De novo assembly, functional annotation, and analysis of the giant reed ( Arundo donax L.) leaf transcriptome provide tools for the development of a biofuel feedstock

Background Arundo donax has attracted renewed interest as a potential candidate energy crop for use in biomass-to-liquid fuel conversion processes and biorefineries. This is due to its high productivity, adaptability to marginal land conditions, and suitability for biofuel and biomaterial production. Despite its importance, the genomic resources currently available for supporting the improvement of this species are still limited.