Institute of Plant Protection

About us

The first Hungarian school for agronomists was established in the year of 1779 in Szarvas (Middle-Hungary) by Samuel Tessedik, a family tutor, priest and professional agricultural writer, which was also the first such an institute in Europe at the same time. In 1797, on the base of Tessedik’s advice count György Festetics established the Georgikon on Keszthely town (nearby Lake Balaton), which was the first regular higher educational Academy of Agriculturists in the world. This served as a pattern to establish the Magyaróvár Agricultural Academy in 1818 by Saxon-Teschen duke Kázmér Albert.

In the metropolis of the Hungarian Great Plain, in Debrecen, on 22 October 1868 the Hungarian Royal Agricultural Academy was established, which has two-year-long educational period with 4 semesters.

Steps of development

  • Debrecen Agricultural Academy (1906-1963): this school changed to 3-year-long in 1905, and since October 1942 to 4-year-long agricultural college. Its eminent students were Albert Wass (1930-31), writer and poet, and here learned one of the most popular natural novel writer, István Fekete as well.
  • Debrecen Agricultural University (Debreceni Agrártudományi Egyetem) (1970-1999): The 1962-63. academic year  started under the name as Debrecen Agricultural Academy, then continued as Debrecen Agricultural College with university status, and finally is September 1970 Debrecen Agricultural University was established with 5-year-long session.
  • New Period: the University of Debrecen (Debreceni Egyetem) was united in 2000 in Debrecen city, offering a wide scale of choice disciplines, representing the full „universitas” idea in higher education, where qualified agricultural engineers are trained at the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and Environmental Management.

Training for disciplines of plant protection

  • From the opening 1868 year till the 1876-77 academic yearthe transfer of factual knowledge of plant protection were involved in "Farm Zoology", "Nature Studies" and "Botany" subjects. In 1906-1907.academic year was established the Department of Natural Sciences with subjects of "Plant Pathology" and "Farm Zoology". In 1911 Raymund Rapaics was appointed professor of botany who was responsible for "Plant Pathology" and "Farm Zoology" subjects besides "Botany". After retirement of excellent botanist, Raymund Rapaics (since 1948 member of Hungarian Academy of Sciences, HAS) in 1920, he was followed by Antal Gulyás, as full professor and head on Debrecen Agricultural Academy in April of 1921 by teaching „Botany”, „Farm Zoology” and „Plant Pathology”.
  • In 1939 Prof. Antal Gulyás was appointed to director of Academy, and Ferenc Uzonyi was invited as a head of the newly established Department of Plant Pathology.
  • In 1941 joined to the Department Gábor Ubrizsy as an assistant professor, who became a notable botanist, phytopathologist, later on an illustrious person of the Hungarian plant pathology (since 1965 member of HAS).
  • In 1946 János Dohy (Göllner) was appointed to full professor and head of Department of Plant Pathology. He had been ignored after retorsions of the Hungarian Revolution in 1956, his rehabilitation took place only in 1990. About his activities, personality was remembered in August 1996 on the Plenary Session of the First Trans-Tisza Plant Protection Forum.
  • In 1953 the disciplines of plant protection were educated within Department of Botany and Zoology. Zoltán Siroki as a reputed biologist educated the Botany and as a part of this subject, plant pathology and Tibor Koppányi was responsible to Zoology including animal pests of crops.
  • In the 1956-57 academic year, when the education period increased to 4 years the Plant Pathology were educated by Zoltán Siroki and Tibor Halász, moreover Animal Pests of Crops by Tibor Koppányi, and Pál Ambrusz as independent subjects.
  • In the autumn of 1964 the independent Department of Plant Protection was established in Debrecen, its head was Tibor Koppányi till 1970. Since increasing hazardous pesticide was used in 1960 at the Gödöllő Agricultural University first, then in 1968 at the Debrecen Agricultural University also, a 2-year-long post gradual plant protection engineer education started.
  • In 1970 Professor István Szepessy, plant pathologist was appointed to the head of Department and conducted the works until his retirement in 1988. His former co-worker, Oszkár Tóth followed him as an associate professor of plant pathology till his retirement in 1992.
  • From 1988 till June of 2000 year Professor István Szarukán entomologist, than from July of 2000 György János Kövics mycologist conducted works of internationally recognized scientist group of the Department of Plant Protection. Trends of plant protection increasingly turned toward emphasized ecology, biological, integrated and bioorganic pest management approaches.
  • In 2010 the department became to Institute of Plant Protection.The Institute responsible for the highest level plant protection education a 4-semester-long Plant Doctor MSc, a 2-year-long post gradual Plant Protection Engineer based on 5-year-long university degree, as well as PhD Programmes on Plant Protection both in Hungarian and in English were launched.
Last update: 2022. 08. 04. 10:00