Plant Production

The future of agriculture: Sustainable production and utilization of plants

Plants are the basis of a sustainable bioeconomy. Jülich scientists are developing innovative technologies and concepts for the efficient, resource-conserving production of plants in order to ensure the sustainable provision of food and raw materials as well as to strengthen the bioeconomy.

Plants are essential elements for a sustainable bioeconomy. Our research into innovative technologies bridges the gap between the adaptation of plants and novel production systems to climate change and the provision of optimized raw materials for food, materials, and chemicals. Plants are at the interface between natural cycles and the circular economy of the future.
Prof. Ulrich Schurr, director at Institute of Bio- and Geosciences – IBG-2: Plant Sciences

Challenges and opportunities

A growing global population, the effects of climate change, and the overexploitation of natural resources pose an immense challenge. How can we provide enough food and resources while also protecting the environment? The bioeconomy, with its principles of sustainable production and resource conservation, offers a number of solutions.

And plants play a key role, providing renewable biomass for food and feed, industrial raw materials, and bioenergy. They also help to close nutrient cycles – a key contribution to sustainable economic systems.

Jülich scientists are tackling these challenges with innovative research and state-of-the-art technology. The aim is to secure crop yields under variable environmental conditions, adjust plant qualities to different types of use, reduce production costs and resource consumption, and adapt plants and processes to future climate and site conditions.

2.3

billion people do not have reliable, secure access to adequate and sufficient food.

70

percent of the world’s water resources are used to irrigate agricultural crops. In particularly underdeveloped countries, the figure is as high as 90 percent.

4

plants (wheat, rice, maize, and potatoes) cover more than 60 percent of the world’s energy requirements in the human diet.

Examples of technological advances and applications from Jülich

Digital agriculture: Sensors, agricultural robotics, and AI systems are used to accurately monitor plants and soils. This allows cultivation systems to be tailored and resources to be saved – for example, in the PhenoRob Cluster of Excellence, where remote sensing and machine learning are used.

Plant phenotyping: High-resolution, non-invasive measurement methods provide insights into growth processes and plant functions. In the FluoSense4Wheat project, for example, chlorophyll fluorescence is used for the early detection of drought stress.

Model-based irrigation: The DIRECTION project is developing irrigation strategies for crops such as cassava that are based on current environmental conditions and prediction models.

Innovative cultivation systems: Combined land use – such as with agrivoltaics and in the Solar-TAP project – allows for the simultaneous production of plant products and solar power. This increases land efficiency and can help to reduce CO₂ emissions.

Simulation-based land management: Tools such as AgraSim combine climate and yield models to enable data-driven agricultural decisions, for example when selecting site-adapted varieties or optimizing fertilization intervals.

Biomass sources and cascade utilization: A key goal of sustainable plant production is to avoid land-use conflicts. In addition to combined land use, such as with agrivoltaics, alternative biomasses such as thistles and Sida are cultivated on marginal sites in AgroInnovationLabs, while their suitability for industrial use is also investigated.

New value creation pathways are also emerging within the Bioeconomy Science Center (BioSC). In the P³roLucas project, the use of lupine alkaloids is being investigated, while in the ToxPot project, bio-based plant protection products from potato fruit are being researched.

IBG-2

At Forschungszentrum Jülich’s Institute of Bio- and Geosciences – Plant Sciences, research is conducted into how plants can grow more efficiently, save resources, and adapt to the climate.

PhenoRob

The PhenoRob Cluster of Excellence combines robotics, sensor networks, big data, and AI to accurately evaluate plant and environmental data in order to develop new solutions for the sustainable, resource-conserving production of plants.

Agri-PV

Crops and energy: Agri-PV combines solar power and arable farming. Solar modules protect crops, increase yields, and also supply clean energy.

CEPLAS cluster

The CEPLAS Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences is decoding the genetic tricks of high-yielding plants, which is the basis for greater harvests using less fertilizer and water.

IPPN

The International Plant Phenotyping Network (IPPN) brings together high-tech laboratories worldwide, sharing data and standards to accelerate the development of sustainable plant varieties.

AgraSim

AgraSim develops innovative simulation models to analyse land use, the impact of the climate, and management options in agricultural landscapes.

Regional roots – global network

Bioeconomy concepts must be implemented on a regional level in order to be effective, but they also have an international significance. With the BioökonomieREVIER initiative, a regional innovation system is being established in the Rhenish mining area. Forschungszentrum Jülich is also involved in the International Advisory Council on Global Bioeconomy (IACGB) to help develop global solutions together with international partners.