In Russia they began to introduce a new crop for the production of cellulose

Scientists at the Institute of Cytology and Genetics of the Siberian Branch (SB) of the Russian Academy of Sciences began to introduce into agriculture a new crop necessary for paper production – miscanthus. About it writes RIA Novosti with reference to the press service of the organization.

According to scientists, a network of enterprises is now being formed in Russia for the production and processing of miscanthus, a perennial herbaceous plant, into cellulose. In particular, such an enterprise is already operating in the Moscow region, a site for this plant has been identified in the Novosibirsk region, and an agreement has been reached in the Kaliningrad region to create a plant in the region.

The Institute of Cytology and Genetics of the SB RAS explained the need to develop this method of producing cellulose with the fact that wood processing takes much longer and requires more financial costs compared to miscanthus processing. According to scientists, about 4 tons of cellulose can be obtained from one hectare of plantations.

Miscanthus is a perennial herbaceous plant, most often found in Australia, Asia and Africa. In Russia, it is found in the south of the Primorsky Territory – Chinese Miscanthus grows there. In 2012, the Institute of Cytology and Genetics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences registered the first cultivar, “Soranovskiy,” capable of “feeling comfortable in the Russian climate and annually producing a harvest of dry plant mass with a rich content of substances valuable for industry.” A trial plantation was sown in the Moscow region in 2020. At the same time, a pilot production line was launched for the production of biodegradable tableware from cellulose, which is obtained by processing miscanthus.