Bioeconomy News

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.

Zoologists in Kiel have discovered highly adhesive cellulose nanofibres in the slimy protective layer of plant seeds, which may be very useful for biomedical applications.

Due to its magnetic properties, the microbial species Magnetospirillum has enormous potential for biotechnological applications and was voted Microbe of the Year 2019.

Nuts are traditional winter and Christmas treats. However, they are not only tasty and nutritious, they also have a huge potential as source material for the bioeconomy.

Jasmonic acid is widely known as a defence hormone of plants. Researchers from Würzburg have now identified another function: it also causes the closure of stomata.