This discovery paves the way for generating trees that grow more quickly and so will contribute to meeting the needs for increased plant biomass as a renewable source of biofuels, chemicals and materials while minimising further CO2 release into the atmosphere.The genes, called PXY and CLE, control the growth of a tree trunk. When overexpressed, the trees grew twice as fast as normal and were taller, wider and had more leaves.The discovery could help plants deal with the environmental consequences of climate change. Professor Turner adds: "Our work offers the possibility we may be able to maintain a fast growth rate even in the face of adverse and changeable environmental conditions that all plants are likely to be faced with.”