The educational and research profile of the Institute of Plant Sciences and Environmental Protection is determined by a number of diverse disciplines related to each other. Due to the wide range of disciplines, the Institute has an important role in teaching both basic and professional subjects at the Agricultural Engineer BSc Course, the Wildlife Management Engineer BSc Course, the Horticulture and Plant Protection specialization and also at the Companion Animal Breeder specialisation. The Institute is responsible for three undergraduate diploma courses, the Agricultural Engineer Assistant, Horticultural Engineer Assistant and Agricultural Engineer Assistant in Environmental Management courses. Our optional subjects are connected to the issues of horticulture, crop production and plant protection.

The main objective of the Institute is that the students, regardless of their specialization, familiarize themselves with the basic concepts and technologies of crop production, horticulture, plant protection and environmental protection. In addition to the methods based on traditional chemical application we draw attention to the possibilities of introducing agro-technical, mechanical and biological methods and the importance of an integrated plant production. It is important for us to show students a realistic picture of the consequences of the wasteful use of natural resources and the irrational industrial and agricultural activity, the accelerating deterioration of the economic and living environment. At the same time students will be able to recognize the possibilities of prevention of these processes.

In addition to academic education a lot of attention is paid to students learn the practice of arable crop and horticultural plant production, the criteria for the selection of varieties, cultivation technology elements; they also learn how to identify the symptoms caused by pathogens, animal pests and weeds.

We wish to provide our students with basic plant science and environment knowledge, which can be further expanded in MSc courses at agricultural universities, and which also enable the graduated agricultural engineers to recognize and solve the most common problems in farm crop production, horticulture, plant protection and environmental protection.

The staff of the Institute conducts research into various fields of both basic and applied sciences. Currently, the major research areas are: the analysis of the role of jasmonates in wheat development, the analysis of agronomic factors determining wheat crop quantity and quality, the definition of the crop pollinator populations, the prevention of calcium deficiency in peppers by applying agro-technical and plant breeding methods, studying ashitaba production and utilization opportunities in Hungary and the effects of pesticides and growth regulators on arable crops. In addition to the above, there are experiments concerning ornamental plant micro-propagation, archaeo-botany and environmental protection. Students are fully involved in the implementation and evaluation of the experiments. As a result, in addition to writing their theses, students regularly and effectively participate on Scientific Student Conferences both on collage and on national level. We have research partners in Hungary (Gabonakutató Nonprofit Kft.; MTA ATK Növényvédelmi Intézet; Szentesi Mag Kft.; Csongrád Megyei Kormányhivatal Növény- és Talajvédelmi Igazgatóság), and abroad (Leibniz-Institut für Pflanzenbiochemie, Halle; Nihon Nouken Center, Hitachinaka).