SWEETFUEL aims to breed sweet sorghum varieties better adapted to temperate region and semi arid tropics, for bio-ethanol production. To attain that goal, SWEETFUEL includes a major breeding effort, split into 3 work packages according to target environments and production systems.
The general objective of this WP is to develop sorghum hybrids optimised for yield and composition of biomass and better adapted to temperate environments. Improved sorghum hybrids have the potential to benefit farmers and agro-industries and contribute to a future sustainable energy supply in Europe.
The general objective of this WP is to develop new lines or hybrids of sweet sorghum with
The general objective of this WP is to develop new lines or hybrids of sweet sorghum with
Breeding support is provided by 2 other WPs:
This WP identifies useful traits in sweet sorghums for bio-ethanol production, and characterizes their physiological and genetic basis. It evaluates phenotypic expression of such traits (alone and in combination) and develops ideotype concepts as targets for breeding.
The overall objective of WP5 is to understand the agronomic determinants of optimized yield in sweet sorghum, evaluate material used and produced on the basis of agronomic traits, and develop a sweet sorghum model. Field evaluation, growth chambers and laboratory tests will be used to identify major yield constraints and diagnostic trait linked to the yield. Parameters as water consumption, nutrient uptake, time and energy consumption of harvest and field operation will be collected and sent to the partners in charge of environmental and economic assessments.
Based on the technologies generated by WP1 to 5 (new varieties, choice of appropriate cultural practices and harvest technologies), a global assessment of the resulting, bio-ethanol based commodity chains, organizational requirements and best choices of transformation technologies in full consideration of the targeted, socio-economic and bio-physical environments will be performed .
The activities in WP6 will provide a multicriteria evaluation of the sustainability of sweet sorghum production and use routes taking into account technological, environmental, economic and social aspects.
This integrated assessment of sustainability will generate optimized sweet sorghum production and use systems.
Project results (seed/genotypes, recommended practices and concepts for commodity chain development) generated by SWEETFUEL will be transferred to stakeholders (farmers, farmers' organizations, NARS, agro-industries, policy makers).
The objective of work package 7 is to disseminate project activities and results among stakeholders.
This work package will actively promote the exchanges between RTD experts, stakeholders and key actors.
The project is coordinated by CIRAD.
Activities of this WP include :
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