Research

The North Alpine Molasse Basin stretches north of the Alps from Geneva to Vienna. In large-scale construction projects, such as the construction of a future CERN underground experimental facility, e.g. the Future Circular Collider, large quantities of molasse excavation material are produced from a depth of 100-400 m, for which there are currently only limited reuse options. The project aims to transform geological excavation material into planting substrates and functional soils that are suitable for urban use, the design of biodiversity-promoting landscape elements, and for biomass production. Building on previous work on an observing station for constructed soils, the project will develop methods aimed at rapidly establishing soil functionalities, document and assess the emergence of soil functionality, and quantify the socio-economic as well as ecological implications of reuse.

In cereal breeding, the question arises of yield reduction and the yield components that are affected in the early growth stages up to ear emergence. Understanding drought efficiency during tillering and grain filling plays an important role in improving the number of fertile tillers. At the University and Research Centre Tulln, phenotyping signatures for cereal crops are being developed and a database of drought-resistant varieties (barley and wheat) is being created. Fifty Central European introgressive lines of spring barley and fifty genotypes of spring durum wheat, including both commercially important and newly developed varieties, are being used. This study aims to use advanced digital phenotyping techniques to predict important traits of plant varieties under different climatic conditions. Using RGB, 3D LiDAR and thermal imaging, we will capture, analyse and model phenotypic signatures. The effects of drought will be monitored and evaluated at both early and late stages of growth. In addition, the combined effects of drought and temperature will be investigated to understand the broader impacts of climate change on plant development. All varieties will be genotyped and correlated with phenotypic data to identify genetic markers associated with resistance and performance. This integrative approach will improve our understanding of the yield components that are more or less strongly influenced in the early stages (emergence and grain filling) from crop establishment to heading.

This project will establish a Data Steward at BOKU to optimize soil data management at BOKU and serve as an interface to the planned Austrian Soil Data Center (ASDAC). Specifically, a modern data management framework will be created for soil data and related datasets (e.g., remote sensing, meteorology, land use), optimizing data integration and processing for the analysis of basic and applied research questions related to soil health and ecosystem management. In conjunction with the Austrian Soil Data Center, which networks the key institutions of Austrian soil research, the Data Steward will enable the harmonization and integration of data between institutions, thus facilitating better scientific use and processing of soil data in the context of the objectives of the European Mission Soil, in order to strengthen long-term research into terrestrial ecosystems and their sustainable management.