Formation of the Institute of Applied Plant Nutrition (IAPN) Prof. Dr. Andreas Gransee K+S KALI GmbH

2 Content Challenges in Plant Nutrition Specific research needs Motivation of K + S KALI GmbH for founding the IAPN Motivation of Georg-August-Universität Göttingen for founding the IAPN Organisation of the IAPN Staff of the IAPN Financing of the IAPN

3 Challenges in Plant Nutrition Rising world population leads to increased demand for food and meat Increased use of land due to the use of renewable resources Climate change results in the limitation of resources like water and soil Exhaustion of fossil energy sources 2050

4 Specific research needs Options to increase the nutrient use efficiency Nutrients/fertilization and quality of crops Relationship between nutrients/fertilization and human health Nutrients and stress tolerance of plants under changing climatic conditions Nutrients/fertilization and disease tolerance of plants Relationship between fertilization and water-use efficiency of the soil/plant system Improvements of fertilizer recommendations Goal: Intelligent Fertilizer Management under changing conditions

5 Motivation of K + S KALI GmbH for founding the IAPN Strengthening the basic and application- oriented research in plant nutrition, – especially of potassium, magnesium and sulfur Combining and integrating international research activities Promotion of knowledge transfer into practice Dialogue with farmers helps to identify areas for future research

6 Motivation of Georg-August- Universität Göttingen for founding the IAPN Public-private partnership allows the expansion of activities in the field of plant nutrition The An-institute strengthens the competence and attractiveness of the University of Göttingen The focus on implementation orientation in research and on issues of international concern covers new fields of interest in the Department of Crop Sciences

7 Organisation of the IAPN K+S KALI GmbH K+S An-Institutsverwaltungs GmbH

8 Staff of the IAPN Holder of the Chair of plant nutrition at the Department of Crop Sciences supervises the IAPN scientifically (20 % of working hours) 1. Assistant Professor (W1) 2. Ph. D. student 3. Technical assistant

9 Financing of the IAPN K+S KALI GmbH finances the K+S An- Institutsverwaltungs GmbH. K+S An-Institutsverwaltungs GmbH finances: 1.3 staff members 2.Start-up financing 3.Additional funds for individual projects University of Göttingen finances: 1.Premises 2.Running expenses (Electricity, heating etc.)

10 The worldwide agricultural advisory service of K+S KALI GmbH One agronomist Two agronomists More than 2 agronomists

11 Challenge: From the lab to the field Last Mile Knowledge transfer

12 Functions of the IAPN – Dialogue between research and practice ResearchPractice Identification of promising fields of research Development of new research topics Implementation in specific research projects Implementation in practice (Going on-farm)

13 Creation of national and international networks Science Agricultural extension service Farms Networking with stakeholders and organizations Pooling knowledge, Achieving synergies

14 Challenges in Plant Nutrition Increasing world populationRising meat consumptionIncreasing land useIncreasing use of bioenergy Increasing need for efficiency improvement in plant production Climate extremes due to climate change Research needs »The authority in plant nutrition«

15 Challenge: Intelligent fertilizer management N P K Mg Zn B Cu S Climate change is considered as the main reason for longer and more extreme dry periods worldwide. »How can plants “learn“ to use water more efficiently in dry periods?«