FP7 KBBE-2011-5-CP-CSA [Perennial grasses: optimising biomass production – SICA]. Grant agreement no. °289159.

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 OPTIMISC consortium have been working with these species for many years and supplied diverse and promising germplasm to form the basis of this project.

The overall objective of OPTIMISC was to optimize the miscanthus bioenergy and biopoduct chain by:

• trialling elite germplasm types over a range of sites across Europe, Ukraine and Russia (location of the OPTIMISC field trials);
• analyzing the key traits that currently limit the potential of miscanthus;
• identifying high-value bioproducts;
• modelling the combined results to provide recommendations to policy makers, growers and industry.

The outcomes of the project include screened germplasm and knowledge which will provide solutions to key existing bottlenecks. The plants used in these studies were propagated through tissue culture or through seeds to generate sufficient homogenous plantlets for experiments and trials on laboratory, agronomic plot and near-commercial scales.

 The specific topics tackled in these trials were:

• dissection of the traits underpinning tolerance to the abiotic stresses drought, salinity, cold and freezing;
• yield and quality in a wide range of environments, taking into consideration traits such as senescence, nutrient re-cycling and nutrient-use efficiency;
• process-ability of biomass to convenient fuel formats and added-value products.

Data gathered in OPTIMISC experiments were 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 European Union, Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and China. Recommendations were 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 contributes to Europe’s transition to a sustainable biobased economy.