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AIR2-CT92-1089
Cynara cardunculus L. as New Crop for Marginal and Set-Aside Lands
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Contacts
Further Information
To find similar Items, click on a keyword below:
AIR Cluster I - Biomass Production
:
Electricity
:
Fibre
:
Paper/Pulp
:
Plant Genetics
:
Pulping
:
Solid Biofuels
:
Thermochemical Conversion
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Contract No |
AIR2-CT92-1089 |
| Total Cost |
837 240 |
| EC Contribution |
595 000 |
| Start Date |
01/10/1993 |
| Duration |
38 months |
OBJECTIVE :
Cynara cardunculus L. is a perennial plant perfectly adapted to the arid
land of the south of Europe. Biomass productivity is rather high, 20-30 tons dry matter per ha.
In this project, the
following items are considered:
- Dry biomass production in typical set-aside lands of 5 different
countries of the south of Europe (France, Greece, Italy, Portugal
and Spain) taking into account different culture conditions.
- Green forage and dry biomass harvesting tests.
- Soil-plant water relations study including the determination
of the WUE (water use efficiency).
- Genotype collection from commercial cultivars and wild populations
and estimation of their potential productivity.
- Green forage production during Autumn and Winter season and its
influence on final biomass production. A specific study of ruminant
nutrition will be carried out in order to evaluate the nutritive
value of this forage. Yields on the order of 50 t/ha of green
forage would be expected.
- Paper pulp production from branches and stalks after 3 different
methods:
- Classical kraft procedure to be realized in Portugal.
- ASAM procedure to be realized in Germany.
- In-situ soda generation procedure from lime and sodium carbonate
precursors to be realized in France.
- Biomass transformation yields into heat or electricity by means of IMW
AFBC (Atmospheric Fluidized Bed Combustor) with information about the emission
gases and volatile hydrocarbons. An optimization study of the pretreatments and
fluidization capacity of this solid fuel will be included.
Considering the whole production-transformation as an integrated system its components
impact on environment will be studied, mainly with regard to mineral nutrients, soil organic
matter and carbon dioxide balance.
Finally, a feasibility study of the mentioned systems (production-transformation) will be done,
and possible cost levels will be estimated for every product from Cyanara cardunculus
biomass.
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Cynara cardunculus L- detail of the capitula at the end of the
development cycle |
Contacts
Coordinator
EC Scientific Officer
Participant
