Optimisation of Miscanthus as an energy crop in Europe

Miscanthus have been identified as a leading energy crop in Europe and globally. It is of great interest as it produces high biomass yields, yet requires little or no inputs in the way of fertilizer, which is expensive in both economic and energetic terms. There is currently a single commercial clone, M. x giganteus which represents the majority of what is planted. However M. x giganteus has a number of limitations in some environments inluding under drought. Research is now focused on
1. evaluating new germplasm from recent Asian collections and creating novel hybridisations through breeding, and 2) dissecting the mechansim of drought tolerenace in Miscanthus.

Two PhD positions are available to start in 2012 at Aberystwyth University funded on a collaborative EU Framework 7 project (OPTIMISC). The overall objective of this project is to optimise the Miscanthus bioenergy and bioproduct chain by: trialling elite germplasm types over a range of sites across Europe; analysing the key traits that currently limit the potential of Miscanthus; identifying high-value bioproducts; and modelling the combined results to provide recommendations to policy makers, growers and industry. The two projects based at Aberystwyth are:

1. Evaluating the performance and associated traits of different Miscanthus genotypes in plots in the field in Aberystwyth in collaboration with colleagues across Europe. This will form the basis of a genotype by environment study and modelling in relation to climate across Europe.

2. Evaluation of drought tolerance and associated traits and mechanisms in Miscanthus genotypes under controlled environment conditions, including the use of next generation DNA sequencing and a new high throughput plant phenomics facility in Aberystwyth to relate phenotype to genotype.