Bioeconomy News

Researchers from Aachen and their partners have developed a field robot that detects weeds and removes them with electric shocks.

In a statement on genome editing, the Max Planck Society argues for the targeted use of CRISPR-Cas9 in plant breeding and urges legislative changes.

At the ICCA climate conference in Heidelberg, political and economic actors stressed the need for cooperation between government decision-makers.

Leibniz researchers from Braunschweig have identified a new pathogen from dwarf parsley plants that is responsible for blocking growth.

Oxygen deficiency usually harms plants. However, an international team of plant researchers reports that too much air is even harmful for the development of new leaves and flowers.

Algae are in high demand as food. A German-Chinese research team now wants to develop macroalgae for new applications.

An international study confirms the theory of the origin of bread wheat and opens up new breeding potentials for the crop.

Plant researchers at the Julius Kühn Institute want to breed new varieties to make yellow lupins more resistant and thus more attractive for agriculture. 

Researchers from Wismar and Hamburg want to develop the wooden nail further for use in ecological wood construction.

Fraunhofer researchers are developing new biobased adhesives that consist almost entirely of vegetable oils - including resins and hardeners. 

The global assessment of the World Biodiversity Council IPBES paints a dramatic picture of the situation of biological diversity on earth and calls for profound change.

Using a simple genetic trick, biochemists at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg have induced potatoes to form tubers even at high temperatures.

Researchers at the University of Bochum have improved the lifetime of bioelectrodes by making a protein complex involved in the photosynthetic process more durable.

The insecticide clothianidin, which is banned in the EU, damages bumble bees, a field study confirms. Honey bees, on the other hand, remain unaffected.

Bio-based adhesives are not only more sustainable. They also have other advantages over their petrol-based counterparts, as an analysis by the Fraunhofer Institute for Wood Research shows.

Givaudan, the world's largest manufacturer of fragrances and flavours, opts for the biotechnologically produced spider silk proteins from AMSilk in Martinsried, Germany.

Chinese plant researchers have deciphered and analysed the genomes of 472 different wild grapevine forms. A vine archive from Karlsruhe contributed material.

A study shows that the EU obtains almost two thirds of all plant-based raw materials from Asia. Cotton and palm oil are at the top of the list.

Students from TU Berlin triumphed in the TROPHELIA ideas competition with a triple victory and a special prize for vegan product ideas. 

In Bristol, England, the Max Planck Society is establishing a research center for synthetic biology with the local university: the Max Planck-Bristol Center in Minimal Biology.

Higher yields in intensive agriculture come at the expense of biodiversity. This is the conclusion of a meta-analysis conducted by environmental researchers from Leipzig.

Plastic waste in the water attract the water fleas' chemical cues, thereby undermining the defence strategies of the tiny crustaceans.

Guardian molecules detect bacterial intruders in plants and induce the death of the affected cell, as German and Chinese researchers found out.

A closer look at cleaning products containing probiotic bacteria reveals that they are useless, as investigations by the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology have shown.

Fraunhofer researchers have developed an artificial alternative to natural rubber - with superior properties.

Bioprocess engineers at TU Dresden have affixed fungal enzymes to metal globules, making problematic chemicals in sewage treatment plants biodegradable.

In the "rECOmine" project, researchers are developing concepts to recover recyclables and eliminate pollutants.

Products with sustainability seals make consumers feel good. But ultimately it is the price that determines the purchase decision, as Göttingen-based agricultural economists show.

Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology in Bremen have for the first time discovered microorganisms that need the toxic gas to grow.

Researchers from Saarbrücken have developed a car paint that repairs small scratches in an instant: The coating consists of corn starch and reacts to heat.

Researchers at Leipzig University Library want to use microbes to learn more about late medieval writings.

With the parentage of the valuable spice plant saffron uncovered, botanists will be able to optimize the breeding of the valuable spice plant saffron. 

The partnership for natural-based sweetening solutions around Zwingenberger Brain AG has a new partner: In March, a European beverage company joined the DOLCE team.

Chemists from the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research have analysed the traditional preparation of marine animals and developed a faster alternative.

Biodiversity researchers sound a warning: Global biodiversity is being destroyed by rapid economic and population growth, which is undermining progress.

For the first time, German biodiversity researchers were able to use a statistical model to calculate the diversity of tree species in different regions of the world and produce a complete world map.

The "Food Accelerator Network" is looking for new ideas that can have the greatest impact on the agricultural and food industries.

The Zuse Research Association develops climate-friendly and comfortable technologies – from the basement to the roof.

German companies comply with their sustainability reporting obligations, a current ranking shows. The top six were awarded in Berlin.

Software developed by Henkel for the recyclability of packaging has passed the critical practical test by Fraunhofer researchers.

Evonik has increased its venture capital fund by €150 million. This time, the specialty chemicals group is targeting start-ups with market-ready innovations - not excluding later takeovers.

The energy stores of tomorrow could be made from eggshells: An international team of researchers is showing for the first time how powdered shell waste can act as electrodes.

A rare bacterial species competes with methane-forming archaea and thus slows down global warming, a study by researchers from Braunschweig and Vienna shows.

A new research consortium plans to investigate the natural defences of wheat in order to protect the plant against diseases and pests.

A new research consortium plans to investigate the natural defences of wheat in order to protect the plant against diseases and pests.

With its solid wood glasses, the start-up freisicht has won the Bavarian start-up competition PlanB. For the third time, the event awarded business ideas for the bio-based economy.

Students of the University of Hohenheim have won a European competition against food waste with their alternative breakfast cereals called "Banaboom". 

Jennewein, a biotech company specializing in human milk sugar, is researching milk products in cooperation with the Chinese market leader for dairy goods.

In cyanobacteria, researchers at the University of Tübingen have discovered a molecule that is harmless to humans and that has the potential to replace the controversial glyphosate.

The most important bee species are still partially present in Europe. The EU project SmartBees ends with this good news and leaves beekeepers with tools for bee protection.

Using modern X-ray technology, researchers have determined the adhesive structure of spider legs. The parallel fiber structure could serve as a model for new materials.

A recent study by the Thünen Institute shows: Organic agriculture scores significantly better than conventional agriculture in terms of resource conservation, soil fertility and biodiversity.

After a year of growing vegetables in Antarctica, Paul Zabel has returned to Germany. The results are mostly positive - in total, more than 270 kilograms of vegetables were harvested.

Partners from research and industry are developing environmentally friendly lubricants based on biopolymers.

According to researchers from Heidelberg, so-called bifacial stem cells alternate between producing wood and bast cells.

The influence of climate change on groundwater is insidious. The slow reaction time could prove to be an ecological time bomb, as an international team of researchers discovered.

Cosmetics are a growing market but mostly based on petrochemicals. During a trade show in Paris Covestro is now presenting a new sustainable hair gel and sun protect lotion.

Fraunhofer physicists have developed a pocket-sized food scanner that uses infrared light and intelligent algorithms to determine the shelf life of food.

Materials scientists at TU Dresden have developed wood fibre-based oil binders that can clean water in the event of an oil spill.

The European project PANBioRA is investigating and developing tools and methods in order to assess the risks of new biobased medical products in a standardised way.