Biotechnological solutions for agricultural bioeconomy providing recycling, functionality and utilization of fruit and vegetables waste

Leader: Prof. DSc Magdalena Frąc

Team: DSc PhD Anna Siczek, PhD Agata Gryta, PhD Marta Oleszek, PhD Karolina Oszust, PhD Eng. Jacek Panek, PhD Giorgia Pertile, MSc Eng. Marta Klimczyk – DS, MSc Eng. Dominika Malarczyk – DS, MSc Eng. Dominika Matczuk – DS, MSc Mateusz Mącik –DS, MSc Eng. Michał Pylak – DS, MSc Karolina Tyśkiewicz, MSc Eng. Sylwia Wójcik

Cooperation: Prof. DSc Jerzy Lipiec, Prof. DSc Artur Zdunek, DSc PhD Jolanta Cieśla, Assoc. Prof. DSc Eng. Justyna Cybulska, Assoc. Prof. DSc Artur Nosalewicz, Assoc. Prof. DSc Monika Szymańska-Chargot, PhD Agata Leszczuk, MSc Magdalena Drobek – DS

The aim of the task is the development of biotechnological solutions for the bioeconomy providing recycling, functionality and utilization of fruit and vegetables waste, taking under consideration environmental protection and sustainable agriculture.

The task subject is part of the bioeconomy, combining production, processing and utilization of biological plant resources to obtain a new bioproducts. On the one hand the research will include the use of renewable plant materials, offering new possibilities for their use. On the other hand the study will take account the impact of waste production on the environment, proposing appropriate waste management and environmental quality monitoring.

New microbiological biopreparations

• evaluation of metabolic profile and enzymatic activity of microbial communities in fruit and vegetables waste;
• identification of microorganisms and evaluation of their catabolic abilities;
• chemical sensitivity assessment of selected fungal strains using phenotype microarrays assay;
• determination of plants extracts and microorganisms effectiveness in control of selected phytopathogens.

New biomaterials

• development of functionalization methods of polysaccharides such as cellulose, hemicellulose and chitosan;
• determination of mechanical and rheological properties of cellulose, hemicellulose and chitosan composites;
• analysis of biomaterials nanostructure;
• obtaining information about an information between the different components of a composite by FT-IR and Raman spectroscopy;
• determination of optical properties of composites.

Agricultural utilization of waste

• influence of fruit and vegetables waste on plants growth parameters based on above ground parts and root system evaluation;
• impact of fruit and vegetables waste on soil microbiological and biochemical properties, including functional and genetic diversity of soil microbial communities;
• physicochemical properties of soil.

Literature:

1. Cybulska J., Zdunek A., Sitkiewicz I., Galus S., Janiszewska E., Łaba S., Nawrocka M., 2013, Możliwości zagospodarowania wytłoków i innych odpadów przemysłu owocowo-warzywnego. Przemysł fermentacyjny i owocowo-warzywny, 57: 1-9.
2. European Commission, 2016, Horizon 2020, Work Programme 2016-2017, 12. Climate action, environment, resource efficiency and raw materials, 1-89.
3. Frąc M., Jezierska-Tys S., Yaguchi T., 2015, Occurrence, detection, and molecular and metabolic characterization of heat-resistant fungi in soils and plants and their risk to human health. Advances in Agronomy, 132: 161-204.