AGRE-0046 Vegetable Oil for Innovation in Chemical Industries VOICI

Contacts
Further Information



To find similar Items, click on a keyword below:
Bulk Chemicals : ECLAIR Cluster I - Oils : Paints/Coatings/Plastics : Pharmaceuticals/Cosmetics : Plant Genetics : Process Engineering : Vegetable Oil/Fat

AGRE-0046 Vegetable Oil for Innovation in Chemical Industries VOICI 1 February 1992 - 31 January 1993

This project, funded under the ECLAIR programme, evaluated the potential of three novel oil seed plants to produce feedstock for use of the chemical industry in manufacture of lubricants, resins and coatings. It covered agronomic, technical and economic aspects of the production of crambe, meadowfoam and African daisy. In addition to evaluation of the oil quality produced from these species, the suitability of the residues for use as animal feed was also looked at - as this is a significant factor in the economics of introducing new oil crops.

Crambe is of interest since it contains high levels of erucic acid, which is of value in production of poly-olefine film. It would appear nearest to the market, it can be harvested and processed using existing equipment and techniques. The raw product price is still too high. However, improvements in disease resistance, yield and a reduction in the level of glucosinolate (an impediment to use of the residual meal as an animal feed) would improve its economic value, as would finding a use for the residual straw. The other two species are not yet ready for farmers. Meadowfoam still has a low and unreliable yield with product recovery made harder by the fact that seeds shatter at harvest. The African daisy also has a yield too low to be economic. Both plants require a breeding programme aim at improving the crop characteristics.

Contacts

Coordinator

• Ir. L.J.M. van Soest / Centre for Genetic Resources (CGN) Directorate Agricultural Research / NETHERLANDS

EC Scientific Officer

• Ciarán MANGAN / European Commission - DG Research Quality of Life Programme - Unit B1.2 / BELGIUM