MOSCOW, November 7– . Scientists from the Institute of Cytology and Genetics SB RAS are introducing a new exotic crop into Russian agriculture — miscanthus, the press service of the organization reported. According to them, a network of enterprises for the production and processing of this perennial herbaceous plant into cellulose is currently being formed in our country. A pilot plant has been launched and is operating in the Moscow region, a site has been identified in the Novosibirsk region, and an agreement has been reached to create a plant in the Kaliningrad region.
According to the Institute of Cytology and Genetics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, from one hectare of plantations of this plant, an average of up to four tons of cellulose can be obtained for use as raw material in various industries. To obtain the same amount of cellulose from wood is technologically much more difficult and, accordingly, more expensive.
Miscanthus is a genus of perennial (lifespan up to 30 years), herbaceous plants, found in the wild in Australia, Asia and Africa. In Russia, in the south of the Primorsky Territory, the species of Chinese miscanthus (Miscanthus sinensis) grows, also common in China, Korea and Japan.
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In 2012, the Institute of Cytology and Genetics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences bred, patented and registered the first cultivar of miscanthus in Russia, “Soranovsky”. It is able to feel comfortable in the Russian climate and annually produce a harvest of dry plant mass with a rich content of substances valuable for industry, reported the Institute of Cytology and Genetics.
In 2020, with the participation of an industrial partner, a trial plantation was sown and a pilot production line for cellulose production was launched in the Moscow region.
As reported by the Institute of Cytology and Genetics SB RAS, the industrial partner of the Institute has now launched the production of biodegradable tableware from cellulose obtained by processing miscanthus. Technologies are being developed for the production of biodegradable packaging materials, cellulose fiber for the textile industry, as well as the processing of cellulose fiber into carbon fiber, which is widely in demand in modern composite materials.
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“The Institute of Cytology and Genetics continues to develop technologies for growing this crop. As interest in it grows in different regions of Russia, we are faced with the task of creating the “Soranovskiy” variety based on miscanthus. a large line of varieties adapted to different climatic conditions and different purposes for further processing,” said Peter Kutsenogiy, Deputy Director of the Institute of Cytology and Genetics SB RAS for innovation activities.
Thus, according to specialists from the Institute of Cytology and Genetics SB RAS, we can talk about introducing a new crop into Russian agriculture — miscanthus variety «Soranovsky» and forming a network of enterprises for the production of cellulose from it.
It is planned that these plants will produce 10 thousand tons of products per year. Moreover, each enterprise will specialize in its own type of miscanthus pulp processing product. The plant in the Moscow region currently retains the character of a pilot production, where technologies for other sites will be tested, but in the future a large production facility will also be created there, the first of the planned series, reported the Institute of Cytology and Genetics SB RAS.