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Optimization of Perennial Grasses for Biomass Production

Objective

OPTIMA will integrate an ambitious biology system approach for perennial grasses such as switchgrass, miscanthus and giant reed in the Mediterranean environment. Moreover the perennial species cardoon, which has been proven to be particularly adapted to the Mediterranean climate, will be used as a control species.
The main objective of the OPTIMA project is to identify high-yielding perennial grasses for the Mediterranean area, within optimized production chain that will provide stable source for both biomass and new plant derived bio-products. OPTIMA will explore the potentialities of perennial grasses on underutilized or abandoned marginal lands.
An interdisciplinary approach involving physiology, biotechnology, and agronomy, socio-economical and environmental analysis at different scale levels will be undertaken with the aim at tackling specific bottlenecks of perennial grasses in the Mediterranean area and to create alternative end-use chains. OPTIMA approach has been to link the research proposed here by including industrial end-users in the project. This should allow the output of this research to develop in a commercial context as rapidly as possible the new findings.
The major goals of this multidisciplinary network are to evaluate the existing genotypes; to characterize and deliver novel species; to deliver sustainable crop management practices (sowing/planting strategies to reduce the use of pesticide and increase biomass on the first year establishment, cultivation under salinity conditions and/or water deficit, reducing losses during harvest); to evaluate the industrial production of bioenergy and added value bio-products; to assess the environmental impact through an integrated assessment of sustainability criteria, to disseminate the achieved findings at different level (local, regional, national, international).

Call for proposal

FP7-KBBE-2011-5
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Coordinator

UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI CATANIA
Address
Piazza Universita 2
95131 Catania
Italy

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Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Administrative Contact
Salvatore Cosentino (Prof.)
EU contribution
€ 297 450

Participants (20)

ALMA MATER STUDIORUM - UNIVERSITA DI BOLOGNA
Italy
EU contribution
€ 251 000
Address
Via Zamboni 33
40126 Bologna

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Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Administrative Contact
Veridana Bandini (Ms.)
CENTRE FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES AND SAVING FONDATION
Greece
EU contribution
€ 277 575
Address
Marathonos 19th Km
19009 Pikermi

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Activity type
Research Organisations
Administrative Contact
Nikolaos Karapanagiotis (Dr.)
FACULDADE DE CIENCIAS E TECNOLOGIADA UNIVERSIDADE NOVA DE LISBOA
Portugal
EU contribution
€ 110 000
Address
Quinta Da Torre
2829 516 Caparica

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Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Administrative Contact
Luis Filipe Gaspar (Dr.)
UNIVERSIDAD POLITECNICA DE MADRID
Spain
EU contribution
€ 149 969
Address
Calle Ramiro De Maeztu 7 Edificio Rectorado
28040 Madrid

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Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Administrative Contact
Gonzalo Leon (Prof.)
IMPERIAL COLLEGE OF SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND MEDICINE
United Kingdom
EU contribution
€ 109 999
Address
South Kensington Campus Exhibition Road
SW7 2AZ London

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Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Administrative Contact
Brooke Alasya (Ms.)
GEOPONIKO PANEPISTIMION ATHINON
Greece
EU contribution
€ 100 039
Address
Iera Odos 75
11855 Athina

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Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Administrative Contact
Peter Soldatos (Prof.)
CONSIGLIO NAZIONALE DELLE RICERCHE
Italy
EU contribution
€ 166 293
Address
Piazzale Aldo Moro 7
00185 Roma

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Activity type
Research Organisations
Administrative Contact
Claudio Porqueddu (Dr.)
UNIVERSITAT DE LES ILLES BALEARS
Spain
EU contribution
€ 120 000
Address
Carretera De Valldemossa Km 7.5
07122 Palma De Mallorca

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Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Administrative Contact
Xavier Garcias Amengual (Dr.)
UNIVERSITAT DE BARCELONA
Spain
EU contribution
€ 140 000
Address
Gran Via De Les Corts Catalanes 585
08007 Barcelona

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Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Administrative Contact
Xavier Gutiérrez (Mr.)
ABERYSTWYTH UNIVERSITY
United Kingdom
EU contribution
€ 129 600
Address
Visualisation Centre Penglais
SY23 3BF Aberystwyth

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Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Administrative Contact
Richard Webster (Dr.)
UNIVERSITY COLLEGE DUBLIN, NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF IRELAND, DUBLIN
Ireland
EU contribution
€ 129 960
Address
Belfield
4 Dublin

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Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Administrative Contact
Donal Doolan (Mr.)
INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY DELHI
India
EU contribution
€ 59 400
Address
Hauz Khas
110 016 New Delhi

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Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Administrative Contact
S.N Singh (Prof.)
Huazhong Agricultural University
China
EU contribution
€ 124 799
Address
Shi-zi-shan Street, Nanhu District 1
430070 Wuhan

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Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Administrative Contact
Jianbing Yan (Dr.)
CONSIGLIO PER LA RICERCA IN AGRICOLTURA E L'ANALISI DELL'ECONOMIA AGRARIA
Italy
EU contribution
€ 50 000
Address
Via Della Navicella 2-4
00184 Roma

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Activity type
Research Organisations
Administrative Contact
Luigi Pari (Dr.)
IFEU - INSTITUT FUR ENERGIE- UND UMWELTFORSCHUNG HEIDELBERG GGMBH
Germany
EU contribution
€ 150 030
Address
Wilckensstrasse 3
69120 Heidelberg

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Activity type
Research Organisations
Administrative Contact
Guido Reinhardt (Dr.)
INSTITUTO DE AGROBIOTECNOLOGIA ROSARIO S.A.
Argentina
EU contribution
€ 140 325
Address
Ocampo 210 Bis Predio Cct Rosario
2000 Rosario

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Activity type
Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments)
Administrative Contact
Fernando Lopez (Prof.)
B.T.G. BIOMASS TECHNOLOGY GROUP BV
Netherlands
EU contribution
€ 120 480
Address
Josink Esweg 34
7545 PN Enschede

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Activity type
Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments)
Administrative Contact
Douwe Van Den Berg (Mr.)
SPAPPERI S.R.L.
Italy
EU contribution
€ 100 000
Address
Zona Artigianale San Secondo
06012 Citta Di Castello Pg

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Activity type
Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments)
Administrative Contact
Simona Spapperi (Dr.)
PRIMUS TALALMANYHASZNOSITO, TERMELO, KERESKEDELMI ES SZOLGALTATO KORLATOLT FELELOSSEGU TARSASAG
Hungary
EU contribution
€ 90 600
Address
Hatvani Utca 25
1201 Budapest

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Activity type
Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments)
Administrative Contact
Szilárd Sándor Varga (Dr.)
TUZETKA
Belgium
EU contribution
€ 180 800
Address
Avenue Reine Astrid 6
1401 Baulers

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Activity type
Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments)
Administrative Contact
Patrick De Jamblinne (Mr.)