Bioeconomy Science Center
Research and cooperation for a sustainable bioeconomy
Bioeconomy Science Center
Research and cooperation for a sustainable bioeconomy

TaReCa: Successful follow-up from BioSC project InducTomE

The project partners of the BioSC project InducTomE successfully applied for a follow-up project at the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. TaReCa started in November 2017 and evaluates the potential of biomass residues of bell pepper production as a source of valuable bioactive compounds.

Plant secondary metabolites are essential components of the human diet, utilised as phytomedicines, as industrial raw materials and high-value fine chemicals. Their industrial chemical synthesis is difficult and expensive. Plant biomass residues from agriculture and horticulture could be an alternative source. The BioSC project InducTomE succeeded in obtaining the secondary metabolites rutin and solenasol from green biomass residues of tomato plants after enhancing their accumulation by abiotic stress application.

From November 2017 to October 2020, the cooperation of the BioSC Core Groups at IBMG and AVT-FVT (RWTH Aachen), IBG-2 (Forschungszentrum Jülich) as well as ILR and INRES Horticultural Science (University of Bonn) continues with Dr. Alexandra Wormit (IBMG RWTH Aachen) as coordinator. The BMBF project „Tailoring of secondary metabolism in horticultural residuals and cascade utilization for a resource efficient production of valuable bioactive compounds” evaluates the potential of green biomass residues of bell pepper as a source of secondary metabolites.

At the IBG-2, young bell pepper plants will be analysed under controlled stress conditions aiming towards an enhanced accumulation of flavonoids, e.g. cynaroside which is of interest for the cosmetic, food and pharmaceutical industries, and graveobioside A which has biocidal properties. At the Campus Klein-Altendorf and at the INRES Horticultural Science, effective stress treatments will be implemented in commercial-like greenhouses and physiological effects on reproductive bell pepper plants will be evaluated on the level of leaf and fruit yield. Obtained leaf material from these experiments will be analyzed regarding transcriptional and metabolic alterations in plants as well as abiotic induced changes in biosynthetic pathways at the IBMG. The establishment and optimization of the extraction and processing procedure will be conducted by the Fluid Process Engineers, while bio-economists of the ILR evaluate the market potential of leaf compounds for utilization in the pharmaceutical, cosmetical or dietary sector. Validation experiments in greenhouses under commercial conditions can be conducted at the test center Straelen of the Chamber of Agriculture NRW.

To ensure future industrial exploitation, the scientific work of TaReCa will be accompanied by an industrial advisory board consisting of representatives of the Chamber of Agriculture NRW, Symrise AG, Trifolio-M and Gartenbau Hoffmann. TaReCa will reveal an innovative way to use available resources more efficiently and contributes to a sustainable, efficient and integrated bioeconomy without competing with food production.