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FAIR-CT98-4460
The development of Euphorbia lagascae as a new oil crop within the European Community |
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Contract No: | FAIR-CT98-4460 |
| Date Prepared: | January 2001 | |
| Source: | Handbook of
Euphorbia Final Report |
Objectives
The three objectives listed within the technical annex for the project were:
Activities
Under the auspices of the EC funded Concerted Action, the above objectives were to be met by holding two workshops, bringing together specialists with experience in novel oilseed crop development, covering the technical areas of, breeding, agronomy, extraction, markets and safety.
The first workshop was held in Winchester, England in September 1999 and the second in Cambridge UK in March 2000.
Results
Of the 15 participants included within the initial proposal submitted in 1998, three declined to sign associated contracts due to changes in company priorities (CETIOM, Lubrizol and Croda).
Presentations were made by the rest of the participants at the Winchester workshop . Session presentations were summarised, together with action points based on comments made at the final plenary session .Workshop I proceedings were collated and circulated to all workshop I participants for final approval at workshop 2 (described below).
Based on plenary discussion at workshop 1, safety aspects and its impact on potential genetic improvement by breeding and market development through potential added value of the base euphorbia oil were highlighted. These were identified as priorities. It was agreed that further specialists should be invited to workshop 2, in order to develop these technical areas. Five additional speakers were therefore invited to attend workshop 2 to tackle safety (quantification of toxins), safe enclosed processing (reduced operator hazard), uses of vemolic acid and experiences in the USA (agronomy).
Based on presentations made at workshop I and reference material, a first draft of the handbook was prepared for comment by participants
Dissemination
Workshop proceedings have been produced and distributed to all workshop participants and invited speakers at workshop 2. Extracts of these are presented below. However, it should be noted that the handbook is the major means of dissemination.
(This has since become available and a copy is available as a pdf file).'
Project summary
Introduction
The oleochemical industry supplies a wide range of petrochemical products which are used in the lubricants, coatings, plastics and hydraulic oils sectors. The high environmental burden caused by the use of non-renewable fossil fuels has lead to the search for vegetable oil based alternatives. Renewable vegetable oils, which are non- toxic, biodegradable, non-polluting in water courses and relatively harmless to the environment could offer significant advantages over fossil fuel derived products. Initiatives, supported both by national and European governments, have identified oilseed crops capable of producing vegetable oils with potential industrial applications. The oil of one species, Euphorbia lagascae, was identified as producing an oil of interest in the lubricants, plasticisers, and coatings sectors.
The botanical family of the spurge (Euphorbiaceae) have been investigated world-wide as a novel industrial oilseed. Of the ten species within the plant family under consideration as novel oilseeds the herbaceous Euphorbia lathyris and arborescent Jairopha curcas have been the most widely investigated. Euphorbia lagascae is a further interesting candidate.
A preliminary investigation of the species was undertaken as part of the EC funded VOSFA project (contract AIR2-CT93-1817) from 1994-98. The species studied within the VOSFA project were selected for evaluation based upon their fatty acid composition rather than agronomic characteristics. Euphorbia lagascae was shown to be a productive species when grown under irrigated conditions in Spain with yields of up to up to 5000 kg/ha, but seed shattering was a problem.
In south-west England yields from spring sowing were less, at 1.1 t/ha, but due to seed dehiscence yields were underestimated. Seed oil contents were consistently high, containing up to 49% oil and having 52-65% of the target, vernolic fatty acid. The crop was responsive to the control of weeds and crop safe and effective pre and post emergence herbicides were identified in the UK and Spain. The species was shown to be adapted to Mediterranean and Western European conditions, with the major factor limiting commercialisation being its seed dehiscence. It is hoped that this can be overcome when recently developed non-dehiscent genotypes become available.
Oil recovery was technically straightforward, with high oil recovery rates using flaking, pressing and hexane extraction techniques, but irritating compounds released during handling indicated the need for certain safety measures in the working place. This aspect lead to a further additional study on the toxicity of E. lagascae, also funded within the VOSFA project. The identity of the molecular structures of two factors within the oil leading to skin irritation and tumour promoting activity in mice was established. It was concluded however that inexpensive and simple safety precautions in the workplace would overcome the problem and that in the longer term using classical breeding and /or gene technology, plant varieties could be developed which are low or free of the toxins responsible.
Studies on the industrial uses of Euphorbia oil indicated good oxidative and thermal stability and due to the presence of anti-oxidative components, the oxidative stability was better than that of rapeseed oil. Its overall lubricant performance in terms of anti- wear was acceptable and its biodegradability was satisfactory.
Significant progress has been made in recent years in developing understanding and knowledge of the species E. lagascae. However, there are barriers to its use within the EC which must be defined and overcome if sustainable applications are to be developed. This Concerted Action by collating and evaluating existing information on crop development, production potential, oil composition and quality, oil extraction and industrial applications will define such a strategy for the species.
Activities
These objectives were achieved by bringing together leading specialists from industry, research institutes and universities, from 5 EU countries and 12 organisations, who have working experience of the crop or related knowledge of oilseed crops in the production, processing and marketing sectors. Two workshops were organised to review current knowledge, summarise the information presented, identify gaps in current understanding and after discussion, propose strategies for future research leading to development.
The seed of E. lagascae contain up to 50% oil of which up to 60% is vernolic acid. Potential uses of the oil include the areas of coatings, lubricants and plastics. Vernolic acid, a C:18 epoxy fatty acid, has potential uses as a drying solvent in alkyd resin paints. Paints formulated with vernolic acid would greatly reduce volatile organic compound (VOC) air pollution that occurs with volatilisation of alkyd resins in conventional paints.
In the United States, amendments to clean air acts are calling for reductions in VOCS. The development of the species from a wild to a domesticated species is very recent and two EC RT&D projects (SONCA and VOSFA) have included some study of the species. The seed is naturally dehiscence, but progress has been made in developing non-shattering material. Evaluation in northern and southern Europe has confirmed its high oil production potential (yields up to 2.5t/ha) and has highlighted differences in crop agronomy between locations.
The crop contains an irritant component, but progress has been made in small scale oil extraction where steam pre-treatment may alleviate possible toxic effects. This CA brought together research workers from Europe to capture the current state of knowledge on all partners and stages in the production chain and develop sound and feasible long term development plans for commercialisation of the crop.
Results
The first workshop was held in September 1999. It reviewed the current state of knowledge on the crop under the technical areas of agronomy, breeding, processing, markets and safety. The workshop was attended by 18 participants, presenting 16 papers and representing 13 organisations from the UK, Germany, Spain and Holland.
Key issues relating to the crop's development were identified. These included,
These issues were investigated and discussed further at the second workshop held in March 2000 where speakers from industry were invited to expand upon technical areas identified at Workshop I and outline possible technical solutions. A further 10 papers were presented at Workshop II, which was attended by participants from 15 organisations.
Key points arising from Workshop II included research results from Germany on safe processing of Euphorbia seeds within conventional closed systems and opportunities for extraction using a water based centrifugal extraction system. Various laboratory based approaches for quantification of toxins with plant material and seed oil were presented which could aid breeding and rapid selection programmes. Further results on the ring opening of vernolic acid within euphorbia oil was presented together with data on the production of resins derived from the base oil. Results from extensive agronomy and breeding experiments conducted within the USA were presented indicating the production potential for the species.
A preliminary economic assessment production costs at the farm level for the species, based upon comparative analysis with existing oilseed crops grown as industrial oil crops on set- aside areas or on those receiving arable area payments, suggested Euphorbia could be viable option if potential yield targets were achieved. During a plenary session at Workshop II, priorities for further research were identified within syndicate groups and summarised. These priorities could form the basis of a future project to develop the species within the EC.
Key points from workshop 11 discussions and topics for further investigation
Safety
Extraction
Functionalised fatty acid:
Lubricants
The physical and technical properties of E.lagascae oil as base oil for lubricants are mostly comparable to those of conventional rape seed and sunflower oil.
Agronomy
American experience with Euphorbia lagascae
Agronomy
Harvest & Processing
Herbicides & Weed Control
E. lagascae has been shown to be tolerant of a range of pre-emergence herbicides, seed yield and oil content were not significantly affected.
Euphorbia was severely injured by only a few of the post-emergence herbicides tested.
Field studies showed that vegetative crop plant tolerance was not always related to final seed yield.
Breeding and Selection
Polymer feedstocks
Vernonia galamensis
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