Research projects

Bioeconomy research at the University of Hohenheim encompasses the entire value network. It ranges from plant and animal production to innovative conversion processes and the processes of change in the economy and society.

At the University of Hohenheim, there is a large number of different projects from all faculties working on various aspects of the bioeconomy. Below you will find a selection of projects on the topics:

Resources and Agriculture  |  Food, Nutrition, and Agro-Food-Chain  |  Renewable Resources and Bioenergy  |  Conversion Technology, Biorefineries, and Biotechnology  |  Livestock Sciences  |  Genomic Diversity and Biodiversity  |  Climate and Environment  |  Sustainable Development  |  Innovation Entrepreneurship  |  Social Transformation  |  Markets, Politics, Governance  |  Digitalization

Resources and agriculture

TitleFunding periodContactCooperation partner(s)Additional information
AMAIZE-P1 Jan 2018 - 31 May 2022Prof. Dr. Torsten Müller (340i)

Departments 140b, 190d, 320b, 340h, 410b, 350a, 440e, 440f, 460a
Cropping Systems and Modeling Working Group (340)
China Agricultural University

Website
BETTERWHEAT - Genomic-proteomic basis and environmental dependence of quality and health-related traits in wheat for innovative new varieties and products1 Oct 2019 - 30 Sept 2022Prof. Dr. Friedrich Longin (720)University of Mainz
4 companies		Website
NOcsPS - Agriculture 4.0 without chemical-synthetic plant protection1 Sept 2019 - 30 Nov 2023Prof. Dr. Enno Bahrs (410b)Departments 310b, 310d, 320a, 340b, 340e, 340i, 340h, 350b, 360a, 360b, 410a, 430b, 440c
Crop Systems and Modeling Working Group (340)
University of Göttingen, Julius Kühn Institute		Website
Rhizo4Bio (Phase 1): CROP - Combining ROot contrasted Phenotypes for more resilient agro-ecosystem1 Feb 2020 - 31 Jan 2024Dr. Holger Pagel (310d)
Dr. Christian Poll (310b)		Research Center JülichWebsite
Rhizo4Bio (Phase 1): BreadAndBeer – Wheat and barley production under reduced input in organic farming1 Feb 2020 - 31 Jan 2024Prof. Dr. Christian Zörb (340e)Universität GießenWebsite
BiodivERsA - BIOFAIR: Soil biodiversity and innovative cropping strategies for improved resilience in European wheat production1 Apr 2021 - 30 Mar 2024Prof Dr. Günter Neumann (340h)Liège University
FiBL (Forschungsinstitut für biologischen Landbau) Europe
Ghent University
University of Clermont
CSIC (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Spanien)
FiBL (Forschungsinstitut für biologischen Landbau) Switzerland		Website
SoySound - Decoding and epidemiology of DPK pathogens and characterization of pathogen-induced defense response in soybean3 May 2021 - 30 Apr 2024Dr. Tobias Link (360a)Website
SPRINT – Sustainable plant protection transition: a global health approach1 Sept 2020 - 31 Aug 2025Prof. Dr. Ellen Kandeler (310b)27 cooperation partners from 14 European countriesWebsite

Nutrition and Food Agro-Food Chain

TitleFunding periodContactCooperation partner(s)Additional information
FuTuRes (fucoxanthin, transdisciplinarity, and regionally developed scenarios): Economic and ecological evaluation of a biorefinery approach for the production of fucoxanthin and EPA on a pilot scale and transdisciplinary developed scenarios on an industrial scale in Germany1 Aug 2019 - 31 Dec 2021 M.Sc. Sebastian Weickert (340b)
Prof. Dr. Iris Lewandowski (340b)		Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology,
Stuttgart
KIT (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology)
ITAS (Institute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis), Karlsruhe		Project
directory
Recombinant caseins in cheese technology - functional properties and application1 Nov 2020 - 31 Oct 2022Prof. Dr. Jörg Hinrichs (150e)-Project directory
Enzymatic generation of increased sweetness from lactose-containing side streams and their use as syrup for sugar reduction using the example of dairy products1 May 2020 - 31 Oct 2022Prof. Dr. Jörg Hinrichs (150e)
Prof. Dr. Lutz Fischer (150b)		-Project directory
Storable milk gel granules as a new basic material for the manufacture of cheese products1 July 2020 - 31 Dec 2022Prof. Dr. Jörg Hinrichs (150e)
Prof. Dr. Reinhard Kohlus (150c)		-Project directory
Pork - regional and premium for butchers, top gastronomy, and communal catering1 Jan 2019 - 31 Dec 2022Prof. Dr. Jochen Weiss (150g)
Dr. Monika Gibis		MEGA das Fachzentrum für Metzgerei und Gastronomie e.G. and other companiesProject directory
QuasiDest - Quality assurance of scattered fruit distillates1 Sept 2020 - 31 Dec 2023Dr. Daniel Einfalt (150f)Project directory
CO-FRESH - CO-creating sustainable and competitive Fruits and vEgetableS' value cHains in Europe1 Oct 2020 - 31 Mar 2024FZB Forschungszentrum Borstel
Prof. Verena Hüttl-Maack (570e)		28 cooperation partners from 10 European countriesWebsite

Biobased Products and Bioenergy

TitleFunding periodContactCooperation partner(s)Additional information
ProBioLNG - Innovative process chain for the resource-efficient production of bio-LNG1 Sept 2019 - 31 Aug 2022Dr. Hans Oechsner (740)
Dr. Andreas Lemmer (740)		DVGW-EBI at KIT
Air Liquide
Claas
Liquind 24/7 GmbH
Mobima		Website
BioSaiFle - System-serving balancing of seasonal fluctuations in energy demand through seasonally flexible biogas production using the practical example of the use of extensive and biotope grassland; Subproject 2: Substrate preparation, storage, and kinetics1 Nov 2019 - 31 Oct 2022Dr. Hans Oechsner (740)
Dr. Andreas Lemmer (740)		University of Stuttgart
District of Reutlingen
Landschafts-Förderverein Nuthe-Nieplitz-Niederung e.V.
Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy
Landesverband für Obstbau und Landschaft Eningen unter Achalm e.V.
Energiegenossenschaft Gussenstadt eG		Project
description
GRACE – GRowing Advaned industrial Crops on marginal lands for biorEfinieries1 June 2017 - 31 Nov 2022Dr. Andreas Kiesel (340b)
Prof. Dr. Iris Lewandowski (340b)		Departments 340b and 440f
State Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioenergy
22 European partners from universities, agricultural companies, and industry (list)		Website
Automated agitation systems in biogas plants - Development and testing of sensor-based agitation systems in biogas plants to increase efficiency and process stability in load-flexible and demand-driven biogas production1 May 2020 - 30 Apr 2023Dr. Andreas Lemmer (740)Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems (IKTS)
Technische Universität Berlin
HZDR (Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf)
DBFZ (German Biomass Research Center)
RTO		Project
description
F-CUBED - Future feedstock flexible carbon upgrading to bioenergy dispatchable carriers1 May 2020 - 30 Apr 2023Prof. Dr. Andrea Kruse (440f)14 cooperation partners from 6 European countriesWebsite
MISCOMAR+ - Miscanthus for contaminated and marginal land1 July 2020 - 30 June 2023Dr. Andreas Kiesel
M.Sc. Eva Lewin
Prof. Dr. Iris Lewandowski
(340b)		Aberystwyth University, UK
IETU (Institute for Ecology of Industrial Areas),
Poland
Research and Innovation Centre Pro-Akademia, Poland
Gießereitechnik Kühn, Germany
University of Nottingham, UK
Imperial College, UK
Terravesta Assured Energy Crops Limited, UK
TerrAffix Soil Solutions Ltd, UK		Website
Flex-Crash - Mechanical processing of fiber-rich by-products such as horse manure, landscape greenery, and straw using a ball mill optimized for this purpose to make biogas production on the farm more flexible1 Aug 2020 - 31 July 2023Dr. Hans Oechsner (740)
Prof. Stefan Böttinger (440a)		Bio-Energie Heuberg GmbH & Co. KG
Biokraft Energietechnik GmbH		Website
FeBio - Development and construction of a novel, cost-effective, input-flexible, and efficient FEststoff-BIOgas plant up to 75kWel1 Jan 2020 - 31 Dec 2023Dr. Hans Oechsner
Dr. Simon Zielonka
(740)		Institute for Future Energy and Material Flow Systems gGmbH
Ökobit GmbH		Project
description
i2 Sens - Development of innovative and intelligent sensor systems to ensure biological process stability in biogas plants: Implementation of the novel measurement technology in the control system of a load-flexible biogas plant1 May 2021 - 30 Apr 2024Dr. Andreas Lemmer (740)Project
directory
CirCulTex - Circular urban growing systems with recyclable textile plant substrates15 June 2021 - 30 June 2024Dr. Bastian Winkler (340b)German Institutes for Textile and Fiber Research, Denkendorf
Eschler Textil GmbH
Amity University Kolkata and two other Indian cooperation partners		Website

Conversion technology, biorefineries, biotechnology

TitleFunding periodContactCooperation partner(s)Additional information
RIAS - Resource-saving and integrated activated carbon production at wastewater treatment plants for the elimination of trace substances1 Nov 2019 - 31 Oct 2022Dominik Wüst
Prof. Dr. Andrea Kruse
(440f)		Institute for Urban Water Management at RWTH Aachen University, Glatt Ingenieurtechnik GmbH, HUBER SE, HTCycle, RuhrverbandWebsite
HTC BioGo: Expanded value creation of fermentation and distillation residues through an HTC biorefinery in Gomaringen1 July 2021 - 31 Dec 2022Gero Becker
Prof. Dr. Andrea Kruse
(440f)		Martin Junger
Project description: The aim of the innovation project HTC-BioGo is to further develop and demonstrate a process chain in the sense of a biorefinery in which organic residues are converted into products of higher added value in an environmentally friendly, climate-friendly, and hygienic manner. The centerpiece of the project is the demo-scale hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) plant of Gregio AG from Switzerland, which is to be set up at the Junger plant (Gomaringen). Subsequent nutrient recovery and activated carbon production on a semi-industrial scale is carried out by the University of Hohenheim (UHOH) at the Lindenhöfe site. The nutrients are obtained as an approved long-term mineral fertilizer using the Hohenheim struvite process, thus closing the nutrient cycle.
PERFORM - Power Platform: Establishment of platform infrastructure for highly selective electrochemical conversion1 Jan 2019 - 31 Dec 2022Markus Götz
Daniel Grau
Prof. Dr. Andrea Kruse
(440f)		11 cooperation partners from 7 European countriesWebsite
ProGrün Proteins from grassland use1 Dec 2020 - 31 Nov 2023Przemyslaw Maziarka
Prof. Dr. Andrea Kruse
(440f)		Department 150c, Prof. Dr. R. Kohlus
Department 460a, Prof. Dr. M. Rodehutscord		Website
BioKop - Energetic and material coupling of a biogas plant with a biorefinery1 Dec 2020 - 30 Nov 2023Prof. Dr. Andrea Kruse (440f)
Dr. Hans Oechsner (740)		State Institute for Agricultural Engineering and BioenergyProject
directory
Pfiffig: Polymer fibers from bio-based furanoates targeting industrial grade 1 Feb 2021 - 31 Jan 2023Maciej Pawel Olszewski
Prof. Dr. Andrea Kruse
(440f)		German Institutes for Textile and Fiber Research
Denkendorf (DITF),
CASCAT GmbH ,
TUM - Technische ,
FhG - Institute for
Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB,
Trevira GmbH ,
PHP Fibers GmbH,
Fiber Engineering GmbH,
Continental Reifen Deutschland GmbH,
Mattes & Ammann GmbH & Co. KG
Project description: The aim of the "Smart" project is to combine methods of synthetic biology and chemical-enzymatic syntheses to develop new and sustainable production chains for 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid and to use its precursor 5-HMF from organic waste products. These molecules will be used as starting materials for a variety of tailored polymers. The bio-based synthetic route enables drop-in solutions in the first approach for polyethylene furanoate, called PEF. This can complement and partially substitute the most widely used fiber polymer PET.
AllianzBiotenside1 July 2021 - 30 Mar 2024Prof. Dr. Rudolph Hausmann (150k)Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB, Stuttgart
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
Reutlingen University
University of Stuttgart
10 industrial partners		Website

Animal sciences

TitleFunding periodContactCooperation partner(s)Additional information
SetBie in BW - Selection and establishment of varroa tolerant bee colonies (VSH/SMR) in Baden-Württemberg
1 Jan 2019 - 31 Dec 2022Prof. Dr. Martin Hasselmann (460h)
Dr. Peter Rosenkranz (730)		Landsiedlung Baden-Württemberg GmbH
Center for Quantitative Biology (QBiC), University of Tübingen Imkerverband Baden
Imkerverband Württemberg
Buckfastverband Süd e.V.
Arista Stiftung
Zuchtobmann württ. Imker
Bienengesundheitsdienst Aulendorf
Professional and organic beekeepers from Baden Württemberg		Website
Production of market-ready pasture lambs in Baden-Württemberg7 Feb 2020 - 31 Dec 2022Prof. Dr. Jörn Bennewitz (460g)Baden-Württemberg Cooperative Association
Viehzentrale Südwest GmbH
Lammfleischerzeugergemeinschaft Baden-Württemberg e.V.
Landesschafzuchtverband Baden-Württemberg
Schafherdengesundheitsdienst
EDEKA Südwest Fleisch
10 sheep farms

Project directory

Description

Nutrient utilization and metabolic adaptations at high levels of free amino acids in diets for broiler chickens1 Apr 2020 - 31 Mar 2023Dr. Wolfgang Siegert (460a)Project directory
WertKalb - Innovative strategies for ethical value creation of calves from organic dairy farming1 Apr 2020 - 31 Mar 2023Prof. Dr. Mizeck Chagunda (490h)
Prof. Dr. Nanette Ströbele-Benschop (180d)
Dr. Beate Gebhardt (420b)		HfWU Nürtingen-Geislingen
State Office for Geoinformation and Land Development Baden-Württemberg (LGL)
Landesverband Baden-Württemberg für Leistungs- und Qualitätsprüfungen in der Tierzucht e.V.
Rinderunion Baden-Württemberg
more than 10 practice partners		Website
Öko2Huhn - Dual-purpose chickens in organic farming - breeding and potential determination of suitable origins as well as implementation in practice20 Feb 2020 - 31 Dec 2023Prof. Dr. Mizeck Chagunda (490g)Bioland Beratung GmbH
Eberswalde University of Applied Sciences
Ökologische Tierzucht gGmbH
Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University of Applied Sciences		Project
directory
The genomic analysis of correlations and causalities between quantitative traits in dairy cattle breeding1 Jan 2021 - 31 Dec 2023Prof. Dr. Jörn Bennewitz (460g)Project
directory
NutriBee - Interaction of abiotic stressors and food limitation on bee health and development of young colonies in the field1 May 2021 - 30 Apr 2024Dr. Peter Rosenkranz
Dr. Annette Schroeder
Dr. Klaus Wallner
(730)		Apicultural State Institute (730)
Lower Saxony State Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety - Institute for Apiculture
Julius Kühn Institute		Project
directory
GEroNIMO - Genome and Epigenome eNabled breedIng in Monogastrics1 July 2021 - 30 June 2025Prof. Dr. Jörn Bennewitz (460g)Department 460g
21 cooperation partners from 11 European countries		Project
directory

Genome diversity, biodiversity

TitleFunding periodContactCooperation partner(s)Additional information
Floristic and faunistic studies of extensified green alnd strips and usability of the upsurges1 May 2020 - 30 Apr 2022Dr. Ulrich Thumm-Website
ZwiebÖL - Exploration of the potential of old onion varieties for organic farming1 Mar 2020 - 28 Feb 2023Prof. Dr. Christian Zörb (340e)Max Rubner InstituteWebsite
FraxForFuture - Demonstration project conservation of the common ash tree1 July 2020 - 30 June 2023Prof. Dr. Michael Kube (460k)19 cooperation partners in GermanyWebsite
Nature-based perennial cereal production as a model for preserving functional biodiversity for future-proof agriculture1 Feb 2021 - 31 Jan 2024Prof. Dr. Frank Rasche (490)Project
directory
INVITE - INnovations in plant VarIety Testing in Europe to foster the introduction of new varieties better adapted to varying biotic and abiotic conditions and to more sustainable crop management practices1 July 2019 - 30 June 2024Prof. Dr. Karl Schmid (350b)29 cooperation partners from 13 European countriesWebsite
Climate vulnerability of Douglas fir in the 22nd century forest - growth dynamics, climate sensitivity and risk assessment1 Sept 2021 - 31 Aug 2024Dr. Alexander Land (190a)Rottenburg University of Applied Forest SciencesProject
directory

Climate and environment

TitleFunding periodContactCooperation partner(s)Additional information
ClimXtreme - Investigation of an ensemble of regional climate simulations in relation to land-atmosphere feedback and extreme precipitation (LAFEP) - Implementation of advanced process-based metrics1 Sept 2019 - 31 Aug 2022Prof. Dr. Volker Wulfmeyer (120a)BTU CottbusWebsite
LAFA - Land-Atmosphere Feedback Analysis1 Mar 2021 - 29 Feb 2024Prof. Dr. Volker Wulfmeyer (120a)Project
directory

Sustainable development:

TitleFunding periodContactCooperation partner(s)Additional information
Seedballs – Enhancing the yield effect in pearl millet and sorghum and disseminating the technology in West Africa1 Apr 2019 - 30 Sept 2022Prof. Dr. Thilo Rennert
Dr. Ludger Herrmann
(310a)		Niger - INRAN
Fuma Gaskiya (farmer organization)
FUGPN Mooriben (farmer organization)		Project
directory
ALBAMAP - Science-to-Field: Optimized production of medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) in Albania1 May 2021 - 30 Apr 2024Prof. Dr. Joachim Müller
Dr. Klaus Spohrer
(440e)		University of Tirana
Agro-MAP
Automation & Software PIKT		Project
description
CLIFOOD - German-Ethiopian SDG Graduate School "Impacts of Climate Change on Food Security"1 Sept 2016 - 31 Dec 2025Prof. Dr. Frank Rasche (490e)Departments 120a, 140b, 310d, 320b, 440e, 490d, 490e
Hawassa University, Egypt		Website

Innovation entrepreneurship

TitleFunding periodContactCooperation partner(s)Additional information
V4InnovatE - Responsible innovation for the energy transition1 Apr 2020 - 31 Mar 2023Prof. Dr. Andreas Pyka (520i)Center for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-Württemberg
Dialogik gemeinnützige GmbH 		Website
i2connect - Connecting advisers to boost interactive innovation in agriculture and forestry1 Nov 2019 - 31 Oct 2024Prof. Dr. Andrea Knierim (430a)42 cooperation partners from 21 countries worldwideWebsite

Social transformation

TitleFunding periodContactCooperation partner(s)Additional information
AckerKom - Communication within the framework of the arable farming strategy1 Nov 2019 - 31 Dec 2022Prof. Dr. Wolfram Schweiger (540g)
Prof. Dr. Andrea Knierim (430a)		Website
1000Gaerten3.0 - Citizen Science meets Biodiversity: Improving soybean product quality and environmental stability under increased biodiversity1 Apr 2021 - 31 Mar 2024Dr. Willmar Leiser (720)Taifun-Tofu GmbHWebsite
emplement - Qualification of urban regions for the implementation of sustainability and resilience strategies taking into account the urban-rural nexus1 June 2021 - 31 May 2025Prof. Dr. Joachim Müller (440e)AT Association
Association for the Promotion of Appropriate Socially and Environmentally Compatible Technologies Stuttgart
University of Tübingen
IZES GmbH
Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences
Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences
Da Nang Institute for Socio-Economic Development (DISED), Vietnam
Provincial People's Committee of Quang Nam Province, Vietnam
UN-Habitat Vietnam Office
Da Nang Architecture University, Vietnam		Project
description

Markets, politics, governance

TitleFunding periodContactCooperation partner(s)Additional information
GreenGrass - Agricultural systems of the future: GreenGrass - Innovative use of grassland for sustainable intensification of agriculture on a landscape scale - "Market" sub-project1 Mar 2019 - 29 Feb 2024Prof. Dr. Enno Bahrs (410b)Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus - Senftenberg
Justus Liebig University Giessen
University of Kassel
University of Cologne
horizont group GmbH
Texas Trading GmbH
Grassland Center Lower Saxony/Bremen e.V.		Website

Digitalization

TitleFunding periodContactCooperation partner(s)Additional information
SimLearn - Completion of training data by iterative learning simulation31 Oct 2019 - 30 Sept 2022Prof. Dr. Thomas Berger (490d)German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence GmbH
Board of Trustees for Technology and Construction in Agriculture e.V.		Project
directory
MR digital - inter-farm use of information-supported agricultural technology11 Sept 2018 - 31 Oct 2022Prof. Dr. Torsten Müller (340i)
Prof. Dr. Hans Griepentrog (440c)		State Association of Machinery Rings
Augustenberg Agricultural Technology Center
Güllegemeinschaft Neckar-Odenwald GbR
two farms		Project
directory
DIWAN - Digitalization of value chains as a starting point for more sustainability with QZBW using the example of organic field lettuce, Filderkraut (pointed cabbage), and eggs1 Mar 2021 - 31 Dec 2022Prof. Dr. Enno Bahrs (410b)Ferdinand Steinbeis Institut (FSTI)

Project
description

Project
news

DiWenkLa - Digital value chains for a sustainable small-scale agriculture1 Feb 2020 - 1 Mar 2023Prof. Dr. Enno Bahrs (410b)Crop Systems and Modeling Working Group (340)
Departments 360a, 360b, 430a, 440a, 440c, 530d
HfWU Nürtingen-Geislingen		Website
MIKIL - Multiscale integration of advanced AI technology in decentralized farming systems1 Jan 2021 - 31 Dec 2023Prof. Dr. Anthony Stein (440g)John Deere GmbH & Co. KG
Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute
German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI)
Technical University of Kaiserslautern
Julius Kühn Institute
OptoPrecision GmbH
Robot Makers GmbH
Planet Labs Germany GmbH
NT Neue Technologien AG
Deutsche Landwirtschafts-Gesellschaft DLG e.V.
Förderverein Digital Farming (FDF)
Agricultural Teaching and Research Station Hofgut Neumühle		Website
Robotics for the care and maintenance of orchards1 May 2020 - 30 Apr 2024Dr. David Reiser (440c)Project
description

Contact

Hohenheim Bioeconomy Office

Wollgrasweg 43 | D-70599 Stuttgart
Email
+49 711 459 22827

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