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EUBCE 2026 - Efthymia ALEXOPOULOU - Utilizing Contaminated Lands for Bioproduct and Bioenergy Production: Sorghum and Industrial Hemp as Low-ILUC Feedstocks

Utilizing Contaminated Lands for Bioproduct and Bioenergy Production: Sorghum and Industrial Hemp as Low-ILUC Feedstocks

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Sustainable integrated agricultural management practices - Prospects of a sustainable production of biomass

Utilizing Contaminated Lands for Bioproduct and Bioenergy Production: Sorghum and Industrial Hemp as Low-ILUC Feedstocks

Short Introductive summary

The productive use of contaminated and marginal lands offers a sustainable pathway to generate renewable biomass while reducing pressure on fertile agricultural areas. This study evaluates fiber sorghum and industrial hemp cultivated on heavily metal-contaminated soils in the Thoriko mining area (Greece) to assess growth performance, heavy metal accumulation, and phytoremediation potential. The results demonstrate crop-specific responses to contamination, with sorghum showing superior biomass production and metal removal, while hemp exhibited lower productivity but measurable metal uptake and tolerance to contaminated conditions. These findings highlight the potential of resilient bioenergy crops for integrated biomass production and soil remediation.

Presenter

Moderator portrait

Efthymia ALEXOPOULOU

CRES - Center for Renewable Energy Sources and Saving, Biomass Dpt., GREECE

Presenter's biography

She is an agriculture engineer grantuated from the Agricultural University in Athens (AUA) with PhD on the “Adaptability and biomass productivity of the non-food crop Kenaf in Greece”. She is responsible for Energy Crops Unit in Biomass Department of Center for Renewable Energy Sources.

Biographies and Short introductive summaries are supplied directly by presenters and are published here unedited


Co-authors:

X. Zhao, Institute of Bast Fiber Crops, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changsha, P.R. CHINA
E. Alexopoulou, Centre for Renewable Energy Sources and Saving, Athens, GREECE
E. Papazoglou, Agricultural University of Athens, GREECE

Session reference: 1DV.4.33