Precision farming in crop and livestock production
The program targets site-specific sustainable intensification in the field of agricultural primary production up to harvesting. Technological and process engineering research ranges from sensor based online data acquisition to modeling and process control. Research covers the development of technologies for Precision Agriculture and Precision Horticulture, the optimization of animal-friendly milking systems and the interaction between housing environment and animal welfare. System assessment analyzes environmental and economic impacts, with a focus on nitrogen, greenhouse gases and water.
Contact: PD Dr. Barbara Amon

Quality and safety of food and feed
Research covers the entire spectrum between primary production and the consumption of plant and animal food and feed. The focus is on process chains of fresh and gently processed plant and animal products: fruits, vegetables, grains, herbs, spices, feed silage, milk, meat and insects. We develop tailor-made solutions, eg sensor-based control and regulatory strategies for process design as well as non-invasive methods for quality and safety assessment - taking into account desirable or preventable microorganisms and production-related working and environmental conditions.
Contact: Dr.-Ing. Oliver Schlüter

Material and energetic use of biomass
Our aim is to develop efficient technologies for providing valuable bio-based materials and fuels from renewables and agricultural waste materials. Research focuses on biogas, biomaterials and biochar. We develop technical components and procedures for physical and microbiological-chemical processing in the context of coupling and cascade utilization concepts of biogenic resources. Analysis and assessment of process steps and value chains aims at identifying optimization potentials and at evaluation of emerging  developments.
Contact: Dr. Joachim Venus