News

Researchers from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) are developing a harvesting robot for asparagus. They programmed a prototype that detects and localizes ripe green asparagus, moving at a commercially attractive speed. Further testing is planned to develop the harvest ability of the robot.

For about three years now, experimental plots for agroforestry systems have been established at the HEF in Dürnast and Roggenstein. Here is a brief overview of the activities to date, questions that remain open, and initial results.

Researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have identified a bacterial genus that promotes root growth and nitrogen uptake in plants. The findings open new possibilities for developing customized “plant probiotics” that could contribute to more resource-efficient agriculture by reducing the need for nitrogen fertilizer.

The fully battery-powered Onox tractor was presented to the German Chancellor and Minister of Agriculture at Green Week. TUM contributed to the development of the tractor as part of the FlexETractor project.

Mohanned Alhussien, a researcher in Prof. Benjamin Schusser's working group, has been awarded an Emmy Noether Grant from the DFG. He will conduct research at the Center for Infection Prevention, which is opening this year. Further information about other ZIP research projects can be found on the ZIP website.

Prof. Julia Steinhoff-Wagner and Prof. Friederike Ebner have been appointed as independent experts to the commissions for animal feed and animal nutrition and to the Bf3R commission, respectively.

Excavated soil from construction sites usually ends up in landfills, but it has great potential. Researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) show how excavated soil can be enriched with organic waste so that it can be reused in cities. By adjusting the mixture, the specific properties can be adapted to each use case, such as fertile green spaces or for the protection of groundwater.

The scientific director of the HEF, Prof. Senthold Asseng, and the members of the HEF look back on the year 2025. We wish you happy holidays and a good start to 2026.

Grassland farming benefits from increased biodiversity, as demonstrated by the work of an international research team involving TUM. An optimized species mix can increase yields by over 10% while using less than half the usual amount of fertilizer.

Energy, equipment, land—agricultural businesses and infrastructure can make a big contribution to disaster control. On November 20, 2025, representatives from HSWT and TUM joined guests from politics, agriculture, and emergency services to discuss the potential of this collaboration at the kick-off symposium for the agriculture and emergency management (LuKaS) project.