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This study deals with approaches for a social-ecological friendly European bioeconomy based on biomass from industrial crops cultivated on marginal agricultural land. The selected crops to be investigated are: Biomass sorghum, camelina, cardoon, castor, crambe, Ethiopian mustard, giant reed, hemp, lupin, miscanthus, pennycress, poplar, reed canary grass, safflower, Siberian elm, switchgrass, tall wheatgrass, wild sugarcane, and willow. The research question focused on the overall crop growth suitability under low-input management. The study assessed: (i) How the growth suitability of industrial crops can be defined under the given natural constraints of European marginal agricultural lands; and (ii) which agricultural practices are required for marginal agricultural land low-input systems (MALLIS). For the growth-suitability analysis, available thresholds and growth requirements of the selected industrial crops were defined. The marginal agricultural land was categorized according to the agro-ecological zone (AEZ) concept in combination with the marginality constraints, so-called ‘marginal agro-ecological zones’ (M-AEZ). It was found that both large marginal agricultural areas and numerous agricultural practices are available for industrial crop cultivation on European marginal agricultural lands. These results help to further describe the suitability of industrial crops for the development of social-ecologically friendly MALLIS in Europe.

Uncertainty in predictions of long-term yields of perennial grasses makes business plans untenable 21 in the short run. Long-term data across varied environments, including marginal lands, will help in 22 preventing uncertainty while providing farmers and entrepreneurs with sound information to 23 estimate reliable and affordable strategies on what, where and how long to grow perennial grasses. 24 In the present study, the long-term yields (11 to 22 years) of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), 25 miscanthus (Miscanthus × giganteus Greef et Deuter) and giant reed (Arundo donax L.) grown in 26 northern and southern Mediterranean environments are reported. Switchgrass was grown in Greece 27 and northern Italy, giant reed in southern and northern Italy, and miscanthus in southern Italy. 28 Furthermore, lowland and upland switchgrass ecotypes were compared in Greece. Despite similar 29 biomass productions (9.8 and 10.0 Mg DM ha -1 for uplands and lowlands, respectively), the upland 30 ecotypes showed a significantly higher yield stability (CV of 24% and 32% for uplands and 31 lowlands, respectively) over a 17-year period. Biomass yield varied considerably across years and 32 locations; giant reed outperformed switchgrass under northern Italy environment (21.2 and 13.6 Mg 33 DM ha -1 for giant reed and switchgrass respectively). Annual yield of switchgrass was 30% higher 34 in the north than south Mediterranean; miscanthus showed intermediate production compared to 35 giant reed and switchgrass (average of 22 years) and a CV similar to switchgrass. In summary these 36 results evidence that multi-location, long-term trials are strongly needed to reduce uncertainties on 37 crop yield variability and provide more accurate data from which optimized socio-economic and 38 environmental predictions can be achieved.

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The European Union (EU) has set quite an ambitious goal for biofuels contribution to the makeup of the renewable energy mix in the next decades. While substantial efforts have been made to develop the technologies for the transformation of biomass into biofuels, it is still uncertain to what extent the EU will be able to generate the biomass needed to meet its targets without compromising domestic food security. Using a bottom-up approach, this review addresses one of the key elements: the potential availability of land for non-food crops in the EU. The assessment is based on a land allocation model, which calculates surplus land that would be available for non-food crops after satisfying food and feed demands. Projections of future agriculture productivity and changes in population are the most important parameters of the modeling applied for two future scenarios established for the years 2020 and 2030. The total area potentially available for non-food crops in the EU-27 (excluding Cyprus and Malta) is estimated to be 13.2 million ha in the current situation, with fallow land the largest contributor. In scenarios 2020 and 2030, additional land would be released from food and fodder crops, resulting in total land potential of 20.5 million ha in 2020 and 26.2 million ha in 2030. Results presented on a regional basis indicate potential locations for biomass transformation plants in terms of feedstock production. A set of non-food crops can be recommended for the diverse climate and agronomic conditions of the entire EU area. Int roductionT he EU directive 2009/28/EC imposes an obligation to increase the amount of the renewable energy in the EU to 20% of the total energy consumption by 2020, with 10% renewable energy in the transport sector in order to reduce the CO 2 emissions by 20% compared to 2005 levels. 1 Dedicated production of energy crops on agricultural land is expected to be a crucial source of biomass to be exploited in order to achieve the renewable energy targets. At the same

Genetic analyses have suggested that the clonal reproduction of Arundo donax has resulted in low genetic diversity. However, an earlier common garden phenotyping experiment identified specimens of A. donax with contrasting biomass yields (ecotypes 6 and 20). We utilized the same well-established stands to investigate the photosynthetic and stress physiology of the A. donax ecotypes under irrigated and drought conditions. Ecotype 6 produced the largest yields in both treatments. The A. donax ecotypes exhibited identical high leaf-level rates of photosynthesis (P N ) and stomatal conductance (G s ) in the well-watered treatment. Soil drying induced reductions in P N and G s , decreased use of light energy for photochemistry, impaired function of photosystem II and increased heat dissipation similarly in the two ecotypes. Levels of biologically active free-abscisic acid (ABA) and fixed glycosylated-ABA increased earlier in response to the onset of water deficit in ecotype 6; however, as drought progressed, the ecotypes showed similar increases in both forms of ABA. This may suggest that because of the low genetic variability in A. donax the genes responding to drought might have been activated similarly in the two ecotypes, resulting in identical physiological responses to water deficit. Despite the lack of physiological ecotypic differences that could be associated with yield, A. donax retained a high degree of P N and biomass gain under water deficit stress conditions. This may enable utilization of A. donax as a fast growing biomass crop in rain-fed marginal lands in hot drought prone climates.