Department of Vegetable Crops

Due to climate change, atmospheric CO₂ concentrations are expected to increase by 20% until mid-century compared to the current 400 ppm (IPCC 2018).

The impact of increased CO₂ concentrations on vegetable crops is being investigated under field conditions including the impact of natural environmental factors. Focusing on the interaction of varying cultivation conditions in the future, e.g. extreme and possibly prolonged drought periods, our research aims to identify future plant physiological processes and their effects on morphological, phenological and qualitative characteristics of crops. The goal is to analyze the interaction of the investigated environmental factors on water use efficiency and yield performance using experimentally collected data. By identifying plant strategies, such as stress tolerance or stress avoidance, and evaluating them on the basis of yield-relevant parameters, we determine the potential of crop systems for an efficient adaptation to climate change.

In cooperation with the Professorship for Research into Climatic Effects on Special Crops, we focus on approaches to reduce cultivation-related greenhouse gas emissions.