Anyone involved in plant cultivation—whether as a hobby, a sideline, or
a primary source of
income—will eventually deal with plant nutrition. This section presents where in Germany the field
of "plant nutrition" is professionally and scientifically represented.
Teaching in Germany is a sovereign responsibility and thus a matter for the federal
states (Länder),
resulting in considerable diversity. Nevertheless, a general trend can be observed:
- Plant nutrition as an independent
subject is taught at universities and universities of applied
sciences in the fields of agriculture and/or horticulture, often in connection with soil science.
- In all cultivation-related subjects
taught at higher education institutions, specific issues related
to the nutrition of respective crops (vegetable production, ornamental plant cultivation, etc.) are
addressed separately. This also applies to teaching and research institutions.
- Fertilizer science is a fixed component
of the curriculum at teaching and research institutes
and vocational schools (I have no recollection of it from my university education – whatever
that
may imply).
For comprehensive research in agriculture and horticulture in Germany, one must consider
the triad
of:
- Scientific Universities (fundamental
research & teaching),
- Universities of Applied Sciences
(applied teaching & development),
- Leibniz Institutes (application-oriented
basic and strategic research, often with large-scale
infrastructure).
The Leibniz Association fills the crucial space of long-term, interdisciplinary research
that directly
informs policy, industry, and farming practice.
