CEPLAS – Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences is Germany’s prestigious research cluster on plant sciences. In an interdisciplinary approach CEPLAS researchers investigate the characteristics and mechanisms of complex plant traits and their impact on plant performance and adaptation. This knowledge builds a foundation for sustainable cultivation of food, feed and energy crops. CEPLAS is a joint venture of the Universities of Cologne and Düsseldorf, the Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research and the Forschungszentrum Jülich.