Annual Report 2022

Special Crop: Hops

The year 2022 will be remembered as …

The year when the Corona crisis finally came to an end and social life returned to normal.

The year Russia invaded Ukraine and started a prolonged war.

The year of extreme price increases for energy, supply chain difficulties, and economic upheaval.

The year of dramatic reductions in hop yields per hectare and simultaneously rising costs

The hop industry now faces major challenges. The price-cost ratios are off balance, with long-term forward contracts involving ever-greater economic risks for both producers, processors, and the trades. The driving forces are energy costs, as well as energy-related inputs. Because hot kilning is highly energy intensive, the ongoing work of the IPZ 5a working group towards optimizing kilning processes has become of central importance.

Meanwhile, other major challenges of hop cultivation also remain unchanged. First, there is global warming. Its existence can no longer be denied and is causing major problems. The crop year 2022 was very dry and warm, causing yields to drop severely and acid values to reach record lows. With the release of Tango and, more recently, Titan, the Hüll hop breeding program has already provided significant responses. These new varieties are much more resilient in the face of drought and heat than many other strains and this deserves broader acceptance by brewers

The other key objectives relate to the areas of ecology, sustainability, and biodiversity, in which Hüll is also well positioned. The EU "European Green Deal" aims to reduce pesticide use by 50% and fertilizer use by 20% by 2030. Biodiversity is the basis of our planet ecosystem and all life within it. In the spirit of Alexander von Humboldt, we need to approach nature more holistically as “everything being connected to everything else.” Nature creates and nurtures all plants and living beings, including humans. Therefore, nature must again be treated with respect so that the livelihoods of futures generations are assured. Almost all working groups deal with one aspect of this topic or another Most noteworthy in this context is the IPZ 5e working group research on natural resistances of hops to spider mites.

The current annual report outlines in detail the activities of the Hüll Center in the field of hop research. Success in such endeavors is always the result of hard work by a committed and creative staff to whom we wish to extend our sincere thanks.

Dr. Michael Möller

Dr. Peter Doleschel Chairman of the Board Head of the Institute for Society for Hop Research Crop Science and Plant Breeding