Bioeconomy News

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EU-Flaggen vorm EU-Kommissionsgebäude in Brüssel

Recommendations for a competitive bioeconomy in the EU

As part of the EU project ShapingBio, researchers led by Fraunhofer ISI have formulated recommendations for utilising the potential of bio-based innovations and thereby advancing the bioeconomy within the EU.

Pflanzen bewässern
Irrigation in vegetable cultivation is to be controlled digitally in the future.

Digital watering of vegetables

As part of its EIP-Agri funding programme, the EU is supporting two projects at Bingen University of Applied Sciences that focus on innovation in agriculture – including a project that aims to digitally control irrigation in vegetable cultivation.

Erscheinungspflanzen zweier Arabidopsis-Pflanzen. Ausführliche Bildunterschrift siehe Ende des Meldungstextes.

Mystery surrounding amino acids in plants solved

Researchers at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf have identified the mechanism by which plants transport amino acids within their organisms. The findings could contribute to the development of crops with a higher content of essential amino acids.

Orangensaft mit Orange
The food industry is increasingly focusing on natural ingredients.

BRAIN Biotech: Alliance for new nature-based ingredients

The Zwingenberg-based enzyme specialist BRAIN Biotech will be collaborating with the Dutch company Corbion in the future to develop new sustainable ingredients for food preservation.

In solchen Bioreaktoren werden zunehmend nicht nur Impfstoffe, sondern auch andere Arzneimittel oder Feinchemikalien hergestellt.
In such bioreactors, enzymes act as catalysts for biochemical reactions.

Breakthrough for bio-inspired catalysis

Researchers at the Technical University of Berlin and Humboldt University of Berlin have succeeded in elucidating the molecular mechanism of bacterial conversion of carbon dioxide (CO2) into carbon monoxide (CO) for the first time.

Globale Kooperationen für die Bioökonomie
With its “Bioeconomy International” funding program, the German government has laid the foundation for far-reaching research collaborations.

Forging international research alliances on the bioeconomy

With a new round of tenders for the “Bioeconomy International” funding initiative, the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Space (BMFTR) is once again supporting the establishment of international research networks.

Kartoffel haben viel Kohlenhydrate wie pflanzliche Stärke, mithilfe von Enzymen zu energiereichen Stoffen werden.
The potato is the third most important crop worldwide, with several thousand varieties having been developed since cultivation began.

New platform for potato breeding

Researchers have developed a genome-based metabolic model for potatoes that can improve the breeding of new stress-tolerant varieties.

Ob es Gerstenpflanzen gut geht, können optische Sensoren früher erkennen als Menschen.
Climate change causes significant abiotic stress in important crops such as wheat.

New research offensive for sustainable plant protection

The Federal Ministry of Education and Research has established new funding guidelines to promote the development and application of new methods for the sustainable protection of crops against insect pests and plant pathogens.

Michael Lakatos erklärt dem Ministerpräsident Alexander Schweitzer die Vielfalt seiner weltweit einzigartigen Algensammlung.
Michael Lakatos, head of the Waste2Value joint project, explains the diversity of algae collection at the Pirmasens campus to Minister President Alexander Schweitzer (right in the picture).

Waste2Value: Microbes for sustainability

Mastering structural change in the Western Palatinate with microorganisms: Alexander Schweitzer, Minister President of Rhineland-Palatinate, saw for himself how this can be achieved during a visit to the Pirmasens campus of Kaiserslautern University of Applied Sciences.

Lyocellfasern und –filamente, hergestellt aus Reststoffen.
Lyocell fibers and filaments made from residual materials

Sustainable fibers from waste materials

In the Texroh joint project, researchers at TU Dresden are seeking to develop cellulose-containing residues and waste materials for the production of sustainable Lyocell fibers.

Bei„Power2Polymers“ werden aus Industrieabgasen wertvolle Chemikalien gewonnen.
Valuable chemicals can be extracted from industrial waste gases.

Chemicals from industrial waste gases

The Power2Polymers project uses sustainable methanol to produce usable chemicals such as paraformaldehyde and polyols on a large scale – as a basis for adhesives and other industrial applications.

Prof. Thomas Brück
Thomas Brück and other researchers have developed a process for producing carbon fibres from renewable raw materials.

Carbon fibres from algae

A research team led by the Technical University of Munich has developed a process for producing carbon fibres from renewable raw materials.

Gewebte Stoffstruktur in den Farben ultraviolett und lila.

Bio-based textile fibres made from lignin

The European BioFibreLoop project aims to establish lignin as a bio-based fibre source for the textile industry. The main challenge is to establish a supply chain.

Weinbergsfeldversuch mit Arbuskulären Mykorrhizapilzen in Geisenheim.
Vineyard field trial with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in Geisenheim

Secure harvests with soil microbes

A research team led by Geisenheim University points to the potential of wild plants and their interaction with soil microbes for sustainable agriculture and calls for the establishment of protected areas to study this sensitive relationship.

Fleisch in Plastikbox
Meat packaging made from sustainable materials can reduce the environmental impact of plastic waste.

Bio-based packaging for meat products

As part of the EU project MATE4MEAT, Fraunhofer researchers are working on bio-based and antimicrobial meat packaging that extends the shelf life of food.

Der Würzburger 3D-Laserscanner scannt einen Apfelbaum bei Nacht.
The Würzburg 3D laser scanner scans an apple tree at night.

Laser scanner assesses plant health

The collaboration between agricultural research and robotics has resulted in a novel 3D laser scanner system that enables precise plant analysis.

Holzstapel
Wooden panels are widely used in the construction industry, but cannot always be recycled.

Bio-based adhesives for wood panels

The development of bio-based adhesives, coatings and fibres for the construction industry is the focus of a new EU project involving researchers from the Steinbeis Europe Centre and the Fraunhofer Society.

Dr. Jakob Ruickoldt bei der Überführung der Proben in den Probenhalter.
Dr Jakob Ruickoldt transferring the samples to the sample holder.

Enzymatic CO2 binding decoded

Researchers at the University of Potsdam and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin have succeeded in explaining the working steps of an enzyme involved in anaerobic carbon fixation.

Drohne über dem Feld
Lower Saxony wants to promote the use of digital assistants in agriculture.

Millions for change in agricultural systems

As part of the zukunft.niedersachsen science funding programme, two new large-scale projects are being supported with a total of 43.6 million euros in order to advance the transformation of the agricultural and food sector in the federal state.

Gerste
Rising temperatures and changing precipitation patterns also lead to crop losses for barley.

Barley grains react to heat stress

Researchers from Dresden and Vienna have developed a method to precisely analyse the stability of plant cell membranes. The findings provide clues as to how plants react to rising temperatures.

Walnussbäume

Climate-resilient trees for dry soils

The Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development is launching a research project to improve agroforestry systems in arid regions of eastern Germany.

EU-Förderung für die Bioökonomie im Überblick
The EU Commission is proposing a more coordinated investment approach for the entire life sciences value chain.

Bioeconomy in the life sciences strategy

As part of the new life sciences strategy, the European Union intends to provide 10 billion euros annually to make Europe competitive in the field of life sciences. Innovations in sustainable bioeconomy solutions are a key driver of growth.

Serumflasche mit Clostridium thermocellum, welches mit Filterpapier als Kohlenstoffquelle wächst. Die Gelbe Affinitätssubstanz YAS bindet an Zellulose. Das Filterpapier wird während des Wachstums verbraucht.
Sealed serum bottle with Clostridium thermocellum growing with filter paper as carbon source. The yellow affinity substance YAS binds to cellulose. The filter paper is consumed during growth.

How pigments convert plant biomass

Jena researchers have elucidated the molecular structure of the so-called Yellow Affinity Substance (YAS) and provide new insights into how the yellow pigments produced by the anaerobic bacterium Clostridium thermocellum convert cellulose into sugar.

Pflaumen am Baum
Fruit trees such as plums are also infested by Pseudomonas syringae.

New bacterial natural substances discovered

By analysing the genetic material of the plant pathogen Pseudomonas syringae, researchers in Jena have identified two new families of natural substances that could be of interest for agriculture and pharmaceutical research.

Die Quinoa-Felder der kleinbäuerlichen Gemeinschaften liegen direkt am Ufer des Titicacasees.

Climate-resilient quinoa cultivated

With the help of artificial intelligence (AI), an international research team, including the University of Hohenheim, was able to develop three climate-adapted quinoa varieties for the Peruvian highlands.

Künstlerische Darstellung des Inneren eines Cyanobakteriums. Hier konzentrieren Kondensate (Kugeln im Bild) Enzyme, die im Rahmen der Photosynthese CO2 fixieren.

Photosynthesis research for efficient carbon capture

Two newly founded research groups at the Max Planck Society are developing more efficient methods of photosynthesis to break down and bind CO2 with the help of sunlight.

Schadflächen im Harz.
Damaged areas in the Harz Mountains.

Forest living labs for the future of forests

German forestry and timber research is strategically realigning itself with forest living labs in the Harz Mountains and Lower Bavaria. The SURVEY joint project combines scientific expertise and practical experience in an interdisciplinary approach.

Internationale Bioökonomie-Konferenz in Halle

Bioeconomy in a Shifting Global Landscape

At the 13th International Bioeconomy Conference in Halle, the spotlight was on the role of the bioeconomy in a world shaped by overlapping crises and evolving geopolitical priorities. In a global economy that is increasingly fragile, companies are under pressure to future-proof their operations - while also confronting the complexities of transitioning away from fossil-based systems.

Drohne düngt das Feld
Digital technologies can make agriculture more sustainable.

Smart farming also profitable for small farms

Researchers show how digitalisation can also make small farms ready to compete.

Im neuen Technologiezentrum lassen sich Prozesse zur Herstellung neuer Lebensmittel im übertragbaren Pilotmaßstab evaluieren und die Produktion mit Hilfe von Zellkulturen und mikrobieller Fermentation testen, die mit vor- und nachgeschalteten Prozessstufen verbunden sind.
In 2023, the New Food Application and Technology Centre of Excellence - ATC for short - was opened in Hildesheim.

GEA opens pilot plant in the USA

With the opening of a new technology centre in the US state of Wisconsin, Düsseldorf-based plant manufacturer GEA is taking a further step towards advancing food innovations based on alternative proteins.

Eine Präsentation der im Rahmen des Projektes "reGIOcycle" entwickelten Produkte, darunter auch der Augsburger Becher.
A presentation of the products developed as part of the reGIOcycle project, including the Augsburg cup.

Solutions for an efficient circular economy

Using the Augsburg region as an example, a research consortium is showing how plastics can be recycled and replaced by bio-based plastics.

Chemielabor
In order to accelerate the transformation towards green chemistry, many laboratories are conducting research into sustainable chemicals.

Customising bio-based solvents

Magdeburg chemists are working with partners to research solvents made from renewable raw materials in order to replace petroleum-based substances and make chemical processes recyclable. The work is supported by the German Research Foundation.

Regenerative Landwirtschaft bezieht sich auf landwirtschaftliche Praktiken, die zu einer Humusanreicherung im Boden beitragen. Dadurch wird Kohlenstoff gespeichert, die Bodenstruktur verbessert, die Artenvielfalt erhöht und Erträge gesichert.

Study shows potential of regenerative agriculture

A study by the European Alliance for Regenerative Agriculture shows that regenerative farming can achieve yields that are comparable to or even higher than those of conventional agriculture. It is considered to be the world's largest study of regenerative farming systems carried out by farmers to date.

Gelbrost ist eine Pilzerkrankung und eine erhebliche Bedrohung für den weltweiten Weizenanbau. Typisch für einen Befall sind gelbe Streifen auf den Blättern der Weizenpflanze.

Traditional wheat varieties are resistant to fungi

The fungal disease yellow rust jeopardises wheat cultivation worldwide. Researchers at the University of Zurich have now discovered genes with natural resistance in Asian wheat varieties. These could help to breed robust wheat in the future and thus strengthen global food security.

Das Team um Institutsleiter Prof. Ralph Bock (links) und Projektleiter Dr. Daniel Dunkelmann (rechts) wird in Kürze Nutzpflanzen der nächsten Generation mit optimierten Chloroplastengenomen entwickeln.

Millions in funding for plant genome

With funding totalling 11 million euros from the British innovation agency ARIA, the Potsdam MPI of Molecular Plant Physiology is launching the SyncSol project: a universal plant genome is to make crops more efficient, climate-resilient and pharmaceutically usable.

Agroforst, hier als Alleenkultur, kann die Erträge von landwirtschaftlich genutzten Pflanzen stabilisieren – selbst bei schwankender Verfügbarkeit von Wasser.

Agroforestry stabilises yields

A long-term study by the University of Hohenheim in Stuttgart shows that agroforestry makes agricultural systems in temperate climate zones more resilient to climate risks. It therefore represents a resilient and sustainable alternative to conventional agriculture in Europe.

Verschiedene Pilzarten, isoliert von Gebäudefassaden in der slowenischen Küstenstadt Izola.

Living colour for facades

An international research team involving Graz University of Technology is working on integrating microorganisms into facade paints. The aim is to protect the exterior walls of buildings, bind CO2 and break down air pollutants.

Die Forschenden zeigten den Befragten Bilder von landwirtschaftlich genutzten Flächen und identischer Landschaftsszenen, in die sie zum Vergleich Solarpaneele einmontiert hatten.

Agrivoltaics more accepted by the population

Photovoltaics on agricultural land is more accepted by the population than solar installations on unused open land. This is the result of a survey conducted by the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn.

Tomaten
According to the Leibniz Network's SARAS concept, healthy foods such as vegetables should also be affordable.

Signposts for crisis-proof food systems

The Leibniz Research Network ‘Green Nutrition - Healthy Society’ provides recommendations for the reorganisation of food and agricultural systems, taking sustainability and resilience into account.

Biopestizid als Alternative zu chemischen Pestiziden, um Böden und Artenvielfalt zu schützen.

Seed funding for SenseUP's biopesticides

The Cologne-based start-up SenseUP has concluded seed financing totalling 2.4 million euros. It will use the capital to drive forward its research activities in order to bring new biopesticides to market maturity.