Completed research projects

Sustainable intensification of agriculture through agroforestry 

The joint project SIGNAL is part of the research program BonaRes (“Soils as Sustainable Resource for the Bioeconomy“) funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) with a planned duration of up to 9 years. The main objectives of SIGNAL are the long-term investigation of the effects of agroforestry systems on the biological functions of the soil, the rhizosphere, the above ground matter fluxes and the water use efficiency of the soil. The research approaches are based on the key hypothesis, that innovative land use systems linking the cultivation of trees or shrubs with crops or grasses (agroforestry) promote ecological, economic and cultural ecosystem services compared to conventional cultivation systems.

As part of SIGNAL, the responsibility of the Grassland Science and Renewable Plant Resources group at the University of Kassel/Witzenhausen is the evaluation of the effects of different management strategies on the above ground matter fluxes in the agroforestry. The study sites have already been established in 2011 within the framework of the cooperative research project “Boosting Bioenergy-Regions (BEST) - New System Solutions in the Divergence of Ecological, Economical and Social Demands”. Those agroforestry sites in conjunction with the findings from the BEST research activities provide a good basis and the capacity to answer the research questions posed by SIGNAL. The study sites are located in the south of Lower Saxony, Germany and occupy an area of approximately 1.3 hectare

The agroforestry system consists of alternating, 80 meter long rows of willow and grassland strips each in a threefold repetition. The grassland strips are 9 meter wide and cultivated with three different seed mixtures, namely pure grass, clover-grass and a biodiversity mixture containing of 32 mostly herbaceous species. Different management strategies of the grassland include 2 and 4 cuts per year.

The grassland strips alternate with 7 meter wide strips of willows ((Salix viminalis x Salix Schwerinii) x Salix viminalis = breeding Tora x Z. Ulv), which are characterized by their bushy growth making this willow variety particularly suitable for short rotation coppice. The trees have a rotation period of 3 years and the first willow clearance was in winter 2014/2015. During the first rotation period the agroforest showed no significant economic benefits compared to conventional systems, which was expected due to the short-term establishment of the system (see references).  Thus, in the following years research is mainly interested in the middle- and long-term increase of biomass and its associated profitability. Besides the economic potential of the agroforestry system the project aims to investigate the long-term effects of short rotation coppice wood under different use intensities of grassland in relation to various seeding mixtures on ecological parameters like the fixation of nitrogen and phosphate, the availability of nutrients and the water use efficiency of the soils. These objectives are accomplished in close cooperation with the pedological partners of SIGNAL. Long-term findings are crucial for optimizing the design and management of such systems and to provide incentives for farmers to change conventional land use to ensure a sustainable and efficient use of the limited resources soil and land.

Contacts

Dr. Rüdiger Graß

Steinstaße 19

37213 Witzenhausen, Germany

Phone: +49 561 804-1312

Sarah Malec

Steinstraße 19

37213 Witzenhausen, Germany

Phone.: +49 561 804- 1338

Links

BonaRes

http://www.bonares.de/

SIGNAL

http://www.signal.uni-goettingen.de/

BEST

http://best-forschung.uni-goettingen.de/

Funded by

German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)

References

Ehret M., Bühle L., Graß R., Lamersdorf N., Wachendorf M. (2015): Bioenergy provision by an alley cropping system of grassland and shrub willow hybrids: biomass, fuel characteristics and net energy yields. Agrofor. Syst. 89, 365-381

Ehret M., Graß R., Wachendorf M. (2015): The effect of shade and shade material on white clover/perennial ryegrass mixtures for temperate agroforestry systems. Agrofor. Syst.: DOI 10.1007/s10457-015-9791-0

EIT Climate-KIC: MOO - Farm Coal Innovator

Farm Coal Innovator (MOO) is a research and innovation project that investigates the feasibility of using low value biomass from dairy and beef cattle farms for production of biochar and bio-based activated coal. Biochar and activated coal has many applications, e.g. it can be used for adsorbing pollutants from liquid (water, wastewater), solid (e.g. soil) and gaseous (flue gas, biogas, air etc.) environments. Moreover, it can be applied in agriculture, including veterinary medicine, feed additive, manure management, soil improvement, and can potentially reduce greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural activities. The concept investigated in MOO project provides benefits for stakeholders along the whole biomass value chain by:

• Adding value to the so far difficult to use biomass resources (landscape management biomass, late cuts from grasslands and grazing areas)
• Conservation of high nature value landscapes
• Regional production of sustainable (bio-based and renewable) activated coal for different applications - development of new value chains
• Using regionally produced activated coal, e.g. in waste water treatment plants.

MOO project is funded by Climate-KIC (Task ID: TC2018B_4.3.3-FCI_P097-1A), the EU's main climate innovation initiative and one of the first Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs) created by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) in 2010.

The EIT is the European Union body tasked with creating sustainable European growth and jobs while dealing with the global challenges of our time. www.climate-kic.org

Project duration: August 2018 - December 2018

Contact: Dr. Ilze Dzene

Entwicklung und Evaluierung adaptierter Anbau- und Nutzungskonzepte für Energiepflanzen im Einflussgebiet nordhessischer Fließgewässer (R1)

Projektträger: BMBF

Angesichts der zu erwartenden klimatischen Veränderungen in Nordhessen sind Anpassungsstrategien für landwirtschaftliche Anbau- und Nutzungssysteme notwendig, um eine umweltgerechte und ertragreiche Landwirtschaft zu ermöglichen. Im Forschungsprojekt werden solche Strategien exemplarisch im Einzugs- und Überschwemmungsbereich von Fließgewässern entwickelt. Dabei werden im Einzugsbereich ackerbauliche Standorte erfasst, die hinsichtlich Grundwasser- und Bodenschutz (Stichworte Stoffaustrag und Erosion) bedeutend sind. Für diese Standorte werden Anbausysteme für Energiepflanzen hinsichtlich des Ertrags und verschiedener Umweltparameter untersucht. Im Überschwemmungsgebiet der Fließgewässer werden Grünlandbestände als geeignete Vegetation untersucht, um Wasser- und Bodenschutzfunktionen zu gewährleisten. Die in diesen Feldversuchen ermittelten Daten dienen in einem weiteren Arbeitsschwerpunkt der Entwicklung von Modellszenarien für Einzugs- und Überschwemmungsgebiete der nordhessischen Fulda vor dem Hintergrund regionalisierter Klimaszenarien. Die daraus abgeleiteten Szenarien ermöglichen die Übertragbarkeit auf andere Regionen.

Ansprechpartner: Dr. Rüdiger Graß

Die  Promotion  konzentriert  sich  auf  die energetische Verwertung des Laubs von Straßenbäumen u.a. mittels des IFBB Verfahrens.  Dabei  werden Untersuchungen  zum optimalen  Sammlungsverfahren  der frischen Biomasse  und  deren  primäre Reinigung  durchgeführt,  so  dass  die  groben  Partikel (Feinstaub,  Sand  und  andere) aus der Lauboberfläche den energetischen Verwertungsprozess nicht erschweren und nicht in der energetischen Konversionsanlage landen.  

Die Promotion strebt an, sowohl den ökologischen als auch den ökonomischen Wert des Herbstlaubs durch die IFBB-Technologie zu erhöhen. Dabei wird auf folgende Fragen eingegangen: 

1.  Wie kann das Laub für die IFBB-Technologie optimal gesammelt, gereinigt und gelagert werden? 

2.  Wie hoch ist die Schwermetallbelastung des Baumlaubs an den Straßen mit unterschiedlicher Verkehrsdichte? 

3.  Welche  Unterschiede  zwischen  den  Konditionierungstemperaturen  (40°C,  60°C,  80°C)  sind vorhanden und wie stellen sich die Massenflüsse der Stoffe in Abhängigkeit der Temperatur dar?  

4.  Wie stellt sich der gesamte Energiewert des Laubs durch das IFBB-Verfahren im Vergleich zur Direktverbrennung dar und wie hoch ist der ökonomische, als auch ökologische Wert (CO₂ -Einsparung) gegenüber der Kompostierung? 

Mainly due to its superior importance as feedstock for biogas plants the cultivation area of maize in Germany increased in the last years. This increased cultivation of maize is more and more identified as problem for sustainable agriculture. However, in the foreseeable future maize will maintain its prominent position as feedstock for biogas plants. Hence, it is necessary to develop cultivation systems for a sustainable cultivation of maize. Intercropping of maize and beans, well known from the tropics, could contribute to this. In this research project, maize and beans will be cultivated with different seed rates and mixing ratios under the conditions of organic and conventional farming systems. Growth development, biomass and methane yield will be determined. Furthermore, different treatments of mechanical weed control will be tested. The trial takes place at the experimental field Neu-Eichenberg (organic) of the University of Kassel (Hessen) and simultaneously on the two conventional locations Tachenhausen (HfWU Nürtingen, Baden Wuerttemberg) and Grub (LFL Bavaria).

Duration: 2013-2016

Funded by: Agency of renewable resources, FNR. 

Regionale Brennstoffproduktion aus Landschaftspflegematerial – ein Explorationsvorhaben im Biosphärenreservat Rhön

Das Biosphärenreservat Rhön befindet sich im Dreiländereck zwischen Bayern, Hessen und Thüringen und umfasst eine Fläche von 2.433 km². Die offene Kulturlandschaft bietet beste Lebensbedingungen für viele Pflanzen- und Tierarten. Durch die extensive Nutzung der Flächen haben sich unterschiedlichste Lebensräume entwickelt, die zum Beispiel das vom Aussterben bedrohte Birkhuhn beheimaten. 1991 erhielt das Gebiet die Anerkennung durch die UNESCO. Durch das Zusammenspiel zwischen Mensch und Natur soll diese einzigartige Landschaft geschützt und erhalten werden.

Dieser Artenreichtum wird jedoch durch die flächige Ausbreitung der invasiven Lupine (Lupinus polyphyllus Lindl.) gefährdet. Die aus Nordamerika stammende Pflanzenart wurde als Untersaat in Fichtenaufforstungsflächen in der Hochrhön eingesetzt. Die Ausbreitung bringt die ursprüngliche Pflanzenzusammensetzung aus dem Gleichgewicht, denn durch das Fixieren von Luftstickstoff wird der magere Rhönboden mit Nährstoffen angereichert. Zudem überwächst die Lupine die niederwüchsigen Borstgrasrasen und Goldhaferwiesen. Die Nutzung der Aufwüchse von Flächen mit hohem Lupinenanteil ist erschwert, da durch den hohen Feuchtegehalt der Pflanzen der Schnitt bei der Trocknung zur Schimmelbildung neigt. Des Weiteren stellt der hohe Alkaloidgehalt in der Tierfütterung ein Problem dar. Die thermische Nutzung durch Heuverbrennung ist aufgrund hoher Mineralstoffgehalte nicht möglich. Von einer energetischen Nutzung durch Biogasanlagen ist unter anderem aufgrund des hohen Fasergehaltes abzusehen.

Das von der Universität Kassel im Fachgebiet Grünlandwissenschaft und Nachwachsende Rohstoffe entwickelte IFBB-Verfahren (Integrierte Festbrennstoff- und Biogasproduktion aus Biomasse), soll eine Alternative darstellen. Das geerntete Material der extensiv genutzten Flächen wird siliert, anschließend erfolgt eine Maischung mit warmen Wasser (40°C). Durch das Abpressen mit einer Schneckenpresse wird das Material in den Presskuchen und den Presssaft getrennt. Der entstandene flüssige Anteil kann in Biogasanlagen eingesetzt werden und so mit Hilfe eines BHKW Strom und Wärme erzeugen. Der in Briketts gepresste Presskuchen weist gute Verbrennungseigenschaften auf und kann thermisch genutzt werden.

Gemeinsam mit den erfahrenen Unternehmen ÖKOTHERM (Hirschau, Bayern) und LMEngineering GmbH (Pöhl, Sachsen) untersucht die Universität Kassel die technische und ökonomische Machbarkeit des Verfahrens. Hierbei konzentriert sich die Firma ÖKOTHERM auf die Erprobung und Anpassung bestehender Feuerungsmodule hinsichtlich der Nutzung dieser stickstoffreichen Grünlandbiomassen und erweitert ihr Produktportfolio um Feuerungsmodule, die an aschereiche Grasbrennstoffe angepasst und hinsichtlich der emissionsrechtlichen Vorschriften und des technischen Verbrennungsvorgangs praxisreif erprobt sind. LMEngineering GmbH widmet sich der Erprobung und Anpassung bestehender Extruder hinsichtlich der Nutzung Lupinen dominierter Grünlandbestände. Darüber hinaus wird ein vorläufiges Verfahren einschließlich Silageauflösung und -dosierung, Bioextrusion, Maischung, Entwässerung und Trocknung konzipiert. Die Universität Kassel führt Stoffstromanalysen bei der Verarbeitung von Grünlandbiomassen unter Nutzung der oben genannten Techniken durch, analysiert energetische Prozessgrößen und quantifiziert die Einsparpotenziale an Treibhausgasen.

Die Durchführung des Projekts erfolgt in enger Abstimmung mit dem ebenfalls durch die die DBU finanzierten Vorhaben „Ausmaß der aktuellen Verbreitung der Stauden-Lupine in der Rhön und Potentiale für die Renaturierung artenreicher Bergwiesen zur Erhaltung der Artenvielfalt – ein Explorationsvorhaben zur Regulierung eines invasiven Regionale Brennstoffproduktion aus Landschaftspflegematerial des Biosphärenreservates Rhön“ von Prof. Dr. Dr. Annette Otte (Universität Gießen).

Ansprechpartner Universität Kassel:

Dr. Frank Hensgen

Fachgebiet Grünlandwissenschaft und Nachwachsende Rohstoffe

Universität Kassel

Steinstraße 19

37213 Witzenhausen

E-mail: hensgen@uni-kassel.de

www.agrar.uni-kassel.de/agrar/gnr

fon: 05542 98 1245

The preservation of soil fertility is a central focus in organic agriculture. Management of soil has an impact on soil organic matter and nutrient regime and therefore on soil fertility. Five departments of the Faculty of Organic Agricultural Science at the University of Kassel, one department of the Faculty of Agicultural Science of the University of Göttingen and the Thünen-Institut of Climate-Smart Agriculture in Braunschweig participate at the interdisciplinary Research Training Group 1397. They study the underlying processes of soil organic matter and nutrition turnover according to management and fertilization and thus help to account for long term preservation of soil fertility in agricultural systems.

COMBINE-Converting organic matters from European urban and natural areas into storable bioenergy

The utilisation and development of environmentally friendly technologies are key factors for the achievement of the ambitious aims of EU to increase the share of renewable energies. The energetic utilisation of biomass has an important role, as in contrast to other renewables (wind/PV), biomass is storable and it is possible to produce storable bio-fuels.

However, at present the energy production from biomass is often economically inefficient, e.g. through an insufficient utilization of waste heat in conventional biogas plants. The conventional production of biomass for biogas plants is often eco-inefficient, e.g. due to the dominance of maize and the increased risk of soil erosion and nutrient losses. The competition with food production on fertile land and the resulting increase of prices for land and agricultural products causes ethical and socio-economic problems.

Hence COMBINE aims at opening up of abandoned urban, natural and agricultural areas for the energy production.

In the 4 partner regions the COMBINE project strives for this by:

• Producing storable solid fuel with a highly energy-efficient process
• Utilising biomass from extensively used grassland areas and landscape management, which can neither be used in animal feeding nor in conventional energetic conversion technologies
• Increasing the efficiency of biomass supply chains, through the addition of a year-round heat sink in distributed biogas or AD plants and by new harvesting and conditioning techniques.
• Creating new energy supply chains from biomasses in the project regions and beyond
• Securing livelihood for small farmers and disadvantaged persons in retreated areas through the creation of new income sources and regional added values with renewable energy production
• Contributing to reducing the conflict between bio-energy and food production by exploring and utilisation of new raw materials.

DANUBENERGY- Improving the eco-efficiency of bio-energy production and suplly in riparian areas of the Danube river basin and other floodplains in Central Europe

DANUBENERGY is a 30 months project funded by the INTERREG CENTRAL EUROPE from 2012 to 2014.

It builds on a an innovative technology (IFBB) that is able to convert formerly unused biomass into valuable bio-fuels.

With that DANUBENERGY contributes both to exploration and utilisation of new bio-energy inputs and to a diversity oriented management of abandoned sites.

With the concrete implementation of a model example in nine countries in parallel, the project  will clarify, which technical possibilities and methodological approaches are applicable to improve the production, the efficiency, the supply and the transnational cooperation in the field of production of renewable energy in Central Europe.

DANUBENERGY strives for:

• Production of a storable solid fuel with a highly energy-efficient process
• Utilisation of extensively produced biomass from riparian grassland and landscape management areas, which can neither be used in animal feeding nor in conventional energy conversion technologies

 BEST - Bioenergie-Regionen stärken

FORURB- Towards a water and nutrient efficient forage production in peri-urban and urban livestock farming in Faisalabad, Pakistan

A PhD study in the Framework of the ICDD (International Center for Development and Decent Work)

Towards a water and nutrient efficient forage production in peri-urban and urban livestock farming in Faisalabad, Pakistan

The agriculture sector plays a fundamental role in Pakistan’s economy. It is the second largest sector, accounting for over 21 percent of national GDP. Livestock, the single largest contributor, contributes approximately 53.2 percent of the agriculture value added. Green fodder is the most valuable and cheapest source of feed for livestock. Maintaining the availability of adequate feed for livestock is crucial to smallholders who depend on animals for their livelihood. Fodder constitutes up to 70 percent of livestock inputs and is crucial to the livelihood of poor livestock-keepers. But yield and area under fodder crops is reducing due to the growing pressure of the human population, shortage of irrigation water, less and erratic rainfalls, low priorities for fodder production and imbalanced use of fertilizers. Keeping in view the constraints in fodder production, the  major objective of the study will be the improvement of production and quality of fodder to overcome the gap between fodder production and requirement and improvement in social standards of the people who depends on livestock for their livelihood. First of all, a baseline survey will be conducted in fodder growing areas of Faisalabad to collect data about socioeconomic activities and agricultural production practices of the farmers. On the basis of the survey, field experiments will be conducted to assess the water and nutrient efficiency of different fodder crops. Field experiment treatments will include three fertilizer levels (control, chemical fertilizer and animal manure) and two irrigation levels (recommended irrigation and half of the recommended irrigation). Two fodder types in each season will be evaluated in terms of yield and quality. Fodder types with good water and nutrient efficiency will be recommended for the farmers. Possible outcomes of this research are availability of good quality fodder throughout the year and, ultimately, improvement in social standards of the people.

PROGRASS - Securing the conservation of NATURA grassland habitats with a distributed bioenergy production

The University of Kassel developed a technological and process orientated approach (PROGRASS) to produce bio-energy (electricity and solid fuel) also from mature grasslands.

PROGRASS will combine state of the art technology in a sustainable approach to gain bioenergy from a substrate which could not be used with conventional technology. As demonstration project PROGRASS will be introduced in 3 model regions in protected NATURA habitats to prepare the ground for a large scale European wide transfer.

The PROGRASS approach will be applied in an interdisciplinary approach in a transnational partnership of 4 Research Institutes, a regional Government, the Environmental Ministry of the German State of Hesse, an Industrial Partner and an Education Agency.

further information:

http://www.prograss.eu/

Spatial and multifunctional relationships between site, vegetation and forage production of an heterogeneous permanent grassland

During a 4-year observation period, soil and vegetation data were collected by means of two different grid samplings, of 6.25x6.25 m and 50x50 m respectively, on a 20 ha heterogeneous permanent grassland area with seven different soils types. Multivariate and spatial analyses were performed in order to detect relationships between soil, yield, vegetation and forage quality. This Projects is the subject of a Ph.D. program.

Growth, development and nutrition contents of different legume/grass - mixtures

The project is part of an European project (COST 852), which investigates the significance of legumes for fodder production in Europe with respect to biodiversity and productivity.

In the organic agriculture the cultivation of legumes is very important because of their ability to air-borne nitrogen fixation. With this ability the elsewise limited nitrogen supply can be enhanced on field and farm level. Additionally legumes have high contents of proteins which are important for a productive animal management. Trifolium pratense, Trifolium repens, Medicago sativa and Lotus corniculatus are investigated in comparison and in combination to Lolium perenne, Dactylus glomerata and Cichorium intybus var. foliosum. The investigation focuses on relations between biomass, species combination, nitrogen fixation, parameters of feed quality and various environment conditions.

Focus field spectroscopy

Under field conditions the botanical composition of swards shows a large variation, affecting several important agronomic parameters like yield, forage quality and N fixation.

Continuous registrations of the proportion of legumes in swards would help to understand the dynamics of nutrition flows and enable a better use of management treatments to improve the productivity of swards. By means of field spectral measurements models shall be developed which allow the detection of legumes in every part of the sward. The advantage of this method is, that the growth of swards is not disturbed, because only the reflection of sunlight on the plants is measured. As each plant species has its typical reflection signature. The proportion of legumes can be calculated on base of this. With spectral measurements the determination of the proportion of legumes should be considerable faster and the detection could be done more frequently without having a great effort.

further information:

Estimating yield and species composition of legume-grass swards by field spectroscopy - first results of a pot experiment (pdf)

Period: 2005-2007

Site specific grassland sowings

With support of the "Bundesprogarmm für ökologischen Landbau" an investigation was started on a very heterogeneous grassland-site in the central German uplands. Five year old swards were studied to get details about site adaptation and therewith about tools for an efficient grassland management. In 2003 plant species and numerous location factors were determined at 300 measuring points. A statistic and spatial analysis related the distribution of plant species with the site parameters. Additionally to the final report two papers were written, "Compilation/Composition of standard sowings in Germany" and "Tips for site-specific grassland sowing for organic farming". At this internet pages you can find the reports online or for download. Different links refer to corresponding organisations.

Comparison between triticale varieties and individual varieties of wheat regarding part and whole plant yields for the production of biogas and ethanol and for thermal/material utilisation (“SUNFUEL”) respectively.

With financial support from the Ministry of the Environment, Rural Areas and Consumer Protection of Hessen (HMULF)

Renewable sources of energy must be provided both for the stationary sector (electricity, heat) and the mobile sector (fuels). In the short term ethanol will join the currently available biofuels and in the medium term synthetic fuels from biomass (SUNFUEL) or for short “Ft Diesel or BTL”.

Apart from maize (energy maize), cereal varieties with a high total yield (Biogas, BTL) and high grain yield (ethanol) respectively are also suitable. Triticale will be of the highest importance in this as it is more suitable through whole plant harvest at full ripeness with additional on site drying and has a higher resistance to disease.

In line with the current use of triticale (feedgrain) the varieties are only rated according to their grain yield characteristics which is relevant for its use as a raw material in the production of ethanol. However, the parameters for the use of triticale in biogas (electricity, heat) and fuel production is the whole plant yield or the total yield of grain and straw respectively.

While the whole plant is harvested before full ripeness when using triticale for biogas production, the total yield before full ripeness or at full ripeness is important for BTL production depending on the delivery concept.

In order to be able to collect data on total plant yields at various harvest times in addition to currently available grain yield data, a field trial involving 16 varieties of triticale and 6 varieties of wheat was started in autumn 2004 which was evaluated in summer 2005 to establish the parameters for the different utilisation methods. These include part and whole plant yield as well as substances relevant to the utilisation by using Weender analysis and fuel value determination.

In the development phase of the research project management of habitat connectivity in low mountain range a concept was created to use biomass production in order to improve habitat connectivity in the landscape. This connectivity should be achieved with innovative cultivation systems for energy crops (e.g. the Double Cropping System). In these cultivation systems it is necessary to consider environmental aspects such as biodiversity, non use of pesticides and the avoidance of soil erosion or nitrogen leaching. It is, therefore, proposed to create a hem structure. The biomass from nature reserves should also be used for energy production. Thus, it is possible to reduce the economic costs for the protection of nature reserves.

Finally, this type of energy production could also provide for a new source of income for farmers in low mountain range areas.

Contact: Dr. Rüdiger Graß

Effects of grassland biodiversity on energy production and on spectral measurements of energy properties

The bioenergy subproject investigates the relationship between biodiversity and the energetic conversion potential along a floristic gradient of distinct grassland species compositions. Furthermore, the accuracy of calibrations predicting energy parameter by measurements of spectral signatures will be identified and analysed regarding the diversity effects involved.

The design of the Jena-Experiment with diversity gradients of up to 60 species and 4 functional groups is a powerful background to quantify the range of energy properties in conversion processes like anaerobic fermentation (of silage) and combustion (of hay) affected by biodiversity characteristics. To efficiently estimate substrate attributes, spectral reflection signatures are measured on different stages of plant biomass processing including undisturbed swards in the field, unprocessed silage and hay as far as dried and grinded lab samples. On each stage, calibrations are developed to estimate substrate quality rapidly and early, in order to optimize process control during energy conversion.

This subproject develops basic knowledge for a sward specific conversion management considering the whole process chain of bioenergy utilization. The unique experimental design of the Jena-Experiment with its distinct diversity criteria along with the adoption of innovative sensor based methods facilitates new basic benchmarks for an energetic use of extensively managed grassland.

further information

http://www.the-jena-experiment.de/

publications:

http://www.the-jena-experiment.de/Publications.html