Abstract:

The proposal complies with the Common Agricultural Policy in the diversification of agriculture in the area of non-food and forage crops. It will lead to wealth-creating opportunities that are environmentally desirable in a number of developing industrial fields. It is designed as a core discovery programme, using proteomics and leading to gene isolation involved in the biosynthesis of cell wall lignins and hemicelluloses in the model species tobacco. The influence of these components on fibre properties and cellulose availability will be determined in modified plants to define the limits to which they can be manipulated beneficially. These deliverabes can be used to direct molecular breeding programmes and genetic modification to improve fibre. They will be extended to the commercial species, poplar, for biomass energy and improved pulping and paper making, maize, for improved forage digestibility, and flax, for improved production of industrial fibre.

Contacts

Coordinator

• Paul BOLWELL / University of London Division of Biochemistry / UNITED KINGDOM

EC Scientific Officer

• Ciarán MANGAN / European Commission - DG Research Quality of Life Programme - Unit B1.2 / BELGIUM

Participant

• Mike BURRELL / Advanced Technologies (Cambridge) Ltd UNITED KINGDOM
• Alain MURIGNEUX / Biogemma FRANCE
• Pedro PUIGDOMENECH / CSIC Departament de Genetica Molecular / SPAIN
• Jean-Paul JOSELEAU / Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CERMAV) FRANCE
• Jens KOSSMANN / Max-Planck-Institut of Molecular Plant Physiology GERMANY
• Alain M BOUDET / Toulouse University/CNRS FRANCE
• Stephen C FRY / University of Edinburgh Institute of Cell and Molecular Biology / UNITED KINGDOM
• University of Gent Department of Plant Systems Biology / BELGIUM
• Wageningen University Experimental Plant Science, Plant Breeding Dept / NETHERLANDS