The Julius Kühn Institute (JKI) is a federal research institute for crop plants and an independent federal authority located in Quedlinburg (Saxony-Anhalt, Germany). Named in honor of the agronomist and reformer of agricultural science Julius Kühn (1825-1910), the institute was established in 2008 from the merger of several existing institutes, including the Geilweilerhof in Siebeldingen (Pfalz).
The Julius Kühn Institute is responsible for the conservation objective of crop plants in its entirety for Germany. This includes the areas of plant genetics, crop production, plant nutrition, and soil science as well as plant protection and plant health. There are branches in Berlin, Bernkastel-Kues, Braunschweig, Darmstadt, Dossenheim, Dresden-Pillnitz, Elsdorf, Groß Lüsewitz, Kleinmachnow, Münster, and the Geilweilerhof in Siebeldingen. The latter location is specifically responsible for vine breeding and the maintenance of the grape variety database VIVC.
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