Bioeconomy News

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The consumption of and contamination with plastic packaging material is increasingly threatening the environment.

Bioplastic degrades very slowly

An assessment by the Federal Environment Agency with the participation of Fraunhofer researchers states: Even biodegradable plastics remain in the environment for months.

The European Commission has put forward an action plan to develop a sustainable and circular bioeconomy that serves Europe's society, environment and economy.

New Bioeconomy Strategy for Europe

The European Commission has announced an updated Bioeconomy Strategy containing an action plan to develop a sustainable and circular bioeconomy for all of Europe. 

Korallenriffe sind der Lebensraum vieler Meeresbewohner. Doch das marine Ökosystem ist gefährdet.
Coral reefs are the habitat of many marine creatures. But the marine ecosystem is severely threatened by global warming.

Urgent call for action

In its latest report, the IPCC has called for a drastic reduction in CO2 emissions in order to limit the risks posed by global warming to humans and nature.

At the conference in Berlin, experts from industry and research discussed their newest findings regarding stored product protection and how to implement them.

Focus on stored product protection

About 500 experts from 70 countries met in Berlin at the beginning of October for the 12th International Working Conference on Stored Product Protection - IWCSPP2018.

An international team of researchers has used the CRISPR-Cas genome editing tool to breed a new cultivated plant with numerous positive traits from the original tomato plant within just one generation.

Better tomatoes via genome editing

For the first time, plant researchers have succeeded in using the CRISPR-Cas genome editing tool to breed a new crop from a wild tomato plant within just one generation.

In the final panel discussion, the participants agreed that new approaches will lead to new solutions for a more sustainable economy and industry.

TU Berlin fosters green chemistry

The Technical University Berlin set up a start-up center for innovative ideas for a more sustainable economy. The advisory board includes high-ranking members from research and industry.

Für den Wald ist Stress normal – die Zunahme der Störungen durch den Klimawandel hingegen nicht.
Forests are of irreplacable worth for ecosystems and they provide the sustainable raw material wood. The Federal Ministry of Education and Research is now funding projects towards the sustainable use of forest wood.

Funding for sustainable use of wood

The Federal Ministry of Education and Research launched its first funding measure towards the sustainable use of forest wood. This is part of the "Bioeconomy in the North" initiative.

Focus on sustainability research

How far has the implementation of the UN sustainability goals come? This and other questions were at the core of a Leibniz Association conference in Berlin in mid-September.

Die Symbiose mit Mykorrhiza-Pilzen ist äußerst vorteilhaft für Pflanzen. Jenaer Forscher konnten die Besiedelung nun erstmals auch in oberirdischen Pflanzenteilen der Tabakart Nicotiana attenuata nachweisen.

Mycorrhizal markers in leaves

For the first time, researchers identified metabolites in above-ground parts of a plant that reveal its symbiosis with mycorrhizal fungi. This will advance targeted breeding endeavors.

Over the last few years the aerospace industry has worked towards decreasing a plane's weight in an effort to save fuel. Now, Airbus and AMSilk have joined forces to develop a new biocomposite for lightweight but sturdy planes.

Airplanes made of biopolymers

The German biotechnology company AMSilk is partnering with Airbus to develop novel biocomposite fibers for lightweight, high-performance planes that will require less fuel.

Dandelion aren't just fun for kids or can be used as a rubber source. Dandelion root inulin is also often used as a food additive.

Dandelion inulin crystallizes in foods

Researchers from Mainz have found out why the addition of inulin from dandelion changes the texture of food: The colder the mixture, the more it crystallizes.

Corn plants treated with an iron-gramibactin complex show increased chlorophyll synthesis and develop darker leaves (four leaves on the right) than controls with iron-free gramibactin (left).

New iron transporter discovered

Iron is essential for plant growth and harvest yields. Now, researchers in Jena discovered a new iron transporter that significantly improves the productivity of plants.

Genome editing is a promising tool for plant breeding

Bioeconomy Council calls for new GMO laws

Following the EU's decision to classify crops created by genome editing technologies as GMOs, the German Bioeconomy Council urges politicians to modernize genetic engineering laws.

Wheat provides mankind with nearly one fifth of its caloric input and is thus one of the most important crops worldwide. An international research team with vital support by Munich- and Gatersleben-based researchers deciphered its genome.

Complex wheat genome decoded

An international research team managed to decipher the gigantic and complex wheat genome. The new information is hoped to help in breeding more yield-efficient wheat varities.

Waldwachskundler aus München fanden heraus, dass Bäume wie Buchen zwar schneller wachsen, dass Holz aber auch leichter ist.
Munich-based forest growth experts discovered that the wood of traditional trees such as beech is becoming lighter and lighter.

Climate change reduces weight of wood

Domestic trees are growing faster and faster, but the wood is also losing weight, according to Munich forest researchers.

Microbes and fungi are in a constant state of war for resources in the soil, globally. The balance between them is also affected by human activity, regional differences and climate change.

War of the soil microbes

An international research team analysed the soil microbiome. Bacteria and fungi are constantly fighting for resources and fungi even produce antibiotics to gain an advantage.

Biokohle kann dazu beitragen, Biogas in Erdgasqualität zu produzieren.
Biocoal can help to produce biogas of natural gas quality.

Biocoal from fermentation waste

Biogas contains too much carbon dioxide compared to natural gas. Researchers have now produced a new type of active carbon from the fermentation residues of the biogas plant, which removes carbon dioxide from the biogas.

Ob Blattkäfer oder Gecko: Ihr Talent auf glatten und steilen Flächen selbst kopfüber Halt zu finden, begeistert Materialforscher seit jeher.
Be it leaf beetles or geckos: Materials researchers have always been fascinated by the talent for finding hold even upside down on smooth and steep surfaces.

Adhesives modeled after beetle feet

Bionic scientists at the University of Kiel have designed silicone material surfaces based on the model of a leaf beetle, thus significantly increasing its adhesion to other materials.

Ready-to-eat foods like slices of sausage or cheese can contain bacteria such as salmonella.

Protecting food with plasma

Researchers from Hannover have found a way to make food safer: Cold plasma succeeded in killing bacteria in sausages.

It is virtually impossible to identify inferior breast implants. However, this could soon change.

Branding breast implants with tomato DNA

Using DNA snippets from tomatoes, researchers hope to identify breast implants in a way that prevents them from being falsified. This will enable them to track down inferior forgeries more quickly.