The Soil Biotechnology Steinbeis Transfer Center promotes the transfer of emerging agrobiotechnology for use in the research, use and protection of soil. On one hand, soils are considered a resource, indeed a practical source of genes and organisms. On the other hand, they are a field of application for new biotechnology processes. The portfolio of services encompasses:
- The selection and propagation of micro-organisms found in soil
- The morphological and molecular genetic description and enzymatic analysis of the effects of saprotrophs and mycorrhizal fungi
- Process development aimed at biotechnological soil cleaning, especially phytoremediation
- Process development aimed at the ecological exploitation of waste products in soil by adding useful microorganisms
- Molecular chemical analysis of complex biomaterials using mass-spectrometric methods, especially pyrolysis-field ionization mass-spectrometry
- Risk assessment of the cultivation of transgenic crops on soil as part of a comprehensive assessment of environmental impacts
- Monitoring of the cultivation of transgenic crops with respect to soil characteristics and soil processes
- Greenhouse and field trials
- Writing of evaluations and expert reports on soil biotechnology
