Department of Horticulture, Estonian Agricultural University (EAU) – Estonia

EAU can be traced to gardening and beekeeping department of the University of Tartu. The department was founded in 1919. The Estonian Agricultural Academy (from 1991 renamed to Estonian Agricultural University) has had the Department of Horticulture under different names since the year 1951. It has existed as the Department of Horticulture since 1992. The Horticulture as a separate speciality has been taught in 1948-1951 at the University of Tartu and in 1951-1956 at the Estonian Agricultural Academy, where the speciality was reopened in 1990. Since 1994 students of horticulture can qualify for fruit growing, vegetable production or ornamental gardening. The speciality of household economy was opened in 1992. In the Department of Horticulture scientific research has its aims in each field. In ornamental gardening the main attention is paid to finding new perspective ornamental plants for growing in Estonia, also collecting and maintaining old valuable species and cultivars. In fruit production the aim of research is to find environment-sustainable and economically effective production technologies and to increase crop production of our fruits and berry cultivars. There are also some experiments with novel species in Estonia – arctic bramble, blackberry, sea buckthorn and blueberries. In vegetable production recent research is concentrated on the studies of different fertilization technologies and their influence on the quality and storability of outdoor vegetables.

In Estonia the Department of Horticulture is the only institution, dealing with scientific research of greenhouse matters, especially investigation of artificial lighting and CO2-enrichment problems.

Role in the project

Compilation of greenhouse energy system requirement in Eastern Europe in cooperation with UPT. They also take part in field test and evaluation of field tests and transfer the know-how of the projects to European IAGs by training courses and workshops.