Screening of site-adapted new varieties of edible poppy varieties in Hesse and Thuringia

Problem definition

The CalendulaPLUS project builds on the many years of experience of Hessian medicinal and aromatic plant companies, which have been providing impetus for the industry with their high-quality products for many years. Together with research partners, they are working to sustainably strengthen and further develop calendula cultivation.

The background to this is the current challenges in cultivation: strong fluctuations in yield and falling levels of active ingredients are increasingly affecting the quality and stability of production, although the causes are still unclear. Similar developments can also be seen with other traditional medicinal and aromatic plants such as arnica and camomile. The production of high-quality flowers for use in phytopharmaceuticals and cosmetics is therefore at risk, and regional supply chains are increasingly affected. Although marigold cultivation promises high added value as a niche crop, there is still a lack of reliable scientific findings on the relationships between active ingredient content, variety and cultivation method due to the small areas under cultivation.

Planned innovations and objectives

The aim of CalendulaPLUS is to secure the cultivation of marigolds in Hesse in the long term and to further develop them for the future. To this end, innovative research approaches are combined with the practical expertise of the farms. The focus is on

• Analysis of quality-determining factors such as variety, nutrient and water supply as well as their interaction with the different site conditions in Hesse.
• Development of a mechanized flower harvest in order to increase efficiency and product quality in equal measure.
• Establishment of innovative cultivation methods that guarantee stable yields and reliable raw material quality.
• Intensive knowledge transfer between practice and science so that research results can be directly transferred to operational application.

These measures are intended to create stable production conditions, strengthen the competitiveness of Hessian farms and open up new development prospects for the cultivation of medicinal and aromatic plants in Hesse.

The project connects agricultural operations with business and research partners as well as trade associations, thereby ensuring the transfer of knowledge to the field and sustainable utilization. In collaboration with commercial farms in Hesse, Ökoplant e.V., Flavex Naturextrakte GmbH, Weleda AG, Bräutigam GmbH, Kultursaat e.V., the Hessian State Agricultural Agency (LLH), and the Hessian State Estate Frankenhausen to develop a site-adapted marigold cultivation system aimed at optimizing yield and quality.

Work Package 1: Ongoing collaboration within the working group 

Work Package 2: Varieties and origins 

Work Package 3: Factors Influencing Quality 

Work Package 4: Mechanized Harvesting of Marigold Flowers 

Work Package 5: Knowledge Transfer