The University of Bayreuth is establishing an interdisciplinary central laboratory on its campus, the Bayreuth Centre for Stable Isotopes in Ecology & Biogeochemistry (BayCenSI). The German Research Foundation (DFG) is funding the new facility from its "Core Facilities" programme for the next three years to the tune of € 560,000. Subsequent follow-up funding of € 315,000 is planned. BayCenSI builds on the expertise of the existing Laboratory of Isotope Biogeochemistry, and will be integrated into the Bayreuth Centre of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER).
Why are some animals more susceptible to diseases than others? Scientists at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) investigated this in more detail. They found genetic differences in livestock species that make individual animals less susceptible to certain diseases. In a large study, the researchers demonstrated the feasibility and efficiency of CRISPR-Cas9 editions.
A team of scientists from the Leibniz Institute for Food Systems Biology at the Technical University of Munich has now discovered that the odorant receptor OR5K1 is specialized to recognize pyrazines in both humans and domesticated animals. These are volatile substances that contribute to the typical odor of many vegetables or are formed when food is heated. In addition, pyrazines also play a role as signaling substances in intra- or interspecific communication. The new research results contribute to a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the odor perception of food as well as olfactory communication.
The University of Bayreuth is a partner in the new European "PAPILLONS" consortium for micro- and nanoplastics research in agriculture. 20 universities and research institutions from 12 countries will jointly investigate the sustainability of plastic use in European agriculture. The focus is on the input of plastic particles and chemical additives into arable land, and their possible ecological and socio-economic effects.
The use of large quantities of fertilisers is leading to increasing nitrate contamination of arable land worldwide. At the same time, however, there is no method currently available with which soil nitrate content can be measured continuously over a larger area. A new research project at the University of Bayreuth headed by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Gerhard Fischerauer is determined to change that. Based on electrical impedance spectroscopy, a technique is to be developed that enables large-scale nitrate measurement in agricultural fields. The Volkswagen Foundation is funding the project for up to two years from its "Experiment!" programme.
Scientists from the University of Regensburg (Germany) and Université de Tours (France) found out how the Cardiocondyla elegans finds her partner
For more sustainability on a global level, EU legislation should be changed to allow the use of gene editing in organic farming. This is what an international research team involving the Universities of Bayreuth and Göttingen demands in a paper published in the journal "Trends in Plant Science".
Genetically engineered animals provide important insights into the molecular basis of health and disease. Research has focused mainly on genetically modified mice, although other species, such as pigs, are more similar to human physiology. Researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have now generated chickens and pigs in which target genes in desired organs can be efficiently altered.
Musty, moldy, smoky or horse dung-like smelling cocoa is not suitable for chocolate production. As part of a larger research project, a team of scientists led by Martin Steinhaus from the Leibniz Institute for Food Systems Biology at the Technical University of Munich has identified the odorants responsible for such off-flavors. The food industry can now use these results to objectively assess the sensory quality of fermented cocoa based on odorant concentrations. The research team published the data in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
During drought, plants use a signalling molecule known from animals to limit their water loss. The molecule provides them with a kind of memory of how dry the day was.
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