Address:
Chair of Plant Health
Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
Estonian University of Life Sciences
Kreutzwaldi 1
51014 Tartu
Estonia
Phone:
+372 731 3396 Head of the chair Prof. Marika Mänd, marika.mand@emu.ee
+372 731 3510
+372 742 5010 Tõnisson´s house
History
The establishment of the institute dates back to 1921 when at the University of Tartu the Cabinet (later institute) of Applied Zoology (Entomology) was founded. Kaarel Leius (Karl Zolk) was the founder and the leader of the institution until 1944. On the other hand, the second predecessor of the Institute of Plant Protection was the Cabinet of Plant Diseases organised by professor Fedor Bucholz in 1922. Later during a prolonged time (1929-1944) this institution was led by professor Elmar Lepik.. Both institutions had their own experimental stations. Agricultural and forest plant pests and diseases, their biology and control methods were studied. Experimental stations trained a net of correspondents who observed the distribution and abundance of plant pests in local conditions. At that time all the research, innovation and training of the different fields of plant protection were concentrated in the experimental stations.
After World War II (1945-1951) the Chair of Plant Diseases and Agricultural Botany (leader- August Marland) and the Chair of Applied Zoology and Entomology (leader - August Eenlaid) were functioning at the University of Tartu. From 1951 both chairs also continued to work in the Estonian Agricultural Academy. From 1955 to 1975 the applied zoological research and training was carried out in the Chair of Applied Entomology and Horticulture (leader - A.Eenlaid). The phytopathological training and research was the responsibility of the Chair of Botany and Phytopathology until 1975 (leaders 1951- 1970 -A. Marland, 1970 - 1975 - K.Kivi). In 1976 the phytopathological part and the Chair of Applied Entomology and Horticulture were joined to establish a new unit of the Chair of Horticulture and Plant Protection. From 1979 phytopathology was taught and researched at the reformed Chair of Botany and Grassland Cultivation.
In 1992 with the reformation of the Estonian Agricultural University the parts of different chairs dealing with plant protection disciplines in the Estonian Agricultural Academy and the Laboratory of Experimental Entomology and the Laboratory of Ecophysiology of Insects from the Institute of Zoology and Botany of the Estonian Academy of Sciences were joined to establish the Institute of Plant Protection. Uno Siitan was the head of the institute from 1992 to 1996 when Anne Luik, professor of entomology, began to lead the institute. Since 2008 the head of Department of Plant Protection is professor Marika Mänd.
In 2017, the academic structure of the institute changed. The Department of Plant Protection is now called the Chair of Plant Health. Professor Marika Mänd proceeds as Chair of Plant Health.
