The guided tour led by JKI President Prof. Dr Frank Ordon was accompanied by distinguished guests including Dr Hinrich Snell and Ellen Sunder from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Regional Identity (BMLEH), as well as Prof. Dr Andreas Graner (formerly of the IPK Leibniz Institute).
The guests took ample time to gain first-hand insights into the current challenges and progress of our research. This direct exchange provides an important foundation for developing sustainable solutions for crop production in the face of climate change. The presentations focused on forward-looking projects in climate adaptation and digitalisation.
At the measuring tree in front of the main building, Dr Rico Fischer (Institute for Forest Protection) demonstrated how a live data connection to the JKI Forest Laboratory in the Harz Mountains is used to monitor tree vitality, helping us to better understand the resilient forests of the future.
Following a drone flight by Katharina Mehle (Institute for Biosafety in Plant Biotechnology (SB)), Prof. Dr Andreas Stahl (Head of the Institute for Resistance Research and Stress Tolerance) demonstrated how state-of-the-art drone-based remote sensing is advancing research into breeding crops with improved stress tolerance.
Finally, Dr Stephanie Werner (SB) and Dr Ralf Wilhelm (Head of SB) provided a fascinating glimpse into the hidden world beneath our feet by using modern microscopy techniques to create an animated, virtual 3D model that allows visitors to explore the highly complex interactions between plant roots and soil microorganisms.
There was also plenty on offer for families and younger visitors. A children's rally featuring numerous hands-on activity stations, the DNA Kitchen, the Scent Organ, craft activities, face painting and greenhouse tours designed especially for children provided an engaging and enjoyable introduction to plant research. Other popular attractions included the JKI special stamp station of the Harzer Wandernadel hiking badge scheme and the display window quiz.
Later that evening, the concert "Flora's Songs", performed by soprano Sara Mengs and pianist Alexander Kuhlo as part of the Quedlinburg Music Summer concert series, provided a fitting conclusion to the day's theme.
The welcoming atmosphere, the opportunity for direct exchange with scientists, and the wide range of interactive activities made "Fascination of Plants" a highly successful event that brought science to life and inspired enthusiasm for plants and plant research. Despite the intense heat, feedback from visitors was overwhelmingly positive throughout.
