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Global apiculture is facing an unprecedented crisis of increasing parasite pressure and a loss of hon-eybee biodiversity. SMARTBEES unites a team of experts with the necessary skills to build a bright and sustainable future. The SMARTBEES concept is low risk and high impact, using established protocols and state-of-the-art methods. Including world leading researchers from outwith the traditional honeybee sphere (e.g. acarology, genetic breeding and insect immunology). We will identify crucial facets of honeybee resistance to colony losses, Varroa and viruses. We will provide a step-change in the current mechanistic understanding of these traits, and will characterise the genetic background of the resistance mechanisms in honeybees. We will develop breeding strategies to increase the frequencies of these valuable traits in local honeybee populations, considering the variable need of both common and endangered subspecies and local beekeeping practises. Breeding efforts concentrating on very few races may endanger genetic diversity, to avoid this SMARTBEES will promote multiple local breeding efforts, to conserve local resilient populations and will develop molecular tools for describing and safeguarding future populations. SMARTBEES recognizes responsibility to protect our natural honeybee heritage. SMARTBEES will commission extension science, and work in cooperation with stakeholders to attain conservation by utilisation. SMARTBEES will establish a network of apiaries for performance testing, to encourage local uptake of resistant traits. These will be run mainly by beekeepers, thereby improving the local acceptability and dissemination, and support the long-term sustainability of the apicultural sector. SMARTBEES recognises the need to horizon scan for new threats, and the consortium includes the current EU reference laboratory to that end. SMARTBEES is an opportunity to make a lasting difference to the health, resilience and genetic diversity of our honeybees.
Das Projekt zielt darauf ab die genetischen Ressourcen von Leguminosen in Europa zu untersuchen um Ihre nachhaltige Produktion und Nutzung zu fördern. Neue Sorten und neue Lebens-und Futtermittel sollen die Proteinproduktion in der EU wettbewerbsfähiger und nachhaltiger machen. Kurzfristige Ziele S & T: 1. Bewertung lokaler genetischer Ressourcen von Erbse (Pisum sativum L.), Ackerbohne (Vicia faba L.) und Augenbohne (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp) für die Entwicklung von neuen Sorten für Lebens- und Futtermittel und die weitere Verwendung in der Zucht; 2. Entwicklung neuer Lebens- und Futtermittel aus verfügbaren europäischen Sorten von Erbse, Ackerbohne und Augenbohne; 3. Auswahl geeigneter Rhizobienstämme und arbuskulären Mykorrhizapilze zur Unterstützung der Stickstofffixierung und Entwicklung von neuen, kommerziellen Sporen-Impfstoffen; 4. Bewertung des Einflusses von Leguminosen auf die Bodeneigenschaften in nachhaltigen, regional-spezifischen Anbausystemen. Projektschwerpunkt an der BOKU sind die Wurzelsysteme.
Das EU-Projekt FOODMETRES (Food Planning und Innovation für nachhaltige Metropolenregionen) befasst sich mit der ökologischen und sozial-ökonomischen Bewertung von Nahrungsprodukt-(liefer-)Ketten (food chains) und metropolitanen Agrarsystemen. Dabei werden räumliche, logistische und soziale Aspekte sowie Fragen des Ressourcenverbrauchs, des Food Plannings, Governance und sozialer Akzeptanz von der Produktion, Verarbeitung, Distribution bis hin zum Konsum analysiert. Der evidenz-basierte Untersuchungsansatz verbindet quantitative, qualitative und diskursive Methoden und bezieht regionale Akteure mit ein. Die wichtigsten Ziele sind: Die Identifizierung innovativer Konzepte und Praxisbeispiele von Produktketten, die der Versorgung der städtischen Bevölkerung dienen, und die im Kontext kleinmaßstäbiger urbaner, peri-urbaner und peri-urban-ruraler Formen der Landwirtschaft und Nahrungsproduktion bis hin zu großmaßstäbigen metropolitanen Agrarsystemen existieren. Die Bewertung der ökonomischen, ökologischen und sozialen Auswirkungen dieser innovativen Food Chain-Systeme auf verschiedenen Maßstabsebenen unter Nutzung des Ökologischen Fußabdrucks und Produktlebenszyklus-Analyse. Hierbei wird besonderes Augenmerk auf Aspekte wie Effizienz, regionale Wettbewerbsfähigkeit, kulturelle Identität (z. B. Landschaften, regionale Märkte) und Ökosystemdienstleistungen (z. B. Wassermanagement, Kreislaufwirtschaft, Biodiversität) gelegt. Die Untersuchung und der Vergleich technischer, logistischer, organisatorischer und governance-bezogener Aspekte dieser innovativen Food Chains anhand von Fallstudien und die Bestimmung von Erfolgsbeispielen (best practise) für ein nachhaltiges Food Planning in Metropolregionen unter Einbeziehung regionaler Akteure aus Wirtschaft und Politik. Die Entwicklung von Szenarien (Modellierung) und Werkzeugen zur Folgenabschätzung (Impact-Assessment-Tool), welche die regionalen Akteure bei der Entscheidung und Planung unterstützen. Eine aktive Wissensvermittlung zwischen und in den sechs Fallstudienregionen, die dazu beitragen kann, Innovationen zu beschleunigen sowie die Generierung von Wissen, dass für andere Akteure in europäischen Großstädten oder in Entwicklungsländern nutzbar ist.
Food processing activities produce in Europe large amounts of by-products and waste. Such waste streams are only partially valorized at different value-added levels (spread on land, animal feed, composting), whereas the main volumes are managed as waste of environmental concern, with relevant negative effects on the overall sustainability of the food processing industry. The main focus of NOSHAN is to investigate the process and technologies needed to use food waste for feed production at low cost, low energy consumption and with maximal valorisation of starting wastes materials. Nutritional value and functionality according to animal needs as well as safety and quality issues will be investigated and address as main leading factors for the feed production using food derived (fruit/plant and dairy). According to this not only wastes will be characterized for their nutritional potential, but suitable technologies to stabilize them and convert them into suitable raw materials for bulk feed will be researched. Two different groups of activities will be thus addressed: From one side, replacement of bulk feed ingredients (constituting up to 90-95% of feed weight) will be studied from the starting waste materials. These bulk materials could cope part of the huge amounts of food waste generated in Europe. From the other side, the valorisation of active ingredients as well as the upgrade of waste into more valuable feed additives will be studied. The later constitute approximately the half of the feed cost. The main expected result of NOSHAN project is the creation of a broad portfolio of valorised wastes for feed production. In this sense, a selection of wastes according to their potential nutritional properties, quantities produced, seasonality, possibility of stabilisation, safety and regulatory issues, cost and logistics will be performed during the first phase of the project.. In order to improve nutritional content of feed and be able to fulfil animal needs, waste will be treated alone or mixed with other waste looking for complementation and synergistic effects. The characterisation at molecular level of the different waste streams will allow providing the best technology for the best raw material to obtain the desired nutritional/functional properties. In NOSHAN a variety of high-advanced technologies for conditioning, stabilising by physico-chemical and biological strategies, extracting high-added value compounds and feed production will be tested, developed and integrated in an innovative low-cost and low energy tailor made procedure for valorising food waste for production of safety and compound functional feed. All these initiatives will be validated in in vitro and in vivo tests to the final animal derived products intended for human consumption. Therefore a whole value chain from starting raw materials to exploitable products and technologies will be covered and monitored with a LCA with a further validation using the novel ETV platform.
The provision of public goods (including landscape services) in rural areas is recognized as one of the key topics for the future of agriculture and rural policy. Agriculture plays a major role in landscape management through its complex interlinkages with landscape features. In turn, the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) remains an important driver of landscape management due to its importance as a determinant of farming activities in the EU. The main objective of the CLAIM project is to provide the knowledge base to support an effective CAP policy design in the direction of improved landscape management, particularly providing insights into the ability of landscape to contribute to the production of added value for society in rural areas. CLAIM is focused in particular on understanding and enhancing the contribution of landscapes management to socio-economic development and agricultural competitiveness in rural areas. This will be based on a pragmatic consideration of landscape services and their analysis through a mixed-method approach, taking into account the wider EU policy strategies (in particular related to innovation and the bioeconomy). The main expected result of the CLAIM project is an evidence-based policy support framework on the different and possible contributions of agriculture and the CAP to landscape management. The framework will be mainly developed and validated through a set of 9 case studies, a strong involvement of stakeholders at different territorial levels and a wide coverage of the perspectives of EU and candidate countries. The framework will finally take the practical form of a web-based manual to be implemented in accordance to stakeholders needs and indications.
Objective: MAGICPAH aims to explore, understand and exploit the catalytic activities of microbial communities involved in the degradation of persistent PAHs. It will integrate (meta-) genomic studies with in-situ activity assessment based on stable isotope probing particularly in complex matrices of different terrestrial and marine environments. PAH degradation under various conditions of bioavailability will be assessed as to improve rational exploitation of the catalytic properties of bacteria for the treatment and prevention of PAH pollution. We will generate a knowledge base not only on the microbial catabolome for biodegradation of PAHs in various impacted environmental settings based on genome gazing, retrieval and characterization of specific enzymes but also on systems related bioavailability of contaminant mixtures. MAGICPAH takes into account the tremendous undiscovered meta-genomic resources by the direct retrieval from genome/meta-genome libraries and consequent characterization of enzymes through activity screens. These screens will include a high-end functional small-molecule fluorescence screening platform and will allow us to directly access novel metabolic reactions followed by their rational exploitation for bio-catalysis and the re-construction of biodegradation networks. Results from (meta-) genomic approaches will be correlated with microbial in situ activity assessments, specifically dedicated to identifying key players and key reactions involved in anaerobic PAH metabolism. Key processes for PAH metabolism particularly in marine and composting environments and the kinetics of aerobic degradation of PAH under different conditions of bioavailability will be assessed in model systems, the rational manipulation of which will allow us to deduce correlations between system performance and genomic blueprint. The results will be used to improve treatments of PAH-contaminated sites.
EnviGuard is a response to the growing need for accurate real time monitoring of the seas/ocean and the aquaculture industries need for a reliable and cost-effective risk management tool. The implementation of the EnviGuard system will allow for early detection of harmful algae blooms (HAB), chemical contaminants, viruses and toxins thus preventing economic losses. The modular EnviGuard system will be made up of three different sensor modules (microalgae / pathogens, i.e. viruses & bacteria / toxins & chemicals), that are connected to the common interface 'EnviGuard Port' which collects and sends the information to a server. The data will be accessible through a website in real-time. The modularity of the system enables an individual setup for each purpose thus offering a tailor-made solution for each future client.
MariaBox will develop a wireless marine environment analysis device for monitoring chemical and biological pollutants while installed into a buoy, a maritime means of transport or a mooring. The device, based on novel biosensors, will be of high-sensitivity, portable and capable of repeating measurements over a long time, allowing permanent deployment at sea. The word 'MARIA' is the plural of the Latin 'mar' (sea) and expresses the wide applicability that this system offers in multiple locations where low-cost and real-time in situ analytical monitoring devices are required. The approach includes: a) a sensing and analysis box, b) a modular communication system, c) a flexible power system, d) a software platform, and e) a cell phone application. The box will transmit the collected data in real time through different channels according to local needs and geographical location: radio, GSM/GPRS/3G, WiFi, WiMAX or satellite link. The unit will be designed to be remotely controlled and will implement the OTA programming and OTA configuration features which will allow the user to update the firmware of the MariaBox unit and modify various configuration parameters wirelessly. Remote updates are a key factor in deployment scalability since it offers the only possibility of easily updating or reprogramming the devices after the initial deployment. Therefore, the maintenance costs are significantly reduced. Biosensors will be developed for 5 man-made chemicals and for 4 categories of microalgae toxins relevant to shell fish and fish farming. The novel biosensors will contribute to new standards for environmental analysis. The analytes selected for the biosensors are in line with 1) the Article 16 of the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC), 2) the Decision 2455/2001/EC and 3) The Commission Directive 2009/90/EC. The system developed will be demonstrated and validated in four different scenarios in selected locations in Norway, Spain, Cyprus and Ireland.
BIOFECTOR is an integrated project with the aim to reduce input of mineral fertilisers in European agriculture by development of specifically adapted bio-effectors (BEs) to improve the efficiency of alternative fertilisation strategies, such as organic and low-input farming, use of fertilisers based on waste recycling products and fertiliser placement technologies. Bio-effectors addressed comprise fungal strains of Trichoderma, Penicillium and Sebacinales, as well as bacterial strains of Bacillus and Pseudomonades with well-characterized root growth promoting and nutrient-solubilising potential. Natural extraction products of seaweed, compost and plant extracts, as well as their purified active compounds with protective potential against biotic and abiotic stresses are also tested in various combinations. These features offer perspectives for a more efficient use of nutrients by strategic combination with the alternative fertilisation strategies. Maize, wheat and tomato are chosen as representative crops. Laboratory and European-wide field experiments assure product adaptation to the various geo-climatic conditions characteristic for European agriculture. The final goal is the development of viable alternatives to the conventional practice of mineral fertilisation as contribution to a more efficient management of the non-renewable resources of mineral nutrients, energy and water, to preserve soil fertility and to counteract the adverse environmental impact of agricultural production.
OPTIBIOCAT is a 48 months project aimed at developing biocatalysts based on feruloyl esterases (FAEs) and glucuronoyl esterases (GEs) for production of phenolic fatty- and sugar- esters with antioxidant activity for cosmetic industry, expanding the number/type of industrial biotransformations. Selected FAEs and GEs available within the consortium will be improved for their thermo- and solvent- resistance and substrate specificity by site-directed mutagenesis and directed evolution. Novel enzymes will be discovered by mining for new genes from available genomes. An inventory of novel FAEs and GEs will be developed including 50 fungal and 500 bacterial esterases, 25 site-directed and 20 directed evolved mutants. Enzymatic performances will be optimized to enhance the yield (up to the theoretical yield of 100%) and productivity (up to 0.5-1 g/l/h) of reactions giving the main targeted antioxidants: butyl ferulate, p-coumarate, caffeate, sinapate and 5-O-(trans-feruloyl)-arabinofuranose (using FAEs), glucuronate and benzyl glucuronate (using GEs). FAEs and GEs will be also tested for production of other compounds with improved biological activity and properties of hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity for cosmetic applications. Cost-effective methods will be developed for production of the new biocatalysts, in the g/L scale, and for their technical application to produce antioxidants for cosmetic industry, up to 20L. Enzyme immobilization will increase their recyclability up to ten cycles. The ability of the developed catalysts to work in conditions miming the industrial ones with reduced use of solvents and lower temperature than the chemical routes will be demonstrated. The techno-economic viability and environmental friendliness will be assessed considering a full industrial scale scenario. OPTIBIOCAT involves a highly skilled and multidisciplinary partnership of 16 partners from 8 EU countries, and it is a strongly industry driven project through the participation of 8 SMEs and 1 large company.
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