08 Department of Agricultural Botany

University of Zagreb :: Faculty of Agriculture

Svetošimunska cesta 25, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Pavilion I, 2^nd Floor
Fax: +385 (0)1 231 5300

Scientific and Expert Activities of the Department of Agricultural Botany

The scientific and expert activities of the Department of Agricultural Botany are focused on floristic, morpho-anatomical and eco-physiological research of various cultivated and wild vascular plants of the Croatian flora. In light of this, we need to emphasize the studies referring to the influence of the increased concentrations of the tropospheric ozone on the anatomical structure of the agricultural cultures. The most significant are the research activities dealing with flora and vegetation, which primarily refer to the grassland and weed vegetation, as well as the succession stages of the grassland vegetation. We also investigate potential new localities, endangered habitats and the general distribution of rare and endemic plants in Croatia. Within the floristic studies, the Department is involved in the flora mapping of the Adriatic region and continental parts of Croatia. Within broader taxonomic research activities, involving the morpho-anatomical, cytological and molecular aspects, special attention is paid to certain plant genera, as well as to endemic and rare species of Croatian and Mediterranean vascular flora that bears wider botanical significance. Part of the Department's scientific research refers to morphological and molecular diversity of forage species in order to maintain and preserve the diversity of plant genes in banks, and their in situ and ex situ protection.

History of the Department

The Department of Botany was established shortly after the establishment of the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry on October 1st of 1919. At the beginning, the Department was located at the facilities belonging to the Department of Botany at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities. From 1925 to 1934, the Department was located at the residential building of the Croatian-Slavonic Economic Society. In 1934, the 1st pavilion at the Maksimir Park was built, so the Department was finally relocated to its own facilities at the present address. At this time the Faculty organized the microscopic laboratory with 48 microscopes that were also used for courses of phytopathology and wood anatomy. The Department set up a research garden in the area of 1 ha, a greenhouse, and till 1960 it also issued the annual Exchange Seed Index (delectus séminum). From 1935 to 1949 the Department of Agricultural Botany included the Department of Horticulture and the Department of Forestry Genetics and Dendrology. After the Faculty was split into the Faculty of Agriculture and the Faculty of Forestry in 1960, the Department served both Faculties for some time. Until 1969 it operated under the administration of the Faculty of Forestry, and afterwards it was established as an independent Department of Agricultural Botany.

Since its establishment, the Departments has always conducted botany courses. The first teacher of botany was Vale Vouk, and he was succeeded by Ivo Pevalek. In different periods, the educational activities of the Department also covered other subjects (e.g. Phytocenology, Plant Physiology, Weed etc.)

The first Head of Department was Ivo Pevalek (1919-1960), succeeded by Nevenka Plavšić-Gojković (1960-1989), Katarina Dubravec (1989-1999), Nada Hulina (1999-2006) and Mihaela Britvec (since 2006).