Optimising development for improved yield quality in the perennial bioenergy crop Miscanthus
Lead Research Organisation:
Aberystwyth University
Department Name: IBERS
Abstract
Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
People |
ORCID iD |
| Paul Robson (Primary Supervisor) |
Publications
Ashman C
(2023)
Improving field establishment and yield in seed propagated Miscanthus through manipulating plug size, sowing date and seedling age.
in Frontiers in plant science
Studentship Projects
| Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BB/M016269/1 | 01/12/2015 | 30/11/2019 | |||
| 1674196 | Studentship | BB/M016269/1 | 01/12/2015 | 30/11/2019 |
| Description | Further improvement of the plug planting knowledge and techniques used by the 'Miscanthus from seed' initiative based at Aberystwyth University and Terravesta Ltd (Lincoln). Analysis into many potential growth enhancement techniques has been done on plugs from germination to seedling growth, and through to field establishment and over wintering survival. Optimal plug growth characteristics for achieving good establishment and a high yield have also been assessed. All results have been taken on board by the growing team, and those options which are commercially scalable have been implemented, such as module size for the plug, growth conditions, compost compaction, and timing of sowing and planting. Further funding has been awarded to the research group, and some of the conclusions reached by this project, will go on to inform ways of best practice for planting Miscanthus plugs both locally in the UK and more internationally, as the business partner Terravesta also have business links across Europe. In addition to this, some steps forward were also made in the area of encouraging the first year plants to senesce the above ground material in time for winter chill, by using foliar spray applications of variable concentrations of liquid ethylene. This will allow further work using liquid ethylene in dose response repeated experiments to verify correct concentrations required, and balance this with the cost of the materials. |
| Exploitation Route | The university Miscanthus department will continue to improve and test plug planting regimes, based on the results gathered in this project. This knowledge will go on to be used at the industrial partner 'Terravesta' who roll out the crop on a large scale to farmers both commercially and experimentally in the UK and more recently in areas including Poland, Moldova, and South Africa. Knowledge acquired here is being put forward into an ongoing 5 year project called 'grace' which focuses on optimizing Miscanthus (and Hemp) value chains. |
| Sectors | Agriculture Food and Drink Energy Environment |
| Description | Findings are being implemented into the best practice plug plant growth protocols at Terravesta, which are in turn being used to inform the large commercial nursery Bell Brothers in Boston (Lincoln) of how best to produce the most effective plug plants for the trials initiated by Terravesta. Mass scale roll out of plug planting is now realizable, and constant refining and improvement as a result of this and ongoing projects will further optimize the commercial value and reliability of seed based Miscanthus hybrid plug plants. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2017 |
| Sector | Education,Energy,Environment |
| Impact Types | Economic |
| Description | Terravesta industrial partner |
| Organisation | Terravesta Ltd |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Work undertaken by myself and the research team at Aberystwyth University has informed Terravesta on new best practice guidelines for producing the best plug plants for their own trials and commercial ventures. The team at Aberystwyth form the scientific knowledge side of the partnership, producing new seeded hybrids, testing and experimenting on the progeny, and furthering the knowledge base of production of good plants. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Terravesta were the largest contributing industrial partner involved in the project, as the project was an iCase award. They contributed both financially and educationally, with some work experience time being undertaken at their offices in Lincoln. They also hosted and organized quarterly meetings for the Innovate UK project 'Miscanthus Upscaling Technology' or 'MUST'. This Innovate UK project was linked to the project in question here educationally but had no financial contribution. |
| Impact | A good relationship has built up between myself and the team at Aberystwyth University, and the company partnership with Terravesta. Plug planting techniques and improvements that came out of the PhD project, are now being used in protocols used by the company, and further collaboration between them and Aberystwyth University has commenced, on the EU project 'GRACE'. |
| Start Year | 2016 |
| Description | End of MUST project finale and farm walk |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Many business partners and land owners involved in or interested in the outcomes of the Miscanthus Upscaling technology project were invited to an open day in the main trial fields, where participants could look at the farming machinery involved, inspect the Miscanthus plots, talk to those involved, and be given multiple presentations about the project conclusions and the intended next steps. This lead to increased networking, interest and the potential for further collaboration further down the line |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Quarterly project meetings with Innovate UK and Terravesta, along with other industrial partners |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | The Miscanthus Upscaling Technology project required quarterly meetings, with all related businesses attending, in order to catch up and present recent findings, financial budgets and next steps. The meetings allowed networking and good relationships to build up between the business partners, many of which are still ongoing in new projects, not related to this one. Dissemination and next steps were an important part of the discussion for getting the business to reach a larger audience, primarily within the farming community, and also the selling of Miscanthus products. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016,2017,2018,2019 |