Sustainable agriculture: University of Kassel involved in LOEWE focus area

This was announced by the Hessian Ministry of Science and Art. The selected research projects will receive project funding from January 1, 2022. For the first time, in addition to the open call for proposals, there was also a thematic call for proposals on the topic of "sustainability". Here, GreenDairy - Integrated Animal-Plant-Agricultural Ecosystems prevailed.

The project investigates the functioning and sustainability of so-called "high-input" and "low-input" dairy production systems at the ecologically managed Gladbacherhof Teaching and Research Unit (LFE). High input means that animals are fed with a high proportion of corn silage and concentrated feed, while in low input it is mainly roughage, i.e. based on grassland.

Due to the significantly higher productivity in the High Input system, more favorable environmental impacts per unit of animal and plant products are expected while maintaining animal welfare. The LOEWE focus provides important impulses for agricultural systems research as well as recommendations for action for consulting and practice.

The Justus Liebig University Giessen is in charge of the project. On the part of the Kassel University, the departments of Professor Dr. Michael Wachendorf (Grassland Science and Renewable Resources) and Professor Dr. Maria Finckh (Ecological Plant Protection) are participating in the project.

On the one hand, the Kassel researchers are investigating how certain diseases affect forage stands, what consequences this has for yields and, in particular, what role soil biology plays in disease infestation. On the other hand, they are using remote sensing methods to investigate the effects of certain site conditions on forage stands. To do this, the scientists fly drones over various trial plots and collect measurement data on height, density and other parameters to assess the quality and quantity of the forage plants. In doing so, they are also pioneering the question of which drone technology is particularly suitable for such investigations. A total of 750,000 euros in funding is going to the Kassel University.

"Our society is facing major challenges. In order to shape it in a stable way and at the same time lead it into the future capable of change, we need the thoughts and solutions of many bright minds - and that includes cutting-edge research, which we are supporting with our unique nationwide research funding program LOEWE," explains Science Minister Angela Dorn. For the first time, we are supporting a LOEWE focus explicitly on the topic of sustainability in this funding round, because in view of the climate catastrophe and the loss of biodiversity, it is more important than ever that research institutions work together on this topic in an interdisciplinary manner. But the new LOEWE focal points in the open-topic call also address crucial questions for the future with creativity, innovative capacity and research spirit."

In addition to GreenDairy, projects from the universities of Darmstadt and Frankfurt are being funded. The Hessian excellence program LOEWE, launched in 2008, now supports outstanding research projects, highly innovative research ideas and excellent scientists in five funding lines. Since 2008, 15 LOEWE centers, 64 LOEWE focal points, and 324 LOEWE-SME collaborative projects have already been selected for funding.

Press contact:

Sebastian Mense
University of Kassel
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Phone: +49 561 804-1961
E-mail: presse[at]uni-kassel[dot]de
www.uni-kassel.de