Genetic Juant is a project that intends to provide solid ground to the great expectations raised by the multipurpose plant Jatropha curcas. Solidity will be chiefly provided by a core strategy inspired by a novel, dynamic breeding approach. J.curcas mother plants differing for origin, agronomical, phenological, biochemical, genomic and toxicity features will be grouped together in each of four SICA Countries (Mexico, India, Mozambique and Morocco) to perform a commonly shared selection-assisted breeding program that will lead to the production of new varieties improved for oil production, yield stability, low/null phorbol ester, balanced male/female flower ratio, synchronous flowering. Such improvements will be sitting on a wide genetic basis thanks to the use of a wide range of molecular genetics and biochemistry markers. The breeding approach will be constantly fed-back with the results obtained by the optimization of the cropping system based on a full appreciation of the environmental/economical sustainability criteria. Among these, a key role is assigned to biorefinery, conceived to supply added quality and quantity value to J. curcas cultivations by the release of different byproducts. By mean of properly performed cost and LCA analyses, sustainability criteria will be verified with respect to GHG and energy balances as well as rational land use change, in accordance with several European directives. Juant double self-controlled strategy, that is genetic improvement assessed by definition of the best cropping system, will grant the production of valuable industrial-oriented feedstocks that can then be promoted in both EU and SICA Countries.
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