Practice meets science - UNIKA/DKHV technology committees visit the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg

The Technology Commission of the Union of the German Potato Industry (UNIKA) and the Technology Committee of the German Potato Trade Association served as discussion partners and sources of inspiration. V. (DKHV) was invited to the geoecology working group at the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) in December.

An interesting program awaited the committee members there on the topic of "remote sensing technology for digitalization in plant building".

Scientists from MLU and the Helmholtz Center Potsdam - German Research Center for Geosciences GFZ gave an insight into the research activities of the digital experimental field AgriSens DEMMIN 4.0. The studies on the digital estimation of water requirements in potato cultivation and the development of a smart system for detecting stones on agricultural land were presented and discussed in detail.

Christopher Conrad, proffesor at Martin Luther University:
 

"Our AgriSens DEMMIN 4.0 project aims to provide farmers with remote sensing data from satellites, aircraft and drones and to use this as a basis for decision-making in the farm."

"The exchange with practitioners is therefore crucial for our more work. In the end, our project results should bring added value to the farmer. We can only work out how best to achieve this through joint dialogue."

AgriSens DEMMIN 4.0 is one of the 14 "digital experimental animal fields" run by the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture(BMEL) are funded Rolf Peters, chairman of the UNIKA technical commission:
 

"Research into potatoes has unfortunately declined sharply in the past, although there is a high and urgent need for research in many areas. We are therefore very pleased that in the project led by Prof. Dr. Conrad, potatoes are also the focus of irrigation studies."

In many regions of Germany, field irrigation is essential as an important measure to stabilize yields and quality in potato cultivation. The potential and opportunities that digitalization offers are of great interest to the potato industry.

Christopher Conrad:
 

"We have started the dialogue and will continue it in the future, because this is the only way knowledge can be transferred between companies and science."