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Julius Kühn Institute (JKI)
@jki-research.bsky.social
550 followers 880 following 51 posts
Securing tomorrow’s resources: The JKI is the Federal Research Center for Cultivated Plants in Germany and one of four departmental research institutes of the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (#BMLEH). www.julius-kuehn.de/en/
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jki-research.bsky.social
Federal Agriculture Minister Alois Rainer visited Saxony-Anhalt’s #Elbaue model region, where farmers, JKI scientists & industry test ways to curb the #planthopper (P. leporinus.), which spreads bacterial crop #diseases. Crop rotation & fallow fields prove most effective
tinyurl.com/yz39pba3
#BMLEH
Group photo with Federal Agriculture Minister Alois Rainer. © Oliver Schwalm/BMLEH
November 7, 2025 at 10:30 AM
jki-research.bsky.social
#Fungal isolates Chaetomium subaffine, Clonostachys sp., and Pseudogymnoascus sp. from #tomato tissues suppressed Phytophthora infestans. Integrated culture and microbiome analyses revealed their strong #biocontrol and commercial potential for sustainable tomato #protection.
🍅 tinyurl.com/5n6uj7jm
Phytophthora infestans-infested tomato plant. © Philemon Orwa/JKI
November 6, 2025 at 1:50 PM
jki-research.bsky.social
🌲Insect-driven #treemortality is rising across Europe – New #study co-authored by Prof Henrik Hartmann (JKI). #Conifers, especially spruce, suffer most, while broadleaves fare better. #Heat & drought amplify outbreaks, urging smart #forest management.
Global Change Biology: doi.org/10.1111/gcb....
Prof. Dr. Henrik Hartmann - Head of the JKI Institute for Forest Protection. Photo: J. Kaufmann/JKI
November 6, 2025 at 1:23 PM
jki-research.bsky.social
Strong involvement at the European level for biological and integrated plant protection: At the #IOBC-WPRS General Assembly in #Mikulov (CZ, Oct 16–17, 2025), JKI experts actively contributed as conveners and members, highlighting JKI’s commitment to sustainable #cropprotection.
tinyurl.com/3dxh9pms
Group picture at the IOBC-WPRS General Assembly in Mikulov, Czech Republic. © Giselher Grabenweger
October 29, 2025 at 3:54 PM
jki-research.bsky.social
🥳 On 23 October, the JKI and Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg #MLU celebrated the 200th anniversary of Professor Julius Kühn’s birth. A commemorative event paid tribute to one of the most influential figures in #agricultural #science.
tinyurl.com/bpa8rmb2
#HappyBirthday #JuliusKühn
Permanent exhibition ‘Julius Kühn and the JKI’. © Isabel Haberkorn/JKI
October 27, 2025 at 2:46 PM
jki-research.bsky.social
In September, the JKI and the Czech Agrifood Research Center (CARC) in Prague signed a #Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen their cooperation.

#CARC, a public research institution established by the #Czech Ministry of Agriculture, is the Czech counterpart to the JKI.
www.carc.cz/en/
Dr Jiban Kumar (Director of CARC) and Prof Dr Henryk Flachowsky (JKI) at the ceremonial signing of the Memorandum of Understanding.
October 21, 2025 at 2:26 PM
jki-research.bsky.social
Connecting the Dots: Fungi, Insects and Beyond
🗣️ #Interview with Dr Silvio Erler, JKI Institute for Bee Protection: 2025.igem.wiki/gu-frankfurt...
#bees #bumblebees #fungicide #research #SPROUT
@goetheuni.bsky.social
Bee on rapeseed. Photo: Jens Pistorius/JKI
October 13, 2025 at 6:50 AM
jki-research.bsky.social
Apply by 13 October for the position of #ResearchAssistant at the JKI Institute for #Biosafety in Plant #Biotechnology – #Quedlinburg, #Germany.
🎓 interamt.de/koop/app/ste...

All #job offers: wissen.julius-kuehn.de/karriere/en/...

#AcademicJobs
#ScienceJobs
#ResearchPosition
#Postgraduate
The development of new biotechnological breeding methods is progressing steadily and is the subject of social, political and legal discussions. JKI Institute for Biosafety in Plant Biotechnology
October 10, 2025 at 7:06 AM
jki-research.bsky.social
#DPST25 at TU Braunschweig brings together 1,100 experts to discuss future challenges in #PlantProtection and #Phytomedicine – from pest spread and resistance to climate impacts.
🏅Congrats to Dr Müller and Dr Winter, honoured for their outstanding research.
@leibniz-dsmz.bsky.social #DPG
64. Deutsche Pflanzenschutztagung 64. Deutsche Pflanzenschutztagung Dr Marion C. Müller (Julius Kühn Prize) and Dr Stephan Winter (Anton de Bary Medal) demonstrate how modern science protects plants and strengthens global food security.
October 9, 2025 at 3:09 PM
jki-research.bsky.social
4 current #paper co-authored by our colleagues from the JKI Institute for #Bee Protection on #pollinator #research:
🐝 tinyurl.com/ytpnsxfr
🐝 tinyurl.com/2a9s4uyn
🐝 tinyurl.com/55xdsf5c
🐝 tinyurl.com/4xzscnzx
Congratulations on the #publication!
Densely dotted golden furrow bee (Halictus Subauratus) on hawkweed. © H. Greil/JKI Institute for Bee Protection
September 23, 2025 at 11:42 AM
jki-research.bsky.social
🐝 #MonViA - News from #beemonitoring in agricultural landscapes: The Institute for Bee Protection at the JKI has completed the second year of piloting a long-term monitoring programme for #bees in #agricultural landscapes.
🔗 (German): tinyurl.com/3hr3w46v
Phenological cycle and key features of 2025 at the bee monitoring sites. Recurring vegetation phases during the year are closely linked to weather and climate, so sampling dates are strongly tied to phenology. © JKI, Institute for Bee Protection
September 19, 2025 at 7:41 AM
jki-research.bsky.social
Journal of Cultivated Plants on #Regenerative #agriculture – an approach for a #science based #definition.
The term is also seen as an approach to implementing political guidelines such as the European Farm-to-Fork Strategy or the German Arable Farming Strategy.
Read: doi.org/10.5073/JfK....
Journal of Cultivated Plants: Regenerative agriculture – an approach for a science based definition.
September 16, 2025 at 11:13 AM
jki-research.bsky.social
🌽 Genetic variation at transcription factor binding sites largely explains phenotypic heritability in #maize. New #paper co-authored by Prof Dr Benjamin Stich, Head of the JKI Institute for Breeding #Research on Agricultural Crops, published in #Nature Genetics:
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
#corn
Prof Dr Benjamin Stich, Head of the Institute for Breeding Research on Agricultural Crops. Photo: J. Kaufmann/JKI Maize before flowering. The Institute for Breeding Research on Agricultural Crops promotes the systematic development of plant genetic resources. On that account, we apply and elaborate current methods of breeding research to widen the genetic basis of specific crops and focus on aspects like “resilient plants”, “product quality” and “renewable raw materials”. Photo: Frank Höppner/JKI
August 11, 2025 at 2:59 PM
jki-research.bsky.social
🌿 #Hop (Humulus lupulus L.), vital to brewing, was studied for #virus and viroid diversity in Germany. Ali Pasha, Gritta Schrader & Heiko Ziebell found low diversity: 4 viruses, 2 viroids; CBCVd only in Hallertau (2021–2023).
📄 doi.org/10.1371/jour...
#PLOSOne #hopvirome #research #brewingindustry
Germany is worldwide one of the largest hop (Humulus lupulus L.) producers, an essential crop for the brewing industry. However, infections caused by viruses and viroids can severely impact hop yield and quality. Photo: G. Leefken/JKI Identified viruses and viroids in all sample pools over three years. Image: A. Pasha A, G. Schrader, H. Ziebell/JKI.
August 11, 2025 at 11:39 AM
jki-research.bsky.social
Development and efficacy of dsRNA pesticides targeting the Colorado potato beetle with enhanced stability via chitosan formulations. RNAi targeting the PSMB5 gene in Colorado potato beetles showed strong gene silencing and larval suppression.
📄 doi.org/10.1016/j.pe...
#CPB #biopesticide #newpaper
Development and efficacy of dsRNA pesticides targeting the Colorado potato beetle with enhanced stability via chitosan formulations - Graphical abstract. Dr Khalid Amari Baba, Head of the working group Epigenetics and RNAi in plant biotechnology, JKI Institute for Biosafety in Plant Biotechnology.
August 1, 2025 at 3:00 PM
jki-research.bsky.social
Climate change affects spring-sown #caraway. Autumn-sown winter annuals may stabilise yields by using cool-season rain. Trials found 26 genotypes with good winter survival. Higher sowing density raised yields. Wet years caused seed shattering issues.
📄 papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
#Carumcarvi
Exploring Genetic Resources for Winter Annual Caraway (Carum Carvi) and the Potential of Winter Annual Cultivation to Encounter Climate Change. Photo: Frank Marthe/JKI Dr Daniel von Maydell, JKI Institute for Breeding Research on Horticultural Crops. Photo: Johannes Kaufmann/JKI
July 29, 2025 at 2:19 PM
jki-research.bsky.social
🌻 Led by Vid Švara and team, supported by JKI, the trial focuses on assessing #biodiversity across different #sunflower varieties. This initiative plays a key role in advancing our understanding of how genetic diversity in sunflowers can impact agroecosystem resilience.
#HelExProject #HorizonEurope
Led by Vid Švara and his team Salena Husband, Silvio Erler and Christoph Kartheuser. Thank you to everyone involved for their dedication and enthusiasm in the field! Last week marked the launch of the sunflower field experiment in Quedlinburg, Germany. HelEx project: The trial focuses on assessing biodiversity across different sunflower varieties.
July 23, 2025 at 1:44 PM
jki-research.bsky.social
We’re pleased to share that the International Common Bunt Consortium #ICBC now has its own website! #CommonBunt #TilletiaCaries is a seed-borne disease of wheat. We received reports that the disease spread even more widely across Germany, Europe and the world.
wissen.julius-kuehn.de/ICBC/
New website for the International Common Bunt Consortium.
July 23, 2025 at 8:20 AM
jki-research.bsky.social
The JKI #Sporeglue project, funded by bmleh.de has recently started. In collaboration with the DWI - Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials and the companies e-nema and SeSam-Biotech, bioadhesive peptides will enhance the #rainfastness of biological plant protection agents.
tinyurl.com/3mk9cc62
The Sporeglue project, funded by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Regional Identity has recently started at the Institute of Biological Control. In collaboration with the DWI - Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials and the companies e-nema and SeSam-Biotech, biadhesive peptides will be used to increase the rainfastness of biological plant protection agents. The focus is on the fungal organisms Clonostachys rosea and Trichoderma harzianum, antagonists of gray rot (Botrytis cinerea) on strawberries. In addition, we intend to adhere spores of entomopathogenic fungi to leaf surfaces using the biadhesive peptides. The challenge here is to ensure that the spores adhere sufficiently so that they are not washed off by rain, but also that they detach from the leaf on contact with a harmful insect and stick to the insect, ultimately infecting and killing it.
July 15, 2025 at 8:59 AM
jki-research.bsky.social
🍇 #Heat wave genetic mapping in #grapevines uncovers two major QTLs on chromosomes 10 and 11 that significantly boost berry #sunburn resilience. Insights into key gene candidates pave the way for marker assisted breeding of sunburn tolerant, #fungus resistant #vineyards.
📄 tinyurl.com/yf2nm6sp
Heat waves reveal additive genetic effects leading to sunburn resilience of grapevine berries. Photo: Julia Fuchs/JKI
July 14, 2025 at 9:08 AM
jki-research.bsky.social
The revised EU Pollinator Monitoring Scheme #EUPoMS suggests standardised methods, but lacks strong evidence for key choices. The authors from JKI urge clarification on excluding pan traps to maintain scientific integrity and public trust in the scheme.
doi.org/10.26786/192...
tinyurl.com/3rt2ewce
Pan traps are especially useful for sampling bees simultaneously across replicated sites. Photo by Johannes Kaufmann/JKI Variation in floral density may bias pan trap results, but evidence for this bias presented in the revised EUPoMS is not robust. Photo: Institute for Bee Protection/JKI
July 9, 2025 at 1:38 PM
jki-research.bsky.social
As part of a knowledge exchange and study visit on #organic #agriculture and #agroecology organised by #GOPA_AFC, Colombian delegates from agroecological organizations met with our researchers from the JKI Institute for Biological Control in #Dossenheim.
#PACA: paca.com.co
tinyurl.com/2vy83yjc
Proyecto Agroecológico Colombo-Alemán with Prof. Dr. Johannes Jehle (JKI), Dr. Dietrich Stephan (JKI), Dr. Annette Herz (JKI), Juliet Daniela Aranibar Luna (JKI) and Maximilian Pink (JKI). Many thanks to Prof. Dr. Johannes Jehle and team for the inspiring exchange on biological pest control! Photo by Virna Moran/JKI Proyecto Agroecológico Colombo-Alemán: Colombian delegates from agroecological organizations met with our researchers from the JKI Institute for Biological Control in Dossenheim. Photo by Virna Moran/JKI
July 7, 2025 at 7:26 AM
jki-research.bsky.social
Sealing smarter: Soils provide a wide range of ecosystem services. A novel remote sensing–based #study now demonstrates how Earth Observation can support both quantitative and qualitative monitoring of #soil #sealing on #agricultural land. #EEA
Use Case: tinyurl.com/mr248mwb
📄: tinyurl.com/5x2yet7h
Sealing smarter, saving soils: Soils provide a wide range of ecosystem services. Germany therefore targets 30 ha/day by 2030, zero by 2050, aiming for no net land take in a circular land use model. Graphic by EEA (European Environment Agency)
July 3, 2025 at 8:44 AM
jki-research.bsky.social
#Res4StRes #project start: Developing novel resources for resistance breeding in oilseed rape under low-input conditions. Focus: insect pests & heat stress. Integrative approach using genomics, metabolomics & phenotyping. Lead at JKI: N. Austel and T. Will. Funded by #BMBF
🔗(🇩🇪): tinyurl.com/3ew5warz
Damage to rapeseed roots caused by cabbage fly (Delia floralis) infestation. Photo: Ulrike Busch/JKI Myzus persicae on oilseed rape. Photo: Maria Kern/JKI Poster for the Res4StRes Project: Modern Breeding Research for Climate- and Site-Adapted Crops of Tomorrow. Image: ÖPV/JKI
July 1, 2025 at 3:09 PM
jki-research.bsky.social
Population structure and genetic diversity of rubber-producing #dandelion (Taraxacum kok-saghyz) and other #Taraxacum species. Findings show weak population structure in TKS and higher diversity in related species, aiding future breeding and interspecific hybridization efforts.
tinyurl.com/23w8tuc3
Rubber-producing dandelion (Taraxacum kok-saghyz). Photo: Helge Flüß/JKI Dr René Kaiser from the JKI Institute for Breeding Research on Agricultural Crops. Photo: Sarah Barnert/JKI
June 30, 2025 at 2:44 PM