OPTIMISC

Status
abgeschlossen
Projektbeginn
01.10.2011
Projektende
31.03.2016
Förderkennzeichen
EU-Projekt
Schlagworte
Abiotischer Stress, Biomasse, Genotypen, Miscanthus, Streßresistenz
Beschreibung

Miscanthus is a C4 perennial rhizomatous grass originating from Eastern Asia that has become a leading candidate crop for production of lignocellulosic feedstocks due to its rapid biomass accumulation in temperate climates. There is currently a single commercial clone, M. x giganteus which has a number of limitations. Research over the past 20 years has shown that a few key species and their interspecific hybrids have a high yield potential whilst requiring low inputs. Partners within this consortium have been working with these species for many years and are able to supply diverse and promising germplasm to form the basis of this project.

 

The overall objective of this project is to optimize the miscanthus bioenergy and biopoduct chain by: trialling elite germplasm types over a range of sites across Europe, Ukraine and Russia; analysing the key traits that currently limit the potential of miscanthus; identifying high-value bioproducts; and modelling the combined results to provide recommendations to policy makers, growers and industry. The outcomes of the project will include screened germplasm and knowledge which will provide solutions to key existing bottlenecks. The plants used in these studies will be propagated through tissue culture or through seeds to generate sufficient homogenous plantlets (WP2) for experiments and trials on laboratory, agronomic plot and near-commercial scales. The specific topics tackled in these trials are (1) dissection of the traits underpinning tolerance to the abiotic stresses drought, salinity, cold and freezing (WP3), (2) yield and quality in a wide range of environments, taking into consideration traits such as senescence, nutrient re-cycling and nutrient-use efficiency (WP4), (3) process-ability of biomass to convenient fuel formats (WP5) and added-value products (WP6).

 

Data gathered in WPs 3-6 will be integrated through the development of modelling parameters needed to build up life-cycle analysis models and other decision support tools to identify optimum production scenarios in the EU, Ukraine and Russia (WP7). Recommendations will be provided to miscanthus developers on appropriate genotype selection, propagation and processing methods to maximize the environmental, economic and social benefits. The development of the full potential of miscanthus through OPTIMISC will contribute to Europe’s transition to a sustainable biobased economy.

Beteiligte Einrichtungen

No

Partner

Country

Status

Involvement project

Abbreviation

1

University of Hohenheim

Germany

University

Co-ordinator

UHOH

2

Aberystwyth University

UK

University

Project Partner

IBERS

3

Wageningen University

NL

University

Project Partner

WU

4

Plant Research International

NL

Research Institute

Project Partner

DLO

5

Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research (ILVO)

Belgium

Research Institute

Project Partner

ILVO

6

Blankney Estates

UK

SME

Project Partner

Blankney

7

Kai Schwarz

Germany

SME / natural person

Project Partner

Schwarz

8

ANNA

Germany

SME

Project Partner

ANNA

9

Dongying Agricultural Institute

China

Research Institute

Project Partner

Dongying

10

Cukurova University Adana

Turkey

University

Project Partner

CU

11

Agricultural University Moscow

Russia

University

Project Partner

RSAU

12

German Agrarian Centre

Ukraine

 

Project Partner

DAZ

 

Beteiligte Personen

Beteiligte Einrichtungen

Publikationen im Rahmen des Projekts