Agriculture and forestry

“Uncovering the key signals of plants under water stress”

Plants need water to survive. However, climate change is making this precious commodity scarce and posing major challenges for agriculture. But how do plants perceive a lack of water and what are the underlying molecular mechanisms? Christine Ziegler is investigating these questions in her research work. As part of the HYDROSENSING project, the biophysicist from the University of Regensburg is looking for answers to these fundamental questions. The European Research Council (ERC) is providing 10 million euros in a so-called Synergy Grant for the six-year project.

Methane-reducing feed additives for livestock

Methane is the second most important greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide (CO2). One gram of methane drives global warming many times more than the same amount of CO2. According to the Federal Environment Agency, agriculture is responsible for around two thirds of methane emissions in Germany. Cattle farming alone is responsible for more than half of the methane emissions produced here. In order to achieve its climate targets, the German government wants to reduce methane emissions by 30 % by 2030.

Reference genome for Arabica coffee available online

There are around 120 coffee varieties worldwide. However, the Arabica variety is at the forefront of coffee production with 70%. However, climate change is increasingly causing yield losses, as the plant is extremely sensitive. It tolerates heat and drought poorly and is therefore more susceptible to disease. What's more, experts believe that suitable areas for coffee cultivation will continue to shrink as a result of climate change. This would also affect Brazil, which is one of the world's leading coffee producers.

Key gene for toxic alkaloid discovered in barley

Plants mediate their interactions with the environment via chemical signals. One example of this is the alkaloid gramine, which is produced by barley, one of the world's most widely cultivated cereals. Gramine provides protection against herbivorous insects and grazing animals and inhibits the growth of other plants. The toxin is particularly present in the green parts of the plant, such as leaves and stalks, but hardly ever in the grains, which can be safely used for food production.

Better arming grape varieties against fungi

Climate change is also increasingly causing crop losses in viticulture. In particular, the rapid alternation between drought and heavy rainfall damages the grapes and promotes the spread of fungal diseases such as vine peronospora (Plasmopara viticola) and grey mould rot (Botrytis cinerea). Winegrowers therefore use plant protection products to protect the grape varieties. In order to meet the climate-related challenges in viticulture in an environmentally friendly way, experts are focussing on fungus-resistant grape varieties, known as PIWIs.

Genetic material of maize plants influences the root microbiome

There are many fungi and bacteria that live in symbiosis with plant roots and enrich each other. Plants can only grow because they are supplied with nutrients and water from the soil via the roots with the help of microorganisms. This diverse community of microorganisms, also known as the microbiome, also protects the host plant from harmful organisms and is therefore a guarantee for plant health.

Identifying strategies for saving plant protection products

How can agriculture secure food for a growing world population without putting further strain on the planet? With the Farm-to-Fork Strategy, the European Union 2020 has drawn up a plan for how the region can become climate-neutral by 2050. This strategy is part of the European Green Deal and includes measures and targets for the production and consumption of food within planetary boundaries, such as reducing the use of pesticides by 50% by 2030.

Studying climate impacts on plants with a high-tech platform

Weather extremes such as heat, drought and flooding are increasingly affecting plant growth and biodiversity in the soil, thus jeopardizing the supply of important food crops. But how can the extent of climate impacts on plant growth be measured? To make this clear, researchers and students at TH Köln and the University of Cologne (UzK) have established an experimental platform and developed software that can be used to immediately visualize the results of the experiments.

Green Alliance (2024): A new land dividend

The countries analysed were Denmark, Germany, France, the UK, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Sweden and Spain. More than half of the agricultural land in these countries is currently used for the production of meat and dairy products. Only 20% of agricultural land is used to grow crops that feed the population.

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