Completed research projects

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Completed research projects

Duration:

September 2016 - March 2020 (project phase 1)

March 2021 - December 2023 (project phase 2)

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Duration: Oct. 2016 - Dec. 2019

In organic farming (ÖL), conventional biomass can currently be purchased for biogas production in accordance with the guidelines, e.g. maize silage. This will be prohibited in many organic farming associations from 2020. It is therefore necessary to develop other options for biomass production that do not or only slightly compete with cash crop or fodder production, as these will continue to have priority in the oil sector. In the research project, three strategies, each with several variants, are being investigated with regard to their growth dynamics and biomass yields:

1) Optimized catch crop cultivation after threshing crop: summer cereal oats in pure or mixed cultivation with legumes (peas) for biogas production; clover-grass as undersow for biogas production

2) Field forage production: use of the 3rd and possibly 4th growth for biogas production - clover grass, lucerne grass, Landsberg mixture

3) Two-crop use for the production of whole crop silage: optional use of first or second crops for fodder or biogas production; combinations of first and second crops: rye/winter peas/corn, triticale/winter peas/oats, rye/clover grass.

In addition, quality and biogas parameters are recorded and calculated and synergy effects are evaluated with regard to water, soil and climate protection as well as nitrogen fixation.

The field trials at the Neu-Eichenberg site will be carried out over three vegetation periods.

Funded by the BMEL via the project management organization FNR.

Further information in the FNR project database:

http://biogas.fnr.de/index.php?id=11390&fkz=22020115

Contact: Dr. Rüdiger Graß, rgrass@uni-kassel.de

Sustainable intensification in agriculture through agroforestry systems

The joint project SIGNAL as part of the funding program BonaRes (soil as a sustainable resource for the bioeconomy) investigates the effects of agroforestry systems on the biological functions of the soil, the rhizosphere, the above-ground material flows and the water use efficiency of the soil over a period of up to 9 years. The basis of the research approaches within the project is the central hypothesis that innovative land use systems consisting of a coupled cultivation of trees or shrubs with cultivated or pasture plants (agroforestry systems) can have positive ecological, economic and cultural effects in contrast to conventional plant production systems.

Within the joint project, the GNR department of the University of Kassel/Witzenhausen is responsible for evaluating the effects of different management strategies on above-ground material flows in agroforestry systems. The trial areas already established in 2011 as part of the joint project BEST ("Strengthening bioenergy regions - new system solutions in the field of tension between ecological, economic and social requirements") and the scientific knowledge gained offer the best conditions for answering the given questions. The trial areas are located in southern Lower Saxony on an area of approx. 1.3 ha

The agroforestry system consists of alternating 80 m long rows of pasture and grassland in triplicate. The 9 m wide grassland strips were planted with three different types of seed (grass seed, clover grass and a biodiversity mix with 32 species). The grassland is used by cutting it twice or four times.

Willows ((Salix viminalis x Salix Schwerinii) x Salix viminalis = Zuechtung Tora x Z. Ulv) are planted between the grassland strips over a width of 7 m. Their bushy growth makes them particularly suitable for use with a short rotation. The woody plants have a rotation period of 3 years, the first clearing of the willows took place in winter 2014/15. During the first rotation phase, no significant economic advantages of SRC over conventional systems could be demonstrated (see references), which is not surprising due to the short establishment of the agroforestry system. The medium to long-term biomass growth is therefore of particular interest. In addition to the economic potential, the long-term effects of short rotation coppice on ecological parameters such as nitrogen and phosphorus fixation, nutrient availability and water use efficiency of the soil are to be determined over the next few years together with the soil science partners. These long-term findings are important to optimize the planning and management of such agroforestry systems and to create incentives to rethink conventional cropping systems in order to ensure the best possible use of limited arable land and to protect the soil as a natural resource.

Contact

Dr. Rüdiger Graß

Steinstaße 19

37213 Witzenhausen

Phone: +49 561 804-1312

Sarah Malec

Steinstraße 19

37213 Witzenhausen

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/

Sponsor

Federal Ministry of Education and Research

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

Duration: August 2018 - December 2018

Farm Coal Innovator (MOO) is a research project that investigates the suitability of biomass with low feed value (e.g. landscape maintenance material, residual biomass, etc.) from cattle farms for the production of bio-based activated carbon. Activated carbon is used in various technological processes, primarily for cleaning purposes, but is also used, for example, in veterinary medicine or to reduce emissions from manure. This is associated with positive effects for various players along the value chain:-

  • Utilization of biomass that was previously difficult to use (landscape maintenance material, late growth in grassland and forage use)
  • Preservation of landscape elements of nature conservation value
  • Regional production of sustainable (bio-based and renewable) activated carbon for a wide range of applications - development of a new value chain
  • Consumption of regionally produced activated carbon, e.g. by sewage treatment plant operators.

The MOO project is funded by Climate-KIC (Task ID: TC2018B_4.3.3-FCI_P097-1A), Europe's largest public-private network for innovation against climate change, founded in 2010 by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT).

Further information on Climate-KIC can be found at www.climate-kic.org.

MOO Farm Coal Innovator - Agrisource

The doctorate focuses on the energy recovery of leaves from street trees using the IFBB process, among other things. Investigations are being carried out into the optimal collection process for the fresh biomass and its primary cleaning, so thatthe coarse particles (fine dust, sand and others) from the leaf surface do not impede the energy recovery process and do not end up in the energy conversion plant.

The doctorate aims to increase both the ecological and economic value of autumn leaves using IFBB technology. The following questions will be addressed:

1. how can leaves be optimally collected, cleaned and stored for IFBB technology?

2. how high is the heavy metal load of tree leaves on roads with different traffic densities?

3. what are the differences between the conditioning temperatures (40°C, 60°C, 80°C) and what are the mass flows of the substances as a function of temperature?

4. what is the total energy value of the leaves using the IFBB process compared to direct incineration and what is the economic and ecological value (CO2 savings) compared to composting?

Duration: 2013-2016

The area under maize cultivation in Germany has risen continuously in recent years, mainly due to its outstanding importance as a raw material for biogas plants. However, the increasing cultivation of maize is increasingly seen as problematic for sustainable agriculture. Nevertheless, maize will retain its prominent position in pure cultivation as a raw material for biogas plants in the foreseeable future. It is therefore necessary to (further) develop cultivation systems and forms of cultivation through which maize cultivation can be made more sustainable. The mixed cultivation of maize with beans, which has long been known and widespread in the tropics in particular, could make a contribution to this. In the research project, maize and beans with different seed rates and mixing ratios will be investigated under organic and conventional farming conditions with regard to crop development, biomass yield and methane yield. Furthermore, different variants of mechanical weed control will be tested. The trial will take place at the Neu-Eichenberg (organic) trial site of the University of Kassel and in cooperation with the two conventional sites Tachenhausen (HfWU Nürtingen-Geislingen) and Grub (LfL Bayern).

Funded by the FNR. Further information can be found in the FNR project database under the funding code: 22003712.

Research Training Group 1397 - Control of humus and nutrient balance in organic farming, Subproject A2: Disturbance-free recording of structural and functional stand parameters in heterogeneous pasture systems.

Link to the DFG

ProLoc

Collaborative project: Detection of clone-site interactions in poplar and willow on agricultural sites in short rotation periods - ProLoc (Ertrags - Programm - Locus) - project phase II ; work package 1 and work package 2 (2012-2015).

KURZUM II - Dynamics of soil C-fractions and plant productivity during the conversion of short rotation coppice (SRC) to arable and grassland use - Short rotation coppice conversion. Continuation of the research project KURZUM (2013-2015/KURZUM II)

DANUBENERGY - Decentralized energy generation from biomass in the Danube basin and other floodplains in Central Europe

Climate-KIC Innovation Mubigen Pathfinder project aims at creating a potential business model for an integrat-ed value chain, in which cities produce their own marketable and storable energy carriers and biomaterials from unused urban grass cuttings with an innovative technology. The Pathfinder activities will focus on two complementing strands: 1) A joint effort on the regional level with municipal stakeholders, plant manufacturers and academics will demonstrate the potential positive climate impact and prepare the exploitation of the business idea in two different Eu-ropean cities. 2) Detailed preparation of a European network, which transfers the business idea to other European municipalities, connects the participating regions and stakeholders and provides services for a successful implementation of the business idea. Besides these business-model related clarifications and results the pathfinder will create a strong consortium which has on board all necessary know-how to develop a self-sustaining business and exploi-tation plan in an innovation project yet to come.

BEST - Strengthening bioenergy regions

Eevelopment and evaluation of adapted cultivation and utilization concepts for energy crops in the area of influence of North Hessian watercourses (R1)

Project sponsor: BMBF

In view of the expected climatic changes in northern Hesse, adaptation strategies for agricultural cultivation and utilization systems are necessary to enable environmentally friendly and high-yield agriculture. In the research project, such strategies are being developed as examples in the catchment and flooding areas of watercourses. This involves identifying arable sites in the catchment area that are significant in terms of groundwater and soil protection (keywords: substance discharge and erosion). For these locations, cultivation systems for energy crops are being investigated with regard to yield and various environmental parameters. In the floodplain of watercourses, grassland stands are being investigated as suitable vegetation to ensure water and soil protection functions. The data collected in these field trials will be used to develop model scenarios for the catchment and floodplains of the Fulda in northern Hesse against the background of regionalized climate scenarios. The scenarios derived from this will enable transferability to other regions.

Contact: Dr. Rüdiger Graß

Project duration: 01.04.2013 - 31.05.2014

Collaborative project EVA III: Development and comparison of optimized cultivation systems for the agricultural production of energy crops under different site conditions in Germany - Phase III. SP 5: Two-crop use system (ÖKOVERS).

Building on the trials in SP 6, in which the two-crop utilization system was tested at 7 locations in Germany, a multi-site trial was started in 2007 to grow energy crops under organic conditions (ÖKOVERS). At the same time, the system trial was continued in a reduced form (KORB) in order to consolidate the previous results and to compare the forms of cultivation. The current project includes the trial activities in 2013 to complete the second plant of the ÖKOVERS trial and the final overall evaluation of the ÖKOVERS trial program in conjunction with KORB. At the Haus Düsse, Rauischholzhausen, Straubing and Witzenhausen sites, the after-effects of different preceding crops and quantities of separated fermentation residue for the preceding crop are to be finally tested in 2013 in variant 2 (one-and-a-half-year clover grass) using winter wheat. In addition to determining the yield and analyzing the ingredients, detailed ecological and economic accompanying studies will be carried out in the trials. Parallel to this and after the last harvest, the trial elements will be evaluated over 2 years in the overall trial and between the cultivation systems.

Further information and final project report

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

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

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.

Project duration: January 2009 - June 2012

In many years of research work, the University of Kassel has developed a special technology for the energetic utilization of biomass (production of electricity and solid fuel), which is particularly suitable for older grassland growths.
A mobile bioenergy plant will be used at three different locations (Germany, Wales, Estonia) to demonstrate the Europe-wide applicability of this technology on NATURA 2000 grassland habitats of particular conservation value. The research focuses on socio-economic and business aspects as well as sustainability in relation to the conservation of botanical diversity, climate-relevant savings potential and the strengthening of regional material and value cycles in remote, economically disadvantaged regions.
One focus of the project is the regional and Europe-wide dissemination of information and the provision of advice to potential interested parties and users in agriculture, higher-level institutions and interest groups.
Further information: http://www.prograss.eu/

Project duration: 2005-2008

The project is embedded in an EU-wide research project (COST 852), which deals with the importance of legumes for biodiversity and the efficiency of fodder production in Europe. The cultivation of forage legumes plays a central role in organic farming. Due to the ability of legumes to fix nitrogen from the air, they make a valuable contribution to the supply of nitrogen into the farm cycle. In addition, forage legumes are a very protein-rich feed, which is important for performance-oriented animal husbandry. Red clover, white clover, lucerne and horn clover are being investigated with the mixture partners perennial ryegrass, cocksfoot and chicory. Relationships between biomass growth, species composition, nitrogen fixation performance, forage quality parameters and numerous environmental conditions are to be documented.

Under field conditions, the botanical composition of grassland stands exhibits a wide range of variation, which influences various important agronomic factors such as forage quality and yield.

Continuous recording of the yield proportion of legumes on all parts of a grassland area would increase the understanding of nutrient dynamics and enable targeted measures to be taken to manage these areas more efficiently. With the help of field spectroscopic measurements, models are to be developed that make it possible to record the proportion of legumes in a stand on a small scale. The advantage of this method is that there is no need to harvest the crop, as only the reflection of the incident sunlight on the crop is measured. The corresponding information is to be derived from the typical reflection curve for each crop and conclusions drawn about the proportion of legumes in the crop. This could result in a much faster recording of the proportion of legumes on land and make it possible to carry out this determination more frequently without great effort.

COST Action 852

Influence of biodiversity on the expression and spectral calibration of bioenergetic parameters of smooth oat meadow vegetation

Project duration: 2002 - 2008

The project investigates the relationship between biodiversity and bioenergetic utilization potential using floristically clearly defined populations of smooth oat meadows (Arrhenatheretes) and uses this material to determine the relationship between spectral signatures of the populations and selected bioenergetic parameters.

The basis for the study is the "Jena Experiment" of the DFG Research Unit 456 "The role of biodiversity for element cycling and trophic interactions: An experimental approach in a grassland community". Based on the existing diversity gradients of up to 60 species and 4 functional groups, the influences of species diversity on the energetic properties are quantified and assigned. As a prerequisite for an efficient estimation of substrate properties for energetic utilization by means of anaerobic fermentation or thermal conversion, spectral signatures are collected on standing plant stocks, on their conservates (silage and hay), as well as on standardized laboratory samples. Based on this, calibrations will be developed and the potential of the conversion processes evaluated.

The project is thus developing the basis for stock-specific utilization management, taking into account the entire bioenergetic process chain. The unique experimental conditions of the Jena experiment with its defined diversity criteria and the adaptation of innovative sensor-based methods enable new fundamental evaluation approaches for the bioenergetic use of extensive grassland. The Jena experiment is supplemented by a component with a high application orientation with the investigations on the influence of biodiversity on the bioenergetic utilization potential of the stands.

Further information:

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

Publications:

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