A joint research institute founded by Germany's University of Göttingen and fertiliser manufacturer K+S Kali GmbH will in future focus on applied research into the field of plant nutrition. 

The Institute of Applied Plant Nutrition (IAPN) will bridge the gap between science and industry, picking up on topical issues which arise in practice, pooling existing knowledge and passing new findings to agricultural practitioners. For instance, the institute's scientists aim to find out how intelligent fertilisation management can help overcome today's challenges such as worldwide population growth, changing dietary patterns and climate change, and develop practical solutions to them. 

At the same time they will investigate methods of transferring relevant knowledge to farmers, especially those in the developing and newly industrialising countries.