plant breeding, gene editing, and agronomic management have transformed wild pennycress into a commercial crop with enhanced yield, oil composition, and protein content. Mutations in the tt8 gene have resulted in a thinner, golden seed coat and germination rates exceeding 95%, enabling reliable stand establishment and earlier harvests. Field trials across multiple states confirm these improvements, including increased crude protein content (25% to 30%), reduced acid detergent fiber (40% to 15%), and enhanced oil content (30% to 34%). Pennycress’s off-season integration into existing corn and soybean systems extends the growing season on established croplands, providing economic incentives for adoption while mitigating concerns about its potential as a weed.
Efforts to commercialize pennycress are supported by the USDA-NIFA-funded IPREFER Project ($10 million) and the DOE-funded IPReP Project ($13 million), which focus on overcoming production bottlenecks, improving abiotic stress tolerance, and optimizing post-harvest handling. These projects have established the crop’s viability and scalability, enabling broader adoption across the U.S. Midwest Corn Belt and temperate regions.
Pennycress plays a pivotal role in addressing the aviation industry’s commitment to carbon-neutral growth by providing a sustainable feedstock for SAF production. This unique crop fosters economic opportunities, environmental stewardship, and renewable energy advancements, underscoring its potential to shape a greener future for agriculture and aviation alike.