When we recently visited the Horta team in Ravenna, Italy, it was evident that they stayed true to their slogan, "from research to field." The Horta office, located right next to the company’s research fields on a neighboring farm, is full of skilled, knowledgeable, passionate, and explorative minds.

Across multiple years, the Horta team has collected trial data on cereal variety behavior and performance. This has given them a vast amount of information on fertilization strategies customized to these varieties, and the different agronomic and seasonal conditions. For example, an impressive trial that measured the full system of nitrogen and carbon cycles in different cropping systems, yielded insights that are even more relevant today. These insights are essential when using cropping systems to help mitigate the effects of climate change.

On our visit we also learnt that in Italy agricultural practices are more often influenced by water availability compared to practices in Germany. Nevertheless, the Ravenna region still surprised us with its abundant and diverse range of crops and fruits.

The Horta team not only devote themselves to research in agriculture, but also warmly shared their cultural interests with us, including delicious local cuisine made with produce grown and farmed in the region. They also took us on a captivating journey through Ravenna's historical significance, highlighting beautiful churches and intricate three-dimensional mosaics.

We are deeply grateful to the Horta team for their warm welcome and the fruitful exchange of ideas. Their hospitality and openness have laid the strong foundation for future collaborations and shared projects.