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GO AGROFACTORY

GO AGROFACTORY: New opportunities for agricultural development based on the comprehensive use of biofactory tobacco varieties

  • Type Grupo operativo
  • Status In progress
  • Execution 2024 -2026
  • Scope Supraautonómico
  • Autonomous community Comunitat Valenciana; Extremadura; Madrid, Comunidad de
  • Main source of financing PEPAC 2023-2027
Abstract
The loss of competitiveness of a large part of traditional herbaceous crops seriously affects the viability of farms. Recently, as a result of research and development efforts in genetic improvement technologies, new innovative industrial crops are emerging that base their viability on their high content of one or more high added value compounds. The objective of this project is to optimize the cultivation and processing practices of new varieties of biofactory tobacco for their comprehensive and scaled use at a commercial level. At the end of the project, the following results are expected to be achieved for end users: improved annotation of the Nicotiana tabacum genome; establishment of optimal cultivation procedures; maximization of the processing and biorefinery process; and traceability protocols. The objective of this project is therefore to decisively advance the commercial development of these new varieties and give the decisive push for the definitive implementation of the first biofactory crops in Europe.
Description

The loss of competitiveness of a large part of traditional arable crops seriously affects the viability of farms. Recently, as a result of research and development efforts into genetic improvement technologies, new innovative industrial crops are emerging that base their viability on their high content of one or more high added value compounds. The objective of this project is therefore to decisively advance the commercial development of these new varieties and give the decisive push for the definitive implementation of the first biofactory crops in Europe.

Description of activities
  • Activities related to the improved annotation of the Nicotiana tabacum genome.
  • Activities related to the preparation and application for authorization of voluntary releases of GMOs.
  • Activities related to the agronomic study of tobacco varieties (thaumatin and anatabine).
  • Activities related to the extraction and purification of the anatabine compound and development and optimization of the integration of NGT lines in a biorefinery process.
Objectives

The general objective is to optimize cultivation practices and the processing of new varieties of biofactory tobacco for their comprehensive and commercially scaled use.

Results
  1. Improved annotation of the Nicotiana tabacum genome.
  2. Guide to cultivation practices for tobacco with high thaumatin content; guide to biosecurity requirements for GMO crops.
  3. Thaumatin processing and extraction guide; high anatabine tobacco cultivation practices guide.
  4. Anatabine processing and extraction guide; maximizing the biorefinery process (zero waste); NGT traceability manual.
Contact information
  • Coordinator name: NATIONAL AGRO-FOOD TECHNOLOGY CENTER EXTREMADURA BUSINESS RESEARCH ASSOCIATION (CTAEX)
  • Postal address: Ctra. Villafranco a Balboa, km 1.2, 06195 Villafranco del Guadiana, Badajoz
  • Coordinator email: proyectos@ctaex.com
  • Telephone: 924 44 80 77
Coordinators
  • Asociación Empresarial de Investigación Centro Tecnológico Nacional Agroalimentario Extremadura (CTAEX)
Beneficiaries
  • Asociación Empresarial de Investigación Centro Tecnológico Nacional Agroalimentario Extremadura (CTAEX)