Melivora_capensis

In your opinion, what is the most useful trait that could be transferred (feasibly) from one species to another?

This may not be your field exactly, but what's preventing people like Craig Venter from efficiently producing biofuels from modified algae? I heard that he had essentially given up on modifying algae, deciding instead to attempt synthetic oil-producing organisms.

Subquestion: I've heard about the possibility of modifying plants to produce pigments that absorb wavelengths other than those absorbed by chlorophyll a and b to make super-efficient black plants. Is this a real possibility? What would be the major obstacles to overcome? Or is it completely ridiculous?