Agriculture sciences

The dairy cow of the future

The German Livestock Association umbrella organization for the production of cattle and pigs in Germany. Within the association, the Förderverein Bioökonomieforschung e.V. (FBF) deals with modern breeding research and insemination. The research activities are supported by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and the Federal Ministry of Research, among others. The veterinarian Jens Baltissen is the provisional managing director of the FBF and explains which traits are in the focus for breeding dairy cows now and in future.

Reducing allergens in food

Many people suffer from food allergies. According to estimates by the German Allergy and Asthma Association (DAAB), around six million children and adults are affected in Germany alone. Peanut allergy is particularly widespread. So far, allergy sufferers have had to do without allergy-causing foods such as peanuts or mustard, as the condition cannot yet be cured.

The plant doctor

Whether grey mould or boxwood borer: pests that stray into Andreas von Tiedemann's garden are at a disadvantage. After all, they are dealing with an expert who is passionate about plant protection. For almost 40 years, the agricultural scientist and doctor of phytomedicine has been searching for new strategies to effectively combat plant diseases. He was recently honoured with the highest award a "plant doctor" can receive: In August 2018, Tiedemann was awarded the Anton de Bary Medal by the German Phytomedical Society for his "life's work".

Fertilizer from bagasse ash

Along with soya and corn, sugar cane is one of the most important crops in Brazil. It is used to produce not only sugar but also biofuels such as ethanol. However, processing produces enormous amounts of bagasse - fibrous remains - which up to now were not used efficiently. Instead, the lignocellulosic residual material is burnt in inefficient incinerators and usually disposed of in landfills or scattered on fields. But ash is more than just burned biomass. It contains nutrients such as phosphorus, which are essential for plant growth.

Making use of the plant's defences

Last summer, heat and drought have afflicted farmers in many places and caused enormous harvest losses. The damage caused to farmers in Germany was estimated by the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture at 770 million euros.
Extreme weather conditions make plants more susceptible to disease and pest infestation. This also endangers wheat production in Germany and large parts of Europe.

Farming in the digital age

The profession of farming has a long tradition in Robert Hagemann’s family. Without the German reunification, however, it is unlikely that the native of Lower Saxony would have followed in the footsteps of his grandfather and father. In 1990, the family of the then 15-year-old Robert Hagemann moved to the region of Prignitz, where they established an agricultural business in Groß Pankow, far from his old home. “My father had always dreamed of having his own large company.

Compostable coffee capsules

For much of his career, Florian Hammerstein wanted nothing to do with coffee. The market is too closed off, the structures too immobile, and only a few high-ranking players have a real say in the future of the industry. It is thanks to his enthusiasm and courage to pursue unusual projects that Hammerstein and his company, Original Food, remain actively involved in the coffee business.

Dodder does more than feed off plants

Few organisms can survive on their own, many live in symbiosis with others, some of which are parasitic. Dodder, a parasitic vine of the genus Cuscuta, grows rapidly, entwining and parasitizing its host plants by inserting haustoria (a special organ that only parasitic plants have that functions analogue to roots) into the host plants’ stems. The dodder vines often connect different host plants together and form a network.

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