The network

InnoPlanta e.V. is an association for the promotion of modern plant breeding. InnoPlanta supports all activities of agricultural businesses, companies, scientific institutions, regional authorities and organisations which promote the scientific and economic development of plant biotechnology. InnoPlanta engages in public relations aimed at increasing the acceptance of plant biotechnology.
Founded as a regional network in 2000, today more than 100 members from science, seed breeding, agriculture, politics and the service industry are working together in InnoPlanta. With its Consortium of Innovative Farmers, it is taking action all over Germany.

Main activities

The regions of the Northern Harz Mountains and the Börde area are considered the birthplace of modern plant breeding. Favorable climate conditions and excellent soil quality were advantages which led to the establishment of a professional plant breeding industry of worldwide reputation in the region as long as 100 years ago. With the Leibniz Institute for Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) in Gatersleben and the Julius-Kühn-Institut, Federal Research Center for Cultivated Plants (JKI) in Quedlinburg, the region features extraordinary competencies for successful plant breeding. Internationally renowned companies in the field of plant biotechnology are located here as well. The business incubator and the Biotech Park in Gatersleben provide optimal conditions to young companies and entrepreneurs. The exchange of information and thoughts between businesses and the research environment, which is supported by InnoPlanta, is an important instrument to achieve advances for the industry and create new jobs in the region.

The technological focus

New Potential for Agriculture
Plant biotechnology is one of the key technologies of the 21st century. It plays an increasingly important role in mastering global challenges in the areas of nutrition, renewable resources, energy, health and environmental protection. Plant biotechnology offers new potential for agriculture, thus strengthening its competitiveness and sustainability.
The Northern Harz / Börde region is considered the birthplace of modern plant breeding. Favorable climatic conditions and excellent soil quality are advantages that led to the establishment of a plant-breeding industry of worldwide repute about 100 years ago. Comprising significant scientific facilities (IPK Gatersleben, JKI Quedlinburg), breeding companies, plant biotechnology companies and infrastructure facilities, the region ranks among the most important centres of modern plant breeding in Germany and Europe.

Highlights

In the context of the InnoRegio project promoted by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), InnoPlanta has coordinated 38 plant breeding projects with a total volume of more than 30 million euros within the last years. Priority was given to the following issues:

• developing new, molecular-genetic techniques of plant breeding
• resistance breeding for important cultivated plants
• breeding of plants with novel and improved ingredients
• optimisation of regional crops by breeding.

250 patent applications have been filed and 123 new jobs have been created.

InnoPlanta was the project executing organisation for the first test cultivation of the genetically modified Bt corn MON 810 in Germany. 

As a result of the difficult general conditions for the utilisation of green genetic technology in Germany, the Consortium of Innovative Farmers "InnoPlanta AGIL" was founded in 2006 under the umbrella of InnoPlanta. InnoPlanta AGIL counsels and supports farmers in the practical use of plant biotechnology and actively takes part in the public discussion about green biotechnology. 

The annual InnoPlanta Forum has established itself as an important communication platform for green genetic technology in Germany.