An integral part of the University, the Weihenstephan State Research Institute for Horticulture (Staatliche Forschungsanstalt für Gartenbau Weihenstephan) is entrusted with applied research and development as well as further academic training. The Institute is composed of three departments - horticulture, food technology and landscape architecture - and currently employs a staff of about 110 permanent employees, 21 trainees and seven employees paid through third-party funds. It offers attractive research facilities, including ca. 7,000 m2 of modern greenhouse area, ca. 30 hectares of outdoor production, and state-of-the-art laboratories and testing facilities.
Since its restructuring in 2003, the Research Institute despite personnel cutbacks has substantially expanded both its state- and externally funded research programs.
Research projects have included the following topics:
Institute for Horticulture:
Ecological recycling of waste from biogas facilities as peat surrogate in horticulture; professional garden fertilization in consideration of nitric concentrations in the soil; development of a bio-mechanical method to test the resistance of tube membranes against plant penetration; preparation of user-friendly product information and a calculation program as decision-making aids for agricultural and horticultural businesses to use bio-degradable mulch foil from renewable resources; expansion of hydrangea breeding methodology; genetic distance, inter-breedability und hybridization of Helleborus spec; saving energy with modern control strategies; examination of heat transmission through radiation heating; preparation of a product information system linking climate control, culture development and resource input to optimize operating results; damage to the trunks of street trees caused by environmental influences; testing of means of preventing the fire blight in apple cultivation; strawberry types for Bavaria; analyses of sports turf in modern stadiums; testing and development of orchid substrates; standards of organic-mineral substrates for indoor plants; the effectiveness of surfactants and hydrogels in culture substrates for gardening; consumer-oriented fertilization systems for indoor plants; the effectiveness of FreshBags and other freshness preservers for cut flowers; manipulation of the pH value during culture; strategies of avoiding and combating current pests and diseases.
Institute for Landscape Architecture:
Evaluation of land-use changes; the use of instruments in landscape planning; resource-friendly building methods and materials.
Institute for Food Technology:
Quality and sensor technology for different kinds of schnapps and spirits; product development; technologies and methods for the processing and preservation of predominantly vegetable raw materials; sensor technology for types of pickled cucumber and white cabbage; methods of calorie reduction in apple juice; development of a bio-sensor for reducing sugars in potatoes; advice and further training in the fruit-juice and distilling industry.
