Drinking water is a natural product and is comprised of around 80% groundwater and spring water. Not surprisingly, the quality requirements for drinking water are extremely high. To this end, intricate analyses provide information on water quality and reveal whether the infrastructure of the water system is in proper working order. For water utility companies, it is also becoming increasingly important to maintain precise knowledge of their water catchment areas so that the respective protected areas can be exactly defined and demarcated.
Agriculture and forestry
CEPI (2016): Roadmap Bioeconomy
The road map outlines ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Confederation of European Paper Industries (CEPI) has a vision of leading Europe's bioeconomy transition towards 2050 by cutting its carbon footprint by 80% while creating more than 50% more added value.
BDBe (2017): High acceptance for biofuels made from field crops
In the 28 EU Member States, 69 percent of respondents are in favor of the increased use of these biofuels, while 15 percent are against it and 16 percent are undecided.
Plant breeding using CRISPR-Cas molecular scissors
Researchers first presented the CRISPR-Cas genomic scissors in 2012 in the journal Science. In the meantime, the molecular precision tool has revolutionised the field of molecular biology. Holger Puchta from the KIT is one of the first researchers to use these genomic scissors to make targeted modifications to the genetic material of plants. In the interview, he explains how so-called genome editing works, and why the agricultural crops that result from this technology are indistinguishable from natural plants.
Using sewage waste water for hydroponics
On their quest for ways to save water during farming, researchers are focussing more and more on sewage treatment plants. Within the cooperation project “HypoWave” Frankfurt-based researchers headed by the agricultural expert Martina Winker aim to develop a new method in order to use municipal sewage water more effectively for farming plants. Therefore, they are focussing on hydroponics.
Peptides for everyone
Although peptides are already often used in cosmetics or the pharmaceutical industry, their unused potential is even greater. Their expensive and complex production however, has limited their application possibilities thus far. The Düsseldorf start up Numaferm has developed a new tool to remedy the situation. CEO Philipp Bürling is convinced the new Numaferm technology that was developed by his business partner Christian Schwarz will significantly reduce the production costs of peptides.
A smart app as a doctor for plants
Plant diseases and pests are a plague for farmers and hobby gardeners all around the world. With her ‘Plantix’ app, Simone Strey from Hanover-based start-up PEAT is now offering a novel form of support for self-help. From the photos provided by users, the software not only identifies pest infestation and nutrient deficiency in plants, but also provides advice on how to deal with disease or parasites. The geobotanist Strey and her team were honoured with the ‘Innovation Award 2017’ at this year's CeBit, the world’s biggest digital fair.
Sustainable reed and electricity for the Senegal
There are still many places in the world where people have to live without electricity. Until recently, the Senegal was one of those places – until Heidi Schiller and her family business KAITO Projekt GmbH and their small solar panels literally brought light to the villages in West-Africa. Now Schiller is focusing on a new project at the same location: SENtypha.
More robust berries
Berries are popular and healthy. But the plants cultivated today are by no means as versatile as the biodiversity of berries appears to be: in the course of breeding, the genetic basis of many berry species has steadily diminished. Today, there are only a few closely related varieties on the market, which have lost many of the characteristics of their ancestors. This often makes it impossible to adapt these varieties to new challenges such as certain diseases or climate change through conventional breeding efforts.
Biofertilizer for teak trees
Teak not only looks noble, the material is also easy to work with and very durable. Therefore, teak is in great demand - not only in Europe but also in Africa where the teak tree Pterocarpus angolensis grows. There, the tree is used in traditional medicine. However, slash-and-burn agriculture endangers its cultivation and new plantings are difficult due to the nutrient-poor soils. Even seedlings grown in nurseries have only a limited chance of survival.