The miscanthus of the Ecotron of Gembloux shines on RTBF news!

While a century might feel like a distant horizon, Antoine and Marion have already explored what could happen by 2050 for a miscanthus crop grown in the Ecotron, a climate-controlled chamber that can regulate various environmental parameters. The differences between plants grown under the climatic conditions of 2015 and those grown with the projected 2050 climates are clearly visible in the pictures. Miscanthus from 2050 show noticeably accelerated growth at the start of the cycle compared to the 2015 plants, mainly thanks to increased temperatures and higher atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. However, these promising results must be balanced by the increased risk of drought events.

Questions about the impact of future climate conditions on crops are particularly important for miscanthus fields established today. Unlike annual crop varieties, which can be replaced each year with varieties better adapted to new conditions, these perennial plantations will directly experience the effects of climate change by 2050 -- since miscanthus is established for about twenty years.

One thing is certain: the educational value of miscanthus on environmental challenges needs no demonstration! This report shines a wonderful spotlight on the uniqueness of the Ecotron of Gembloux and highlights the exciting collaboration between French and Belgian research teams.

https://auvio.rtbf.be/media/journal-televise-sujet-par-sujet-comment-pousseront-les-plantes-dans-100-ans-l-ecotron-l-analyse-3377828

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