OREANDA-NEWS Specialists of the Institute of Cytology and Genetics SB RAS (ICiG) are introducing a new exotic crop — miscanthus into Russian agriculture, the press service of the organization reported.

According to the researchers, a network of enterprises for the production and processing of this perennial herbaceous plant into cellulose is now being formed in our country. A pilot plant has been launched and is operating in the Moscow Region, a site has been identified in the Novosibirsk Region, and an agreement has been reached to establish a plant in the Kaliningrad Region.

According to the ICIG data, an average of up to four tons of cellulose can be obtained from one hectare of plantations of this plant for use as raw materials in various industries. Getting the same amount of cellulose from wood is technologically much more difficult and, accordingly, more expensive.

Miscanthus is a genus of perennial (with a lifespan of up to 30 years) herbaceous plants found in the wild in Australia, Asia and Africa. In Russia, in the south of Primorsky Krai, there is a species of Chinese miscanthus (Miscanthus sinensis), which is also common in China, Korea and Japan.