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Contaminated land, that is unsuitable for food production, represents an alternative option for crops producing feedstock for bioproducts and bioenergy, which would otherwise be in competition with food production. It has been estimated that there are more than 10 million major contaminated sites worldwide, while in the European Economic Area (EEA)-39 countries the registered contaminated sites are up to 650000. Even though often perceived solely as a problem, contaminated areas could instead become a real asset that needs to be valued. One of the aims of MAGIC project was to screen the most promising industrial crops for cultivation on contaminated and saline soils. The effects of the heavy metals Cd, Pb, Ni and Zn on fifteen industrial crops were examined, namely on: biomass sorghum, camelina, cardoon, castor bean, crambe, Ethiopian mustard, giant reed, hemp, lupin, miscanthus x giganteus, pennycress, safflower, switchgrass, tall wheatgrass, and wild sugarcane (African fodder cane). The experiments were conducted following the same methodology and protocols by all partners involved.

Biogas production can be considered an important technology for the sustainable use of agricultural biomass as a renewable energy source even more when the substrates for anaerobic digestion are crop residues, livestock residues or energy crops that don’t compete with food crops for land use. The aims of this study were to evaluate the production of biogas and biomethane from two lignocellulosic crops suitable for the Mediterranean environment (Arundo donax L. and Saccharum spontaneum subsp. aegyptiacum (Willd.) Hack) and the efficiency of a thermal pretreatment to increase the biomethane production. The purpose of the pretreatment is to break the recalcitrant lignin layer, so that the cellulose and hemicellulose present in the biomass are hydrolyzed by microorganisms and converted into simple sugars to achieve greater energy yield.

In recent years it was observed a renewed interest for hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) cultivation, both as industrial and food crop. The interest as food crop lays in the nutritional values of hemp seeds mainly related to their high-quality oil and proteins contents. As reported by Amaducci et al. (2015), hemp fibre can also be used as reinforcement in composite materials, to produce insulation mats, car interior panels, and requested in bio-building sector to form concrete too. The possibility to cultivate hemp for a dual purpose use could improve the farmer revenue. The information regarding the dual purpose hemp cultivations are poor and even more in Mediterranean environments. In this respect the present study evaluated the adaptability of Futura 75 hemp genotype under the Mediterranean conditions of Southern Italy (Sicily).

Biogas production can be considered an important technology for the sustainable use of agricultural biomass as a renewable energy source even more when the substrates for anaerobic digestion are crop residues, livestock residues or energy crops that don’t compete with food crops for land use. The aims of this study were to evaluate the production of biogas and biomethane from two lignocellulosic crops suitable for the Mediterranean environment (Arundo donax L. and Saccharum spontaneum subsp. aegyptiacum (Willd.) Hack) and the efficiency of a thermal pretreatment to increase the biomethane production. The purpose of the pretreatment is to break the recalcitrant lignin layer, so that the cellulose and hemicellulose present in the biomass are hydrolyzed by microorganisms and converted into simple sugars to achieve greater energy yield.

Mediterranean climates are characterized by long periods of drought during summer and short dry periods from autumn to spring, what limits plant CO2 assimilation and biomass production to a great extent. The JRC has set a series of thresholds to define marginal lands in terms of biophysical constraints. We focus on climate limitation given by the ratio between precipitations and potential evapotranspiration (P/ET). Areas with P/ET ≤0.60 are classified as affected by “dryness”. The present study follows up a long-term plantation of the C4 perennial grass Saccharum spontaneum ssp. aegypticum under different water regimes in a semi-arid Mediterranean environment.

Mediterranean climates are characterized by long periods of drought during summer and short dry periods from autumn to spring, what limits plant CO2 assimilation and biomass production to a great extent. The JRC has set a series of thresholds to define marginal lands in terms of biophysical constraints. We focus on climate limitation given by the ratio between precipitations and potential evapotranspiration (P/ET). Areas with P/ET ≤0.60 are classified as affected by “dryness”. The present study follows up a long-term plantation of the C4 perennial grass Saccharum spontaneum ssp. aegypticum under different water regimes in a semi-arid Mediterranean environment.

In recent years it was observed a renewed interest for hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) cultivation, both as industrial and food crop. The interest as food crop lays in the nutritional values of hemp seeds mainly related to their high-quality oil and proteins contents. As reported by Amaducci et al. (2015), hemp fibre can also be used as reinforcement in composite materials, to produce insulation mats, car interior panels, and requested in bio-building sector to form concrete too. The possibility to cultivate hemp for a dual purpose use could improve the farmer revenue. The information regarding the dual purpose hemp cultivations are poor and even more in Mediterranean environments. In this respect the present study evaluated the adaptability of Futura 75 hemp genotype under the Mediterranean conditions of Southern Italy (Sicily).

Perennial, no-food grasses have been proposed as the most efficient species for biomass production due to their natural resource use efficiency, agronomic, environmental and social benefits. Nitrogen requirement is a significant issue in intensive agriculture and greatly affects the energetic balance of crops. Hence, reduced nitrogen fertilizer by means of low input cropping systems could directly mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. In the present study long-term plantations of two perennial grasses (Arundo donax and Miscanthus x giganteus) grown in rainfed conditions under two nitrogen regimes were compared in terms of biomass yield and nitrogen use efficiency.

Perennial, no-food grasses have been proposed as the most efficient species for biomass production due to their natural resource use efficiency, agronomic, environmental and social benefits. Nitrogen requirement is a significant issue in intensive agriculture and greatly affects the energetic balance of crops. Hence, reduced nitrogen fertilizer by means of low input cropping systems could directly mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. In the present study long-term plantations of two perennial grasses (Arundo donax and Miscanthus x giganteus) grown in rainfed conditions under two nitrogen regimes were compared in terms of biomass yield and nitrogen use efficiency.