Miscanthus

2023: Russia began to introduce a new crop for pulp production. Plant launched

Scientists of the Institute of Cytology and Genetics of the Siberian Branch (ICiG SB) of the Russian Academy of Sciences are introducing exotic miscanthus culture into Russian agriculture. The press service of the organization told about this in November 2023.

They noted that from one hectare of plantations of this plant, an average of up to four tons of cellulose is obtained, while the technological process is easier and cheaper than obtaining cellulose from wood. For the production and processing of culture, an experimental plant in the Moscow region was launched and is operating, a site in the Novosibirsk region was determined and an agreement was reached to create a plant in the Kaliningrad region.

ICG SB RAS introduces exotic miscanthus culture into Russian agriculture

These herbaceous plants are found in the wild in Australia, Asia and Africa, however, in 2012, the Institute of Cytology and Genetics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences derived, patented and registered the first cultural variety of Soranovsky miscanthus in Russia. This variety is able to feel comfortable in the Russian climate and produce crops every year, RIA Novosti reports.

An experimental production line for the production of cellulose from this plant was launched in the Moscow region in 2020, by November 2023, biodegradable dishes are produced from this cellulose, and technologies for the production of biodegradable packaging materials and cellulose fiber for the textile industry are being developed.

Specialists of the ICG SB RAS declare that by November 2023 we can talk about the introduction of a new culture in the Russian agriculture - the Soranovsky variety miscanthus and the formation of a network of enterprises for the production of cellulose from it.

It is planned that these plants will be able to produce ten thousand tons of products per year, and each enterprise will focus on its own type of product. Technologies for other sites are being worked out at the plant near Moscow, but in the future they will create a large production there - the first of the planned series.^[1]

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