Transformative Mixed Cropping Systems for One Health (TRIO)

Project title

Transformative Mixed Cropping Systems for One Health (TRIO)

Short description

Adapting to climate change with increasing drought is one of the greatest challenges for arable farming. One possible approach is the integration of deep-rooted annual or perennial taproot plants into crop rotations. Suitable perennial crops with high economic and ecological value as potential mixing partners for cereals are, for example, medicinal and aromatic plants. Whether deep-rooted species in mixed cropping systems are better adapted to climate change and what contribution they make to preserving biodiversity is to be investigated in a project funded by the state of Hesse. To this end, field trials with annual wheat, caraway and coriander as well as perennial wheat, caraway and fennel are being carried out at four locations in Hesse, both in pure seed and in mixtures. The project is being led by the University of Kassel (Prof. Miriam Athmann). Our role in the project is to analyze physiological interactions between different crop species in mixed cropping systems, with an emphasis on drought responses.

Project duration

January 2023 – December 2026

Staff involved

Lukas Engelbach, Michael Frei

Collaboration partners

University of Kassel, Geisenheim University

Funding

LOEWE