By establishing a Department of Pomology, Viticulture and Enology, classes in fruit growing were held continuously at the graduate level, the emphasis was on the topics of general and special fruit growing and fruit processing. Numerous reforms of the studies there was a change and expansion of curriculum and independent postgraduate studies for scientific training were (1971, "Fruit growing", and 1981 "Mediterranean Fruit growing"). Since the start of the academic year 1996/1997 according to the new curricula, the graduate study Plant Production, Field Pomology, Viticulture and Enology was established,, within which the number of subjects in fruit growing is increasing, and greater emphasis is placed on professional practice. Transition to the new system of higher education (2005/2006), adapted to the Bologna process (3 + 2 + 3), fruit growing subjects as compulsory or elective are represented in most areas of undergraduate studies. As a continuation of that study from academic year 2008/2009 students can enroll in the graduate study Horticulture - Pomology, which aims to enable students through the modern teaching process to acquire general and specific competencies needed to work on various jobs in the field of fruit growing and open the possibility of enrollment in postgraduate doctoral studies in Agricultural Science. Over the last twenty years, employees of the Department of Pomology have significantly improved the teaching process, and today as coordinators and associates in modules participate in teaching most undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate doctoral programs at the University of Zagreb, Faculty of Agriculture. Laboratory activities in the Laboratory for Physico-Chemical Analysis of Fruits as well as the experiment stations of the Department (Jazbina, Maksimir, Šašinovečki lug and Vodnjan) where the exercises, practical classes, research related to bachelor, master and doctoral theses are conducted significantly contributed to the teaching activities at the Department of Pomology.

Scientific and Research Activities

The long-term existence of the Department of Pomology has achieved significant results in scientific research and professional activities. Numerous researches have been conducted on the following topics: modern fruit growing technologies, pomological techniques in fruit growing, ecological conditions for fruit growing, possibilities of hydroponic cultivation and off-season strawberry production, physiological disorders of fruits, methods of valorization of fruit species, varieties and rootstocks, sensory evaluation of fruits, ecological evaluation of new varieties and introduction of lesser known fruit species. The research also implied the production, economic and ecological aspects of Mediterranean fruit growing, especially current issues of olive growing and olive oil production. Except scientific and professional activities in the field of fruit growing, the Department of Pomology is working on research into the effects of abiotic and biotic factors on the length and quality of fruit storage where special emphasis is placed on the development of environmentally friendly procedures to maintain postharvest fruit quality (heat treatments and treatments with essential oils). The results of these researches were found some new technological solutions in the production and storage of fruit but increasing attention in scientific and professional activities is paid to the problems of sustainable production, quality and health value of fruit. Recently, the emphasis of research is on morphometric and pomological properties of fruits of different fruit species, application of newer sophisticated methods in morphological characterization of fruit species, preservation and description of traditional species and varieties and sustainable fruit production technologies. Employees of the Department are involved in numerous domestic and foreign scientific and professional projects. Detailed insight into research projects can be found at this link or at the personal pages of the employees. Through the activities of the Department, employees have contributed to the popularization of fruit growing through writing professional and scientific books, manuals and articles in scientific journals, appearances in various media, organizations of scientific and professional conferences, organizations assessing the quality of fruit and fruit products, numerous lectures and workshops for fruit growers as well as making technology projects and studies.

Experiment stations and laboratories

The quality of teaching, scientific and professional activities at the Department of Pomology is significantly contributed to activities in the Laboratory for physical-chemical analysis of fruits as well as the experimental stations of the Department (Jazbina, Maksimir, Šašinovečki lug and Vodnjan) where exercises, practical classes, research related to bachelor, master and doctoral theses are conducted as well as scientific-professional projects. More information about experiment sations is available on the following links: 

Experiment station Jazbina

Experiment station Maksimir

Experiment station Šašinovec

Experiment station Vodnjan

Laboratory for physico-chemical analysis of fruits

The Laboratory for Physico-Chemical Analysis of Fruits has been operating within the Department of Pomology at the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb since the establishment of the Department. The laboratory conducts research on the pomological and physico-chemical properties of fruits, the determination of harvesting deadlines and storage capacity of fruits, as well as the morphological characterization of fruit species. The laboratory conducts research as part of scientific and professional projects and education, as well as teaching and extracurricular activities of students through the implementation of student exercises, practices and other forms of teaching. Analyses related to graduate and doctoral thesis, professional projects and numerous other scientific and educational activities of students and employees are also performed in the laboratory. The laboratory is equipped with appropriate equipment to perform these analyzes of different fruit species using appropriate techniques.

History

The Department of Pomology, Viticulture and Enology was founded in 1919 at the Faculty of Economics and Forestry, University of Zagreb. A further reorganization established the Department of Pomology, Viticulture and Enology in 1933, which in 1954 was divided into the Department of Pomology and Viticulture and the Department of Enology. With the separation of the Faculty, in 1959, the Department of Pomology, Viticulture and Enology was re-formed. In the 1970s, the former Departments for Pomology, viticulture and horticulture were integrated into a single unit as the Institute for Pomology, Viticulture, Enology and Horticulture. After the reorganization of the Faculty of Agriculture in 1978, the OOUR Institute for Pomology, Viticulture, Enology and Horticulture was founded, and in 1985 a court decision separated a part of the Department of Pomology as a separate OOUR whose work ceased in 1991. By changing the name of the Faculty to the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, the Department of Pomology operates as an independent Department until today. By raising and forming of the Faculty experimental and teaching station Jazbina (founded in 1939) the foundation was created for practical training in teaching and scientific-professional activities. In the past, the Department of Pomology was known for scientific and professional projects through which it participated in raising of large plantation orchards on agricultural combines, which led to an organized fruit production, which has since been exported in significant quantities.