Four examples demonstrating the impact of Applied Botany on plant-based industrial processes

Abstract

Currently, many producers of plant-derived commodities indicate a scarcity of associates whose skills cover the entire field of plant biology and who bolster industrial research by linking it to basic plant biology. This scarcity is of particular concern to small and medium sized companies. To illustrate the benefit of appropriate mediation between basic science and product-oriented research, four innovative examples of collaborative research are presented here. The examples cover a broad range of economically relevant issues, including green coffee processing, malting, production of spice and medicinal plants, and prevention of contamination with toxic natural products, such as nicotine or pyrrolizidine alkaloids. These examples illustrate that Applied Botany has the potential to improve even well-established production processes. This article argues that innovative product-oriented research must focus on the relevant physiological processes occurring in the plants. In particular, the impact of cultivation and post-harvest processes on related metabolic processes should be considered, rather than placing continued focus on physical parameters or on economic aspects. In order to achieve practical and feasible solutions that also meet economic demands, interdisciplinary and cross-functional approaches between partners are essential.