Soils are among the most important foundations of life and fulfil a variety of functions for humans and the environment, such as storing carbon and securing food supplies. However, climate-related extreme weather events such as drought and heavy rainfall are putting pressure on this valuable resource and thus increasingly on the existence of agricultural businesses. Soil erosion is a major challenge. There are methods such as growing catch crops or planting trees on fields to better protect the soil.

Heat, drought and heavy rainfall are posing increasingly significant challenges for viticulture in this country. In addition, climate change is promoting various fungal diseases. Agroforestry systems in viticulture could provide a remedy, as the ‘VitiForst’ project shows. In this project, researchers from the Universities of Hohenheim and Freiburg, together with partners from the field, are investigating how the combined cultivation of vines and trees affects the water balance, nitrogen supply and, ultimately, wine quality.

Innovative solutions that are used in agricultural practice have been promoted by the European Union for years through the European Innovation Partnership for Agricultural Productivity and Sustainability programme, or EIP-Agri for short. In what is now the third round of funding, Bingen University of Applied Sciences has succeeded with two projects and secured funding totalling 1.5 million euros.

Consumers are increasingly paying attention to natural ingredients in food and beverages. This trend is prompting manufacturers to use more nature-based recipes. The Zwingenberg-based biotechnology company BRAIN Biotech has now agreed to collaborate with Corbion, a Dutch company specialising in natural ingredients. The aim of the collaboration is to advance the development of novel bio-based antimicrobial compounds and their derivatives for use in the food industry.

For years, researchers have been working on using bacteria to convert the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide into a raw material for the chemical industry. As part of the Unifying Systems in Catalysis (UniSysCat) Cluster of Excellence, researchers in Berlin have now succeeded in elucidating the molecular mechanism by which bacteria efficiently convert carbon dioxide (CO₂) into carbon monoxide (CO) for the first time. According to Christian Lorent's team at TU Berlin, this represents a breakthrough in catalysis research.

Modern agriculture faces numerous challenges. In addition to ensuring food security, climate and environmental protection must also be taken into account, biodiversity preserved and economic aspects considered. At the same time, climate-related weather extremes are leading to a greater spread of invasive insect species and the pathogens they transmit, against which plants are increasingly developing resistance.

More and more countries see the bioeconomy as an opportunity to master the challenges of the future, such as climate change, food security, and environmental and resource protection. However, a resource-efficient and competitive economy requires the bioeconomy to be viewed in a global context. Close cooperation and worldwide research collaborations are also necessary to exploit the potential of the bioeconomy.

Potatoes are one of the most important food crops worldwide, alongside wheat and rice. However, the tuber is also extremely susceptible to disease. Climate change, viral infections, and infestation by herbivores such as the Colorado potato beetle cause billions of dollars in crop losses every year.