“Bioinformatics can make agriculture more sustainable”

Agriculture must adapt to the challenges of climate change in order to secure the supply of important food crops such as cereals in the future. Agnieszka Golicz from Justus Liebig University Giessen is convinced that bioinformatics can provide a crucial contribution. After all, the ability of crops to adapt to climate change is already anchored in their genome, says the molecular geneticist. In her research, she uses bioinformatics methods to analyze genome sequences.

Rye - the cereal of the future?

Agriculture is facing major challenges: It needs to feed a growing world population, become ecologically sustainable and withstand the changes brought about by the climate crisis. Rye could possibly be part of the solution: "Until the middle of the 20th century, rye was a key part of our agriculture," says Bernd Hackauf from the Julius Kühn Institute (JKI), "since then it has lost a lot of its importance."

Repairing cracks in concrete with bacteria

The construction sector is facing the challenge of saving CO2 emissions and resources. This applies to both new builds and the renovation of old buildings. Until now, cracks in concrete have been filled with plastic-modified materials such as epoxy resin. But there is also a more sustainable way, with the help of special microorganisms. Microbes of the species Sporosarcina pasteurii have the talent to seal cracks and pores in concrete under certain conditions and thus protect buildings from further damage.

Clariant: End of commercial biorefinery in Romania

Straw to fuel: It was the first large-scale plant for the commercial production of cellulosic ethanol, a second-generation biofuel, which started operations in Podari, Romania, in June last year. Now the specialty chemicals group Clariant has surprisingly announced the end of the new plant. As the Swiss company announced on December 6, the Board of Directors decided to close the flagship plant for ethanol production using the Sunliquid process. Development activities at the German sites in Munich, Planegg and Straubing are also to be scaled back accordingly.

Bioeconomy Forum shines with political celebrities

After a digital edition last year, the Bioeconomy Forum hosted by the Federal Government's Bioeconomy Council took place in person this time, and the organizers were pleased to welcome a full house: more than 200 stakeholders from science, business, politics and administration came to the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) on Kapelle-Ufer in Berlin on 4 and 5 December to discuss

ERC: Bioeconomy projects by four top researchers honored

The European Research Council (ERC) is the most important European funding organization for excellent frontier research. The Consolidator Grants, which are aimed at outstanding scientists in the middle of their careers, are among the most sought-after funding formats. They receive funding of up to 2 million euros over five years to consolidate their independent research teams and conduct research in their specialist disciplines.

Phone case

Smartphone covers protect the device from damage or scratches and increases its longevity. However, most phone cases are made from petroleum-based plastic, end up in the trash after use and can contain substances that are harmful to humans, such as plasticisers.