The state of Baden-Württemberg is funding research into environmentally friendly agriculture at the University of Freiburg
Freiburg, 20/12/2024
The Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Science is extending funding for three innovative projects by three years each. The topics are biological plant protection, the integration of trees and shrubs into viticulture, and the interaction between bacteria and plants, for example during floods. The second research phase, which begins in January 2025, will focus on its practical implementation.
The state of Baden-Württemberg is funding three innovative research projects at the University of Freiburg that contribute to a resource-conserving and environmentally friendly agriculture that also serves to protect the climate. The projects are concerned with natural active ingredients to combat mildew, the use of bacteria for plant protection, and the integration of trees and shrubs in viticulture. The projects have already been funded in an initial research phase in 2024. Now they are receiving further funding from the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts.. Funding will begin in January 2025 and run for a further three years.
Natural containment of downy mildew
In organic viticulture, the plant disease downy mildew can cause major losses. Although the use of copper is permitted to combat it, it is ecologically questionable. The project “Nachhaltige biologische Kontrolle des Falschen Mehltaus der Weinrebe (PeroStilL)“ (“Sustainable biological control of downy mildew in grapevines”) is testing bioactive natural substances extracted from the wood of the vine. ‘In the laboratory, we were able to show that these can prevent the growth of downy mildew in grapevines,’ says Prof. Dr. Stefan Rensing, cell biologist and Vice Rector for Research and Innovation at the University of Freiburg. He is leading the project in collective effort with Prof. Dr Andreas Bechthold from the Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences.
However, it has not yet been possible to use a spray with the ingredients under investigation very effectively in the field. Among other things, the researchers found that the bioactive substances are unstable in light. They are currently working on improving the light stability of the formulation. “In the planned field trials in 2025 and 2026, we want to demonstrate the effectiveness of the method and, in the medium term, develop a method that can be used in organic viticulture to reduce the use of copper,” says Bechthold. The project is already working with a company that is interested in producing a corresponding spray.
“We are convinced that this bacterial solution will enable more stable yields in an era of unpredictable and extreme weather conditions.”
Jun. Prof. Dr. Sjon Hartman
Junior Professor in Plant Environmental Signalling and Development at the University of Freiburg
Synergy between plants and bacteria
Bacteria can help crops to become more resistant to the effects of climate change, such as waterlogging or drought. The project „Gemeinsam besser: Nutzung der Synergie zwischen Pflanzen und Bakterien, um die ethylenvermittelte Pflanzenplastizität unter Umweltstress zu kontrollieren“ (“Better collective performance: harnessing the synergy between plants and bacteria to control ethylene-mediated plant plasticity under environmental stress”) is investigating how bacteria can be used in a targeted way. It is led by plant scientist Jun. Prof. Dr Sjon Hartman. In the first phase of the research, the team was already able to show that certain bacteria increase the resistance of plants to flooding-induced oxygen deficiency.
Now the scientists want to further explore the potential of these bacterial strains and transfer them to field use in cooperation with industrial and agricultural partners. “We are using bacterial strains that target a conserved acclimatisation mechanism in land plants,” says Hartman. “We are convinced that this bacterial solution will enable more stable yields in an era of unpredictable and extreme weather conditions.” To this end, his team is working with the University of Nottingham in the UK, a farmer from the Ortenau region and two regional companies. Hartman is an assistant professor and a member of the CIBSS – Centre for Integrative Biological Signalling Studies Cluster of Excellence at the University of Freiburg.
Trees and shrubs in viticulture
The project “VitiForst – Gehölze im Weinbau zur Steigerung von Klimaschutz und Biodiversität” (“VitiForest – Woody plants in viticulture to increase climate protection and biodiversity”) is investigating the combination of trees and agricultural crops. In addition to the University of Freiburg, the State Institute of Viticulture in Freiburg, the University of Hohenheim and the Nürtingen-Geislingen University are also involved in the research network. In the first research phase, the researchers were already able to determine the potential and challenges for organic viticulture of systems known as vitiforests, in which trees and shrubs are combined with viticulture. An accompanying survey of stakeholders also revealed an unexpectedly high level of interest in implementing such systems in practice.
In the second project phase, which is now starting, two experimental areas will be set up and a long-term research programme on vitiforestry will be established. In addition, existing vitiforestry-like areas will be used to study the various interactions between the woody plants and the vines. In two model regions in the Rems Valley and at the Kaiserstuhl, organic vineyards and other stakeholders will be involved to ensure the practical feasibility of the systems. “Thanks to our project, viticulture in Baden-Württemberg is taking on a pioneering role in the field of integrated land use systems,” says Dr Christopher Morhart, a research associate at the Chair of Forest Growth and Dendroecology at the University of Freiburg. ’In the future, the vitiforest areas will not only be used for research, but also as demonstration sites for education and training, and will thus permanently serve the transfer of practical knowledge.’