UAK

 

FACULTY OF BIOTECHNOLOGY AND HORTICULTURE

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HISTORY

 

The history of teaching horticulture is related to the activity of the Jagiellonian University, where the Agricultural College was founded, and in 1890, an outstanding botanist and enthusiastic gardener, prof. Edward Janczewski started his activity. Professor Janczewski together with his assistant, a subsequent professor, Piotr Brzeziński, conducted the first horticulture courses, using the farm in Prądnik Czerwony for practical demonstrations. In addition to educational and scientific tasks, this garden, as a model horticultural plant, was a source of information for practitioners about new varieties of vegetables and fruits. It was the first university experimental facility and the first facility of this type in Galicia.

In 1919, the Department of Horticulture was established at the Agricultural College of the Jagiellonian University, and prof. Brzezinski became its head. This department was later included in the structures of the Faculty of Agriculture established in 1923.

The Department of Horticulture conducted vigorous activity in the field: projects were developed for the regionalization of vegetables and orchards in southern Poland, projects of raw material bases for the processing industry, selection of the Hungarian plum was carried out in Sądecczyzna, the causes of alternating fruiting of apple trees were investigated, methods of soil cultivation, pest control in orchards and vegetables were developed.

 

The most important facts from the history of horticultural sciences:

•       1924 - 2-year Horticultural Courses were established at the Faculty of Agriculture. The students received university-level education.

•       1938 – Horticultural Courses were transformed into three-year Horticultural Studies. Until the outbreak of the war, the Department of Horticulture not only conducted extremely lively scientific and didactic activities, but also disseminated the results of experiments, thanks to which the Krakow horticultural center became a leader in the country.

•       1945/46 – Establishment of the Department of Horticulture with the Experimental Station by the Faculty of Agriculture of the Jagiellonian University under the supervision of prof. Franciszek Zabłocki, and then prof. Stefan Ziobrowski. 

•       1953 – establishment of the Department of Horticulture within the Faculty of Agriculture of the Higher School of Agriculture (head prof. dr Stefan Ziobrowski)

•       1968 –The Faculty of Horticulture is established on the 1^st of July. Its first dean was the later long-term Rector of the Academy of Agriculture in Krakow, prof. dr hab. Tadeusz Wojtaszek.

•       1978 – opening of the new seat of the Faculty of Horticulture, January 22^nd, 1978.

•       2009 - opening of new experimental greenhouses at the Faculty of Horticulture

•       2014 – inclusion of the Biotechnology into the Faculty and change of the name to the Faculty of Biotechnology and Horticulture

FACULTY AUTHORITIES

Dean

prof. dr hab. eng. Edward Kunicki

Address: 29 Listopada Ave. 54, 31-425 Kraków

Phone No.: +48 12 662 54 53, 662 52 54

e-mail: e.kunicki@urk.edu.pl

 

Vice-Dean for Student and Didactic Affairs

dr hab. Ewa Grzebelus professor of the University of Agriculture

Address: 29 Listopada Ave., 31-425 Kraków

Phone No.: (12) 662 54 00

E-mail: e.grzebelus@urk.edu.pl

 

 

FACULTY STRUCTURE

 

Department of Plant Biology and Biotechnology

address: 29 Listopada Ave, 31-425 Kraków

phone No.: 12 662 51 87

 

prof. dr hab. eng. Rafał Barański

Head of the Department

phone No.: 12 662 51 87, 53 11

e-mail: rafal.baranski@urk.edu.pl

 

prof. dr hab. eng. Adela Adamus

phone No.: 12 662 51 88

e-mail: adela.adamus@urk.edu.pl

 

prof. dr hab. eng. Dariusz Grzebelus

phone No.: 12 662 51 91

e-mail: dariusz.grzebelus@urk.edu.pl

 

prof. dr hab. eng. Sylwester Smoleń

phone No.: 12 662 52 39

e-mail: sylwester.smolen@urk.edu.pl

 

dr hab. eng. Iwona Domagała-Świątkiewicz professor of the University of Agriculture

phone No.: 12 662 52 38

e-mail: iwona.domagala-swiatkiewicz@urk.edu.pl

 

dr hab. eng. Ewa Grzebelus professor of the University of Agriculture

phone No.: 12 662 51 90

e-mail: ewa.grzebelus@urk.edu.pl

 

dr hab. eng. Barbara Jagosz professor of the University of Agriculture

phone No.: 12 662 51 86

e-mail: barbara.jagosz@urk.edu.pl

 

dr hab. Paweł Kaszycki professor of the University of Agriculture

phone No.: 12 662 51 93

e-mail: pawel.kaszycki@urk.edu.pl

 

dr hab. eng. Agnieszka Kiełkowska professor of the University of Agriculture

phone No.: 12 662 51 90

e-mail: agnieszka.kielkowska@urk.edu.pl

 

dr hab. eng. Iwona Kowalska professor of the University of Agriculture

phone No.: 12 662 52 36

e-mail: iwona.kowalska@urk.edu.pl

 

dr hab. Marek Szklarczyk professor of the University of Agriculture

phone No.: 12 662 53 31

e-mail: marek.szklarczyk@urk.edu.pl

 

dr eng. Alicja Macko-Podgórni professor of the University of Agriculture

phone No.: 12 662 51 89

e-mail: alicja.macko-podgorni@urk.edu.pl

 

dr hab. eng. Agnieszka Lis-Krzyścin

phone No.: 12 662 52 37

e-mail: agnieszka.lis-krzyscin@urk.edu.pl

 

dr eng. Małgorzata Czernicka

phone No.: 12 662 53 67

e-mail: malgorzata.czernicka@urk.edu.pl

 

dr eng. Magdalena Klimek-Chodacka

phone No.: 12 662 51 89

e-mail: magdalena.klimek-chodacka@urk.edu.pl

 

dr Anna Kostecka-Gugała

phone No.: 12 662 52 61

e-mail: anna.kostecka-gugala@urk.edu.pl

 

dr eng. Iwona Ledwożyw-Smoleń

phone No.: 12 662 52 61

e-mail: iwona.ledwozyw-smolen@urk.edu.pl

 

dr eng. Przemysław Petryszak

phone No.: 12 662 51 94

e-mail: przemyslaw.petryszak@urk.edu.pl

 

dr eng. Paulina Supel

 

phone No.: 12 662 51 94

e-mail: paulina.supel@urk.edu.pl

 

RESEARCH DIRECTIONS

Department of Plant Biology and Biotechnology

Biochemistry Team

 

The team's research focuses on the issues of biotechnology and environmental biochemistry in the field of transformations of monocarbon xenobiotics, anthropogenic pollutants, aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons and their derivatives, as well as selected heavy metals. It allows for understanding of bioremediation mechanisms and the implementation of the developed technologies of biological liquidation of harmful pollutants in industrial wastewater, soils and sediments. The species and environmental isolates of prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms are used, as well as specialized consortia of microorganisms are produced, acting synergistically and being capable of biological decomposition of a wide spectrum of pollutants. The studies also cover the use of plants (phytoremediation). Analyzes of soil microbiota are also carried out, including beneficial bacteria from the PGPM group (plant growth-promoting microorganisms), plant root zone microorganisms (rhizosphere), lactic acid fermentation bacteria during silage production and microorganisms colonizing the environment of degraded and contaminated soils. The team also conducts research on the presence of compounds with antioxidant properties in fruits and vegetables, in particular carotenoids and phenolic compounds important for human health. The techniques of gas and liquid chromatography, electrophoresis and UV-VIS spectroscopy, fluorimetry and EPR spectrometry are used. Laboratories are also equipped with a set of devices - bioreactors for conducting microbiological cultures on a laboratory and semi-technical scale.

 

Plant Genetics Team

 

The team's research focuses on topics related to broadly understood plant genetics and biotechnology. Research topics are focused on learning about the genetic basis of the mechanisms of development and functioning of crops and the use of knowledge and achievements of biotechnology for the improvement of crops. Research is conducted in the field of genetics, genomics, cytogenetics, seed production and breeding of vegetable varieties, mainly carrots, cabbage, onions and garlic, red beet, tomato and cucumber, as well as selected economically important species of crops, including sugar beet, lupine and wild plants or related species. Research is conducted using microscopic techniques, DNA, RNA and protein analyzes, both qualitative and quantitative, nucleic acid engineering, the latest techniques of in vitro cultures, controlled pollination and reproduction, testing responses to abiotic and biotic stresses, as well as seed evaluation and refinement. In addition, advanced bioinformatic methods are used to analyze sequence data, including those obtained from projects using Next Generation Sequencing or associative mapping techniques.

 

Plant Nutrition Team

 

The team's research focuses on topics related to the broadly understood nutrition of crops and the effects of the nutrition on the functioning of plants and human health. The fertilization needs of horticultural plants are diagnosed, the relationship between plant nutrition and crop quality, the impact of physical and chemical properties of soils and substrates as well as new fertilizing and stimulating agents on plant development, yielding and biological value of crops are examined. The studies also cover culture media in terms of optimizing their physico-chemical properties, the use of waste materials in the cultivation of plants under covers and in the technology of green roofs. Research is carried out for plants grown in soil, in containers under covers and in a soilless system with an open and closed medium circulation. Studies cover both cultivated species of economic importance, mainly vegetable and fruit plants, as well as species used to establish green areas, including green roofs. They are focused on implementing modern solutions that meet the pro-ecological requirements of sustainable agricultural and horticultural production. Soil, substrate and plant analyzes are carried out in terms of, among others, the content of macro- and microelements, as well as trace elements and heavy metals using techniques such as ICP-OES mass spectrometry, capillary electrophoresis and liquid chromatography.

 

Department of Horticulture

address: 29 Listopada Ave. 54, 31-425 Kraków

dr hab. eng. Maciej Gąstoł professor of the University of Agriculture

Head of the Department

phone No.: 12 662 52 30

e-mail: maciej.gastol@urk.edu.pl

 

prof. dr hab. eng. Edward Kunicki

phone No.: 12 662 52 20, 54 53

e-mail: edward.kunicki@urk.edu.pl

 

prof. dr hab. eng. Marek Grabowski

phone No.: 12 662 52 65

e-mail: marek.grabowski@urk.edu.pl

 

prof. dr hab. eng. Andrzej Kalisz

phone No.: 12 662 52 14

e-mail: andrzej.kalisz@urk.edu.pl

 

prof. dr hab. eng. Piotr Siwek

phone No.: 12 662 52 17

e-mail: piotr.siwek@urk.edu.pl

 

dr hab. eng. Monika Bieniasz professor of the University of Agriculture

phone No.: 12 662 52 29

e-mail: monika.bieniasz@urk.edu.pl

 

dr hab. eng. Ewa Capecka professor of the University of Agriculture

phone No.: 12 662 52 19

e-mail: ewa.capecka@urk.edu.pl

 

dr hab. Agnieszka Sękara professor of the University of Agriculture

phone No.: 12 662 52 16

e-mail: agnieszka.sekara@urk.edu.pl

 

dr hab. eng. Jan Błaszczyk

phone No.: 12 662 52 27

fax: 12 662 52 26

e-mail: jblaszcz@ogr.ur.krakow.pl

 

dr hab. eng. Ewa Dziedzic

phone No.: 12 662 52 32

e-mail: ewa.dziedzic@urk.edu.pl

 

dr hab. eng. Elżbieta Jędrszczyk

phone No.: 12 662 52 15

e-mail: elzbieta.jedrszczyk@urk.edu.pl

 

dr eng. Aneta Grabowska

phone No.: 12 662 52 16

e-mail: aneta.grabowska@urk.edu.pl

 

RESEARCH DIRECTIONS

Department of Horticulture

 

 

Research work carried out at the Department of Horticulture covers the following issues:

·          introduction of new species and varieties of vegetable, fruit and herbal plants in Poland,