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Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
idw - Informationsdienst
Wissenschaft
Neubrandenburg/Greifswald, 20 November 2025 — The WIR project Physics for Food, funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR), has been successfully completed after eight years. At the closing event on 19 November 2025 in Neubrandenburg, scientists and project managers presented key findings and concrete transfer approaches. The project was initiated by Neubrandenburg University of Applied Sciences and the Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology.
The aim of the consortium was to develop physical processes for sustainable food value creation — from seed treatment, cultivation systems, storage and processing to concepts for modern greenhouses and environmentally friendly water cycles. The project was initiated by Neubrandenburg University of Applied Sciences and the Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology.
The results presented show how physical processes ensure quality, save resources and open up new avenues for sustainable food production:
Seed health and yield assurance
Plasma treatments reduced disease-causing pathogens on seeds just as effectively as chemical dressings. In field trials, winter barley emergence increased by 10–40% after treatment, and grain yield increased by around five percent. In addition, a decontamination process developed at the INP was granted a European patent in October 2025.
Physics-based plant protection in the field
It was shown that plasma processes can be used as a component in integrated plant protection. They help to promote plant growth and reduce stress. Field studies demonstrated differences in leaf infestation and yield between individual variants, providing evidence of stable applications in practice.
Protection of stored grain and alternative methods of pest control
Moulds and insect pests such as grain beetles were inactivated in the laboratory using plasma. Based on this, a conveyor belt was developed on which the grain can be treated directly with plasma, as well as a variant for the use of plasma-treated air in silos. The treatment parameters were optimised in a real-world trial with a 30-tonne grain silo. Farmers are showing great interest in chemical-free alternatives for grain storage, which is reflected in the high acceptance of the technology.
Water treatment using physical methods
Stationary and mobile demonstrators have been developed for the treatment of waste water and process water — for use in the food industry and in agriculture, for example. The combination of filtration, ultrasound, ozone, UV and plasma has proven to be effective in reducing pollutants and microorganisms. Examples come from the collaboration with the Anklam sugar factory and the Störtebeker brewery.
Innovation for modern greenhouses
A large-scale hydroponic system for more than 3,000 plants was created in a so-called vertical farming facility. Plasma processes are investigated there under conditions similar to those found in production. Results show that plasma-treated water achieves hygiene standards comparable to those achieved with conventional chemical agents, can replace nitrogen fertilisers and promotes plant development.
Transfer to the real economy
Physically generated plasma is chemical- and residue-free, resource-efficient and therefore environmentally friendly. According to our own surveys, there is a high level of interest in new physical methods among farmers. From the outset, Physics for Food has focused on practical applications and suitability for transfer to industry. Research and development were carried out in close cooperation with companies. With government funding from the EXIST programme, the results for the sustainable treatment and storage of large volumes of grain in silos are being translated into a marketable technology, and a company is being founded in Brandenburg.
The project shows that interdisciplinary cooperation between science and industry enables targeted innovation. At the same time, strong expertise in physical processes in the agricultural and food industries has been built up in the coastal hinterland. This is reflected, among other things, in twelve further joint projects and around 30 new regional and supraregional collaborations that have emerged from the alliance.
https://physicsforfood.org/english-summary/
Researchers at the Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology e. V. look at the magazine "T ...
Copyright: INP
Lupine seeds during treatment in a plasma reactor. The physical method reduces seed-borne pathogens ...
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