Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, and Biotechnology Guide for Applicants: Collaborative projects
FP7-KBBE-2007-2A
COLLABORATIVE PROJECTS
Section A1: SummaryProposal Acronym / CORNETHANOL CORNETHANOL BREEDING
Collaborative Projects / Large Scale Collaborative Projects
Proposal Title / Identifying Genotypes for Maize Hybrids for higher starch ethanol in EU-Med Countries
Duration in month / 48
Call (part) identifier / FP7-KBBE-2007-2A
Activity code(s) most relevant to your topic / 1005 / Maize (corn)
Free
Keywords / Maize Breeding, maize ethanol, biofuel, plant breeding for ethanol, fermentablity of starch in maize
Abstract / Bioethanol production will be a major new source of regenerable energy supply in the future. Maize is the crop which contains in the grain the highest content of starch of all crops usable to extract ethanol. Starch is the major raw material for efficient ethanol extraction.
Content of extractable and fermentable starch in existing corn hybrids are varying and reflects the ethanol yields (output) from 250 liter to 380 liter from one ton dry corn in industrial processes, that means almost 34% production difference
Screening of all available commercial and pre-commercial parent inbreeds of hybrids to identify their starch concentration in the grain, its heritability, and studies about how this character will be expressed in hybrids
In this respect USA is far ahead in spite of existing petrol’s sources compare to EU. Therefore, EU must find out new solutions not to be behind of USA. So far, there is no any registered corn hybrids suitable for ethanol production in EU.
All of Seed companies are working hard in order to have such varieties with high yield and ethanol content for different ecologies. Such specific targets need multidisciplinary and collaboration research work to find suitable genotypes worldwide. Starch ethanol will be the main focus in this proposal. Multiple location field trials is necessitating to collaborate in such project, especially to find out the “genetic * environment” interaction.
It is very obvious that Ethanol production will be a very important strategic issue in the near future. That is the main reason why more than hundred new cultivars have been released in USA and numbers of genetical studies are on the way including GMO’s.
Molecular screening will be undertaken for allelic variation in the accessions for candidate genes of the involved starch and other carbohydrate synthesis pathways, besides agronomic performances like grain yield, disease and insect reactions and some quality characters to be observed..
Similar proposals or
Signed contracts / none
Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, and Biotechnology Guide for Applicants: Collaborative projects
FP7-KBBE-2007-2A
Section A2/ Participants (Only the coordinator should complete this section at stage 1 of a 2-stage process)Participant
Number / 1
Participant
Identity Code / Not applicable to this call.
Legal name / Mr Nazimi ACIKGOZ
Organisation
Short Name / Ege Unversity
Legal address / Ege Universitesi Ziraat Fakültesi Tarla Bitkileri Bolumu
35100 Bornova Turkey
Non-profit
Organization / Yes
Public body / Yes
Research
organization / Yes
NACE code / 2310
Small and
Medium-Sized / No
Enterprises
(SMEs) / No
Dependencies with (an) other participant(s) / No
Character of
Dependence / No
Contact point / http://nazimiacikgoz.ziraatforum.com/ ,
Title / Prof. Dr.
Sex / M
Phone and fax
numbers / Home: 0090 232 388 71 43; Mobile: 0090 532 375 66 31;
Office: 0090 232 388 40 00 / 2640; Fax: 0090 232 339 43 04
Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, and Biotechnology Guide for Applicants: FP7-KBBE-2007-2A
Proposal full title: GENETIC IMPROVEMENT OF MAIZE HYBRIDS FOR HIGHER STARCH – CELLULOSE ETHANOL PRODUCTION FOR EU - MEDITERRANEAN COUNTRIES
Proposal acronym: CORNETHANOL
Type of funding scheme: Collaborative Project: Large-scale integrating project
Work programme topics addressed:
No[1] / Work package titleWP1 / Coordination and Scientific Evaluation
WP2 / Menegment
WP3 / Micro (single kernel) Analyzes
WP4 / Composing, Crossing & Improving Germplasm
WP5 / Advanced Field testing - Micro trials
WP6 / Advanced Field testing - Macro trials
WP7 / Mass Production
WP8 / Molecular Genetic
WP9 / Fermentation and Processing
Name of the coordinating person: Mr Nazimi ACIKGOZ
List of participants:
Participant no. * / Participant organisation name / Country1 / Ege University Faculty of Agriculture – Izmir / Turkey
2 / POLEN Tohumculuk ve tarim urunleri San. Tic. Ski / Turkey
3 / H&P Services Gmbh Ludwigshafen / Germany
4 / REPROS srl. ALONTE (VI) / Italy
5 / NEIKER - Department of Biotechnology Vitoria / Spain
6 / Global Seed Genetics Int. Naucalpan / Mexico
7 / Ege University Faculty of Engeenering – Izmir / Turkey
* At Stage 1, please present as comprehensively as possible the expected participation in the proposal. If a particular expected participant remains as yet unknown, please use the Participant name column to indicate the type of participant (e.g. SME end-user, Multi-national industrial, etc.).
At Stage 2, please use the same participant numbering as that used in section A2 of the administrative forms
Table of Contents
1. Proposal
1.1 Concept and objectives
1.2 Progress beyond the stat-of-the-art
1.3 S/T methodology and associated work plan
1.3 a: Work package list
1.3 b: Deliverables List
1.3 c: Work package description
1.3 d Summary of staff effort
1.3 e List of milestones
2. Implementation
2.1 Management structure and procedures
2.2 Individual participants
2.3 Consortium as a whole
2.4 Resources to be committed
3. Impact
3.1 Expected impacts listed in the work programme
3.2 Dissemination and/or exploitation of project results, and management of intellectual property
4. Ethical Issues
5. Consideration of gender aspects
6. Budget
Proposal
1: Scientific and/or technical quality, relevant to the topics addressed by the call
1.1 Concept and objectives
Explain the concept of your project. What are the main ideas that led you to propose this work?
Describe in detail the S&T objectives. Show how they relate to the topics addressed by the call. The objectives should be those achievable within the project, not through subsequent development. They should be stated in a measurable and verifiable form, including through the milestones that will be indicated under section 1.3 below.
European competitiveness, climate change and security of energy are the main drivers to seek new approaches to the energy systems. Europe is aware of necessity to re-evaluate its energy future. Within this framework the European Commission has proposed to develop in 2007 a “'European Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET-Plan)”. The Commissions targets by 2020: to increase Energy Efficiency by 20%; and to increase the market share of Renewable Energy Sources to 20%.
In connection with this, they are targeting to add some crops into the list of energy feedstock. In temperate regions maize is the most promising ethanol source. Observing the Figure (1) on world bio fuel production, we can assume that EU is fall far behind to Brazil and USA. For recovery, EU has to take immediate measures. One of the first attempt should be research. Because a sustainable production can be secured with own feedstock and this base new material coming from S&T results.
EU has accepted numbers of legislative measurements for biofuel, It is also estimated that, if member states are to meet recommendations of the EU Biofuel Directive for 2010 from home supplies, grain production must increase by 20 million tones (~15%). This means significantly decreases the EU fossil fuel import dependence. Biofuel are produced using sustainable and innovative technologies; these create opportunities for biomass providers, biofuel producers and the automotive industry. The current production of liquid biofuel in the EU 25 is about 2 Mtoe, which is less than 1% of the market. Although there have been marked increases in production and use in recent years, the market share is at risk of failing the EU policy target for 2010 of 18 Mtoe used in the transport sector.
It is estimated that between 4 and 18% of the total agricultural land in the EU would be needed to produce the amount of biofuel to reach the level of liquid fossil fuel replacement required for the transport sector in the Directive 2003/30/EC. Furthermore, biofuel can contribute to the EU’s objectives of securing the EU fuel supply while improving the greenhouse gas balance and fostering the development of a competitive European (biofuel and other) industry. An ambitious and achievable vision for 2030 is that up to one quarter of the EU’s transport fuel needs could be met by clean and CO2-efficient biofuel. A substantial part will be provided by a competitive European industry, using a wide range of biomass resources, based on sustainable and innovative technologies.
EU has limited chance to increase ethanol production with existing growing areas. On the other hand to the only way increase ethanol yield from maize planted area to develop high ethanol content corn hybrids. We observe this respect in USA is doing enormous attacks. Although, there is not any registered corn hybrids in EU for the ethanol content but numbers of corn varieties are registered in USA:
v Seed and biotechnology companies see a big new opportunity in developing corn and other crops tailored for use in ethanol and other biofuel,
v In the USA a new released corn variety with higher ethanol content the “Processor Preferred” hybrids are characterized and selected to meet both grower and processor needs. (Processor Preferred High Fermentable Corn (HFC),
v Another seed company hopes in 2008 to begin selling a genetically engineered corn designed to help convert itself into ethanol. Each kernel of this self-processing corn contains an enzyme that must otherwise be added separately at the ethanol factory,
v Some of the work will not necessarily involve genetic engineering. Notably, Monsanto, the leader by far in crop biotechnology, says that its biofuel development will focus on conventional breeding, which it says is quicker,
v Monsanto has tested its existing corn varieties to determine which ones are better for ethanol production. Pioneer Hi-Bred International, the DuPont subsidiary that is Monsanto’s rival in the corn-seed business, is doing the same.
The companies say that the designated varieties, which have higher fermentable starch content, can increase ethanol production 2 to 5 percent over other corn. Variation of %starch and extractable %starch content shown in Figure 2 proves that the targeted goal is achievable.
Such an approach is an imperative element to build a European Knowledge Based Bio-Economy. On the other hand it is a challenge towards the decreasing natural sources like land, water etc. So biofuel production should be considered as an eco-efficient approach. In this issue, competitiveness of EU with USA and other giant economies should not to take into consideration. Therefore bringing together all relevant stakeholders for new, safer, sustainable, affordable, eco-efficient and competitive products need multidisciplinary and collaboration research works.
To find out suitable corn genotypes need original germplasm, expert selection, high technologic crossing systems, well designed breeding strategy, to conduct multi location field trials, sophisticated single kernel analyzes, advanced laboratories for extractable and fermentable starch analysis. This is only possible with enabling research on the key long term drivers of sustainable production and management of biological resources like exploitation of biodiversity within biological systems. Research will include molecular technology and its integration within system biology approaches as well as the development of basic tools and technologies, including relevant databases and methodologies for identifying varieties within species groups.”
A report one of industrial processes has stated that the ethanol yield is varying from 250 liter to 380 liter from one ton grain corn depending hybrids and location. That means almost 34% production difference. Therefore processing of the most ethanol yielding varieties is a very important economic issue in ethanol business.
On the other hand, the rest of the kernel, after ethanol extraction is used to dry distiller’s grain and soluble (DDGS) for feed purposes. It is obvious that this feed would be like original feedstock. That means, USA grown GMO corn would produce GMO feed, which is not desirable for EU. So, EU has to improve its own Maıze HYBRIDS. But such an attempt is very costly; and needs international research cooperation not only within EU, also with Mexico, where is the origin center of maize.
Key words at call FP7-KBBE-1-1-03 level
Development of genetic systems for crop improvement through systems biology approach (title of the call line).
To delineate the molecular basis for genetic systems underpinning crop improvement and innovative agricultural practices.
To pre-select and justify the choice of the basic biological process or processes to study in model species using a systems biology approach, (comments YB: and not only maize ethanol improvement description)
Which may (comments YB: which means should) include among others, heterosis, recombination, ploidy control, perennialty, parthenocarpy and apomixis.
In this context the objectives of the project are to determine maize genotypes for high starch content maize hybrids to supply the need of ethanol for increasing demand of biofuel in Europe through conventional and biotechnological methods.
Bu projenin amacı Avrupa’nın artan biofuel gereksinimin kapatılmasında gereksinim duyulan ethanolün karşılanması için yüksek nişasta içerikli mısır hibritlerini verecek genotiplerin klasik ve biyoteknolojik yöntemlerle belirlenmesi, hangi ekoloji için hangi genotipin uygun olduğunun saptanmasıdır.
The objectives of this project are to determine the maize genotypes for high starch content maize hybrids, which will be used to supply the ethanol needed to cover Europe’s increasing demand for biofuel, through conventional and biotechnological procedures, and to identify the right combination of genotype and ecology.
1.2 Progress beyond the stat-of-the-art
Describe the state-of-the-art in the area concerned, and the advance that the proposed project would bring about. If applicable, refer to the results of any patent search you might have carried out.
Breeding corn hybrids with high ethanol content is a sophisticated issue. Starting from finding out suitable corn genotypes need to get contact with original germplasm from Mexico. Crossing and selection technique need an excellent work for success, which needs a brilliantly designed breeding strategy. In this respect molecular screening will step in for allelic variation in the accessions for candidate genes of the involved starch and other carbohydrate synthesis pathways. As, one of the partner working on specific breeding targets on rice (N.Açıkgöz. ve M.N. Gevrek : TOAG92: a short-duration rice cultivar for Turkey. International Rice Research Notes. (Vol 21:NO:2-3 p:59) 1996. IRRI) proves that some basic studies on management of biological resources within biological systems may lead to knowledge based Bio-products, especially with use of existing biodiversity.