Research
Research profile
The research fields are to be allocated to the following focal points under the headline of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences "Global agricultural systems in the field of tension between intensification, sustainability and society acceptance": "Sustainable productivity, food security and food quality" and "Biodiversity and resource management".With regard to quality formation and maintenance, the work, which is predominantly interdisciplinary, looks at either selected parts or the entire value-added chain from production to the consumer. In the past, research has focused on the use of biodiversity in cereals and tomatoes, e.g. under conditions of biotic (pathogen infestation) and abiotic stress (salt stress in strawberries), and on the contribution of insect pollination as an ecosystem service in yield formation and fruit quality.
At present, one of the focal points is the efficient supply of nutrients in potatoes, with a special focus on the effect of potassium, magnesium and phosphorus on quality formation. The development of tomato varieties that are optimally suited to sustainable, regional and urban cultivation is the goal of a further joint project. The focus here is on improving the taste of the tomato. The project involves several partners from the University of Göttingen, the University of Applied Sciences Osnabrück as well as practice partners from the entire value chain. The aim is to directly link scientific research, practical breeding, horticultural production and trade, thus increasing the sustainability of the project. In this project, the Division of Quality of Plant Products focuses on the sensory characterization of varieties and breeding lines using sensory panels and the determination of volatile flavors.
Another interdisciplinary project is concerned with improving food security in sub-Saharan Africa through resource-efficient processing and marketing of fruit (cashew apple, guava, jackfruit) and green leafy vegetables (cowpea, cassava and African nightshade) to enable year-round availability through locally produced products. Partners from East African countries and the University of Applied Sciences Erfurt are involved in this project. In the Division of Quality of Plant Products, one focus is on product development and the comprehensive characterization of the products with regard to chemical and rheological properties, shelf life and sensory characteristics. In the interdisciplinary joint project "Plant-oriented nutritional styles as a key to sustainability", in which partners from the Universities of Göttingen and Hanover are involved, different nutritional styles are being investigated and evaluated from a comprehensive sustainability perspective, taking human health and performance into account. In the Division of Quality of Plant Products the focus is on the material and sensory characterization of substitutes for animal foods.