Perennial biomass cropping and use: Shaping the policy ecosystem in European countries

Demand for sustainably produced biomass is expected to increase with the need to provide renewable commodities, improve resource security and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with COP26 commitments. Studies have demonstrated additional environmental benefits of using perennial biomass crops (PBCs), when produced appropriately, as a feedstock for the growing bioeconomy, including utilisation for bioenergy (with or without carbon capture and storage). PBCs can potentially contribute to Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) (2023–27) objectives provided they are carefully integrated into farming systems and landscapes. Despite significant research and development (R&D) investment over decades in herbaceous and coppiced woody PBCs, deployment has largely stagnated due to social, economic and policy uncertainties. This paper identifies the challenges in creating policies that are acceptable to all actors. Development will need to be informed by measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) of greenhouse gas emissions reductions and other environmental, economic and social metrics. It discusses interlinked issues that must be considered in the expansion of PBC production: (i) available land; (ii) yield potential; (iii) integration into farming systems; (iv) R&D requirements; (v) utilisation options; and (vi) market systems and the socio-economic environment. It makes policy recommendations that would enable greater PBC deployment: (1) incentivise farmers and land managers through specific policy measures, including carbon pricing, to allocate their less productive and less profitable land for uses which deliver demonstrable greenhouse gas reductions; (2) enable greenhouse gas mitigation markets to develop and offer secure contracts for commercial developers of verifiable low-carbon bioenergy and bioproducts; (3) support innovation in biomass utilisation value chains; and (4) continue long-term, strategic R&D and education for positive environmental, economic and social sustainability impacts.     

Spring emergence and canopy development strategies in miscanthus hybrids in Mediterranean,continental and maritime European climates

Due to its versatility and storability, biomass is an important resource for renewable materials and energy. Miscanthus hybrids combine high yield potential, low input demand, tolerance of certain marginal land types and several ecosystem benefits. To date, miscanthus breeding has focussed on increasing yield potential by maximising radiation interception through: (1) selection for early emergence, (2) increasing the growth rate to reach canopy closure as fast as possible, and (3) delayed flowering and senescence. The objective of this study is to compare early season re-growth in miscanthus hybrids cultivated across Europe. Determination of differences in early canopy development on end-of-year yield traits is required to provide information for breeding decisions to improve future crop performance. For this purpose, a trial was planted with four miscanthus hybrids (two novel seed-based hybrids M. sinensis × sinensis [M sin × sin] and M. sacchariflorus × sinensis [M sac × sin], a novel rhizome-based M sac × sin and a standard Miscanthus × giganteus [M × g] clone) in the UK, Germany, Croatia and Italy, and was monitored in the third and fourth growing season. We determined differences between the hybrids in base temperature, frost sensitivity and emergence strategy. M × g and M sac × sin mainly emerged from belowground plant organs, producing fewer but thicker shoots at the beginning of the growing season but these shoots were susceptible to air frosts (determined by recording 0°C 2 m above ground surface). By contrast, M sin × sin emerged 10 days earlier, avoiding damage by late spring frosts and producing a high number of thinner shoots from aboveground shoots. Therefore, we recommend cultivating M sac × sin at locations with low risk and M sin × sin at locations with higher risk of late spring frosts. Selecting miscanthus hybrids that produce shoots throughout the vegetation period is an effective strategy to limit the risk of late frost damage and avoid reduction in yield from a shortened growing season.     

Investigating the potential of Andean lupin as a lignocellulosic feedstock for Europe: First genome-wide association study on Lupinus mutabilis biomass quality

The development of multipurpose crops will drive the transformation of agricultural “waste” into added-value products, helping to meet biomass demands without competing with food production or increasing environmental pressure. Lupinus mutabilis, has been proposed not only as a valid source of protein and oil for Europe but also as a possible source of lignocellulosic feedstock for the biorefinery industry. In this study, the quality of L. mutabilis lignocellulosic biomass and its genetic architecture are investigated for the first time, using a panel of 223 accessions planted across three locations in two different European cropping conditions. Biomass quality was evaluated based on the estimation of neutral detergent fiber, cellulose, hemicellulose and acid detergent lignin fractions, and on the basis of the monosaccharide composition of cell wall polysaccharides. The broad variation in yield and composition of biomass encountered in the panel confirms the potential of L. mutabilis as lignocellulosic feedstock and points out the value of this panel as a breeding tool for the improvement of biomass quality. A genome-wide association study was conducted to identify single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with biomass quality, both across locations and per specific location. Scanning of 16,781 SNPs across the whole genome identified 46 unique quantitative trait loci for biomass quality, 4 of which were detected as common either among traits or GWAS models. For each of the traits analyzed, between 3 and 10 SNPs were detected, explaining 2.7%–15.9% of the phenotypic variation. Underlying these loci, 28 genes were proposed as candidate genes for biomass quality. Important genes involved in cellulose and sucrose synthesis (CESA4, SPP1,WRKY33, GONST2), monolignol biosynthesis (SKIP31, WAT1, CCR-SNL6) and pectin degradation (RAV1, PE) were identified and will require validation to confirm their value for application in L. mutabilis breeding.     

Anchored and soluble gangliosides contribute to myelosupportivity of stromal cells

Stroma-mediated myelopoiesis depends upon growth factors and an appropriate intercellular microenvironment. Previous studies have demonstrated that gangliosides, produced by hepatic stromal cell types, are required for optimal myelosupportive function. Here, we compared the mielossuportive functions of a bone marrow stroma (S17) and skin fibroblasts (SF) regarding their ganglioside pattern of synthesis and shedding. The survival and proliferation of a myeloid precursor cell (FDC-P1) were used as reporter. Although the ganglioside synthesis of the two stromal cells was similar, their relative content and shedding were distinct. The ganglioside requirement for mielossuportive function was confirmed by the decreased proliferation of FDC-P1 cells in ganglioside synthesis-inhibited cultures and in presence of an antibody to GM3 ganglioside. The distinct mielossuportive activities of the S17 and SF stromata may be related to differences on plasma membrane ganglioside concentrations or to differences on the gangliosides shed and their subsequent uptake by myeloid cells, specially, GM3 ganglioside.     

Synthesis and characterisation of a new vanadyl oxalatophosphate compound: (C10H10N2)[(VO)(HPO4)]2(C2O4)

A new vanadyl oxalatophosphate compound, (C₁₀H₁₀N₂)[(VO)(HPO₄)]₂(C₂O₄), was synthesized via the hydrothermal approach and characterised structurally using single-crystal X-ray diffraction, FT-IR and thermogravimetric analysis. The compound has two-dimensional anionic layers with occupying the interlayer spaces.     

Fine carbohydrate recognition of Euphorbia milii lectin

Glycans are key structures involved in biological processes such as cell attachment, migration, and invasion. Information coded on cell-surface glycans is frequently deciphered by proteins, as lectins, that recognize specific carbohydrate topology. Here, we describe the fine carbohydrate specificity of Euphorbia milii lectin (EML). Competitive assays using various sugars showed that GalNAc was the strongest inhibitor, and that the hydroxyl axial position of C4 and acetamido on C2 of GalNAc are critical points of EML recognition. A hydrophobic locus adjacent to GalNAc is also an important region for EML binding. Direct binding assays of EML revealed a stereochemical requirement for a structure adjacent to terminal GalNAc, showing that GalNAc residue is a necessary but not sufficient condition for EML interaction. The capacity of EML to bind epithelial tumor cells makes it a potentially useful tool for study of some over-expressed GalNAc glycoconjugates.     

Structural and hemostatic activities of a sulfated galactofucan from the brown alga Spatoglossum schroederi. An ideal antithrombotic agent?

The brown alga Spatoglossum schroederi contains three fractions of sulfated polysaccharides. One of them was purified by acetone fractionation, ion exchange, and molecular sieving chromatography. It has a molecular size of 21.5 kDa and contains fucose, xylose, galactose, and sulfate in a molar ratio of 1.0:0.5:2.0:2.0 and contains trace amounts of glucuronic acid. Chemical analyses, methylation studies, and NMR spectroscopy showed that the polysaccharide has a unique structure, composed of a central core formed mainly by 4-linked beta-galactose units, partially sulfated at the 3-O position. Approximately 25% of these units contain branches of oligosaccharides (mostly tetrasaccharides) composed of 3-sulfated, 4-linked alpha-fucose and one or two nonsulfated, 4-linked beta-xylose units at the reducing and nonreducing end, respectively. This sulfated galactofucan showed no anticoagulant activity on several "in vitro" assays. Nevertheless, it had a potent antithrombotic activity on an animal model of experimental venous thrombosis. This effect is time-dependent, reaching the maximum 8 h after its administration compared with the more transient action of heparin. The effect was not observed with the desulfated molecule. Furthermore, the sulfated galactofucan was 2-fold more potent than heparin in stimulating the synthesis of an antithrombotic heparan sulfate by endothelial cells. Again, this action was also abolished by desulfation of the polysaccharide. Because this sulfated galactofucan has no anticoagulant activity but strongly stimulates the synthesis of heparan sulfate by endothelial cells, we suggested that this last effect may be related to the "in vivo" antithrombotic activity of this polysaccharide. In this case the highly sulfated heparan sulfate produced by the endothelial cells is in fact the antithrombotic agent. Our results suggested that this sulfated galactofucan may have a potential application as an antithrombotic drug.     

Vaccine-induced CD8+ central memory T cells in protection from simian AIDS

Critical to the development of an effective HIV vaccine is the identification of adaptive immune responses that prevent infection or disease. In this study we demonstrate in a relevant nonhuman primate model of AIDS that the magnitude of vaccine-induced virus-specific CD8(+) central memory T cells (T(CM)), but not that of CD8(+) effector memory T cells, inversely correlates with the level of SIVmac251 replication, suggesting their pivotal role in the control of viral replication. We propose that effective preventive or therapeutic T cell vaccines for HIV-1 should induce long-term protective central memory T cells.