How MISCOMAR goal will be achieved?

To achieve our goal, MISCOMAR focuses on the following objectives:

  1. investigate the field performance of novel, stress tolerant Miscanthus hybrids in comparison to the standard genotype M. x giganteus on two examples of land considered marginal:
    1. due to economic reasons, low grade arable land: high clay content, waterlogged soils in Unterer Lindenhof, Germany and , shallow, stony soils (Aberystwyth)
    2. due to heavy metal contamination: Katowice, Poland,
  2. quantify the impacts of Miscanthus production on soil parameters together with any beneficial effects for soil fertility and crop production ,
  3. identify utilisation options for biomass from novel Miscanthus hybrids and study the impact of varying environmental conditions, e.g. heavy metal contamination, on potential Miscanthus crops end uses,
  4. develop concepts for the integration of Miscanthus into existing landscapes, crop rotations and farming systems, based on data and information generated during the MISCOMAR project and from farmer surveys.

MISCOMAR Test fields

MISCOMAR considers three alternatives as sites for testing the approaches:

  • heavy metal contaminated soils (Katowice),
  • low grade shallow, stony soils (Aberystwyth)
  • high clay content, waterlogged soils (Unterer Lindenhof, Germany)

FACCE SURPLUS (Sustainable and Resilient agriculture for food and non-food systems) European Community BMBF NCBiR DEFRA

The project is implemented under the FACCE SURPLUS ERA-NET Cofund and received funding from NCBIR (Poland), BMBF (Germany) and DEFRA (UK).