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Dr Pál Sass
Budapest, 1997
In consequence of changes concerning social demands of late years, agricultural, respectively horticultural researches have modified. Environment protecting, environment economic aspects and postharvest activities have come into prominence. The point now is pressing lack of chemicals. Demands on using food products of natural substances have increased.
The traditional fields of agricultural researches have moved towards the applied researches.
Parallel with this, mainly in the field of fundamental researches agricultural researches have been strongly influenced by biochemistry, biometry, biotechnology, etc.
Molecular biology has become the main tractive force of agricultural biotechnological researches. Agricultural, respectively horticultural biotechnological researches have been carried out in Biological Center of Hungarian Academy of Sciences, in Biotechnological Research Center of Ministry of Agriculture and in several Departments of different Universities domesticulture and in several Departments of different Universities domestic as well.
With appearing the methods in the sphere of gene-surgary and biotechnology, the traditional approach of plant genetics and plant breeding have modified in the last 10 years. In this field national priorities essentially remained, identical with international ones:
Nearly in all horticultural branch maintenance of produced values
is served by the gene preservation researches. Special preservation
programs are linked up with programs for genebank of Agrobotanic
Institute.
Knowing the natural and economical characteristics of the country we can declare, that for the sustainable development in Hungary horticulture can not be substituted for any kind other branches.
Taking one by one the more important fields of Horticultural branches,
considering the beginned some years ago 21st century and the so
called "Extended Europe" our statements can be summarized
as follows:'
Viticulture and wine. From red and white grape varieties
we have got sure and wine. From red and white grape varieties
we have got sufficiently amount of wine (80-100,000 ha produce
3.5-4 million hl wine). White grape varieties of high quality
are recommended to grow on 70 % of this arere. Preference is given
to varieties utilizing better our climatic conditions, having
better flavor, taste, acid content better consumer value, like:
Chardonnay, Sauvignon blanc, Pinot blanc, Pinot gris, Rajnai rizling.
From red vine-grape in the first place are recommended varieties
Merlot, Cabemet Sauvignon, Pinot noir. From local varieties, respectively
hungaricum, are recommended: Olasz rizling, Hárslevelu
Furmint, Ezerjó, Kékfrankos, Kadarka.
Important members of the variety-series are interspecific hybrids,
more-resistant to frost and fungal diseases, table - (so called
bio) vine varieties, like Bianka or Kunleány. Our dessert
grape production, because of lack of well storable varieties,
can serve only family-supply.
Considering Hungarian viticulture both in growing and in oenological
aspects, disintegration of gowing area give us great trouble.
Relating to wine, we have the task to strengthen the origin and
source protective system. As a result of age-composition rapid
further area decrease can be expected, thus we need planned planting
and modem variety-politics with the help of state support. For
those who undertake integration role an increased support should
be desirabletion role an increased support should
be desirable both on the part of the state and on the research.
Tha task of coming years is to enforce the precriptions of ratified
law of vine-growing communities in viticulture and oenology.
In ornamental plant production we are dealing with
about thousand plant species. Though, environment-protecting role
of the branch has not yet been discussed by anybody, its social
hygienic importance (general horticulture, housing culture) cannot
be underestimated as well.
Political-economical changes occurring since 1990 (withdrawal
of state supply, market-economy, privatisation) have caused less
losses of Hungarian ornamental-plant growing, than caused to the
other subbranches of horticulture. In this field professional
self-organization started sooner and progressed better. The subbranch
helps the sustenance of more than 3,000 families.
The development of future period will be characterized by gradual
integration to Europe. Firstly these subbranches will develop
where we have climatic, geographic or historic advantages over
the other European states. Such are: ornamental tree growing,
flower seed production, rose-tree growing, and the Hungarian flower
production from which even now we have considerable export. Our
position is good concerning breeding as well.
Relating to glass-house production firstly we have good chances
in potted ornamental plant and cutfl good chances
in potted ornamental plant and cutflower-set growing. Very likely
cut-flower production will move to field cultures, or to cultures
of low demand on heat The most important fields of research are
development the energy-saving and environment-friend systems,
search of new potted and cut cultures, elaboration of growing
technologies. Great reserves lie hidden in more rational utilization
of thermal energy (earth-heat program) as well.
Nearly fifty plant species with many hundreds varieties belong
to vegetable production, however 90 % share of growing
area is covered only by 12 varieties. This sub-branch, together
with forcing-with the exception of 3 winter months-satisfies the
raw material need of domestic consumption, of raw and processed
export and of processing Industry.
Otherwise, forcing represents about 60-65 % of all vegetables
value. However, at present still this training method seems to
be perspective. Slightly decrease can be expected in the future
mainly on account of low prices and high expenses. (Likely 20-40
% energy need can be decreased with utilization of thermal energy).
The early field production as a result of spread of foil tents
has diminished.
Sixty percent of Hungarian vegetable production is utilized by
canning industry. Thus, change of production-extent depend on
demands of processing. Lately, in the first place growing area
of green pea, onion and paprika for spiceing area
of green pea, onion and paprika for spice has decreased. Besides
cucumber, tomato, green paprika other species can upgrade, in
the future, which has now insignificant extent of growing area
(asparagus, Brussels sprouts, Chinese-cabbage, broccoli, rhubarb,
etc.) Considering that both industry and export need uniform product,
integration of traditional disintegrated vegetable production
(growing, gathering, finishing, storage, etc.) cannot be delayed.
Medicinal and aromatic plants become recently the
center as a result of using natural vegetal materials in medical
treatments, in pharmaceutical and other branches of industry.
Medicinal and aromatic plants produced in Hungary even at present
represent traditionally "national product". Number of
grown varieties are about 45-55 and are completed by 80-100 wild
growing gathered varieties.
Former published results concerning potential of agricultural ecology show an almost unlimited possibility, existing ever now in increasing biomass of medicinal and aromatic plants. Till the end of first decade after centenary, about 3 0-40 % increase of production can be expected. In this respect real alternative can be:
In fruit growing apple has a determinant role with
its 50 % share. Pear production can be successful in sites guarantying
satisfactory fruit-size and quality of new varieties. Sour-cherry
production and processing in Hungary is considered as a successful
branch of fruit growing. Its quantity can be increased mainly
from early and middle-early ripening varieties. On international
market cherry varieties of large size and bright cover-color are
desirable. With its advantageous properties of flavour and taste
apricot can represent the image of Hungarian fruit. Consumers
prefer neatly packed middle early ripening large-sized varieties
both in domestic and in supermarkets beyond the frontiers. From
peach varieties middle-early ripening ones have good chances,
firstly in basic-material supply of processing industry.
Concerning plum, our experiences show, that we can have advantage
in competition on the market with our very early ripening large-sized
blue varieties and with late ripening free stone varieties. From
berries we can statisfy domestic supply and probably from time
to time have an export of smaller extent. For nut-fruit we
need imports.
Considerable amount of planting material is producedmount of planting material is produced
in Hungary by about 450 licensed vine-and fruit-tree nurseries
and serving them central nuclear stocks and increase blocks.
Horticultural seed production satisfies
national need and enables a considerable export income.
Hungarian planting material produced for landscape architecture
and landscape planning is appreciated not only domestic but
on abroad too, and further development in this field can -be expected.
Summarizing the most important fields to be developed
in Hungary are supposed as follows.
Considering scientific establishment of sustainable growing conditions:
Considering utilization of natural resources:
Considering increasing of the competitiveness, establishment of our integration to EU:
The traditional plant pathological and entomological researches
have moved to new molecular view which already have effected several
practical results (e.g. pheromone traps, stress-resistant plants,
new types of plant protection preparations) Working in international
teams become dominant in this field. Instead of chemical control
is getting stronger demand to develop preventive methods. More
and more importance is get to research resistance, breeding of
resistant to diseases varieties, vital processes of pest and diseases
with aim to limit their reproduction, insect physiology
with aim to limit their reproduction, insect physiology and insect
ecology.
Plant production meeting the requirements of sustainable agriculture
cannot be realized without environmentally friendly production
systems based on integrated plant protection. One of the most
important tasks of fundamental and applied plant protection researches
is to elaborate the principles and practice of integrated plant
protection methods.
The priorities of agricultural-technical researches
have changed. The technical and technological establishment of
sustainable agricultural production has become the most important
field of researche. In the center of researches is development
of such new integrated production technologies which protect the
environment, land, water supplies, and at the same time guarantee
quality and economy. Priorities of our domestic agricultural-technical
researches can be characterized by duality, owing to changes occurring
in the last few years. On the one hand researches have to meet
the requirements of international trends assuring the conformity,
stopping or at least restraining further degradation of biological
and technical basis of agricultural economy. On the other the
whole range of production-technological changes arises from alteration
of ownership, production structure, possessions.
Efforts to change over to market-economy, marketing knowledge
has come to the front, mainly the demand on ledge
has come to the front, mainly the demand on practical managing
has increased. Marketing is considered both by its investigators
and by its utilizers distinctly practical activity, still it
has not been recognized that without scientific research revealing
our special conditions and problems practical marketing loses
its initial efficacy. Because of the different economic development
our research priorities are unlike marketing of western European
countries.
Marketing conditions of changing over to market economy are scarcely
worked out except the one-sided macro-economical aspects. In addition
to this both consumer and entrepreneurial attitude, coordination
cooperation possibilities call for further scientific research.
We can joint up later the new trend of international research.
Agricultural economics seeks for solution relating
to scientific challenges, connected with changes of general and
national legality and of characteristics in world food production,
on the eve of second millenary. In agricultural economic researches,
according to international trends in the center of interest are
environmental protecting tasks connected with production programs,
revaluation of role of international markets, formulation of uniform
program for agricultural production and country development.
Examining of directing, organizational questions of sustainable
agriculture, of economic relations of sustainable
agriculture, of economic relations between structural changes
and possible climate-alterations mean new problems within this
domain of science. Recently in the center of interest are agricultural
economic researches revealing relationships between social-economical
changes and the new proprietorships as well. Important task is
to reveal micro- and macro-economic relationships and scientific
establishment of joining the EU.
Postharvest has got more and more determining role
in horticultural researches. Its importance is strengthened by
the fact that in the University Horticulture and Food in 1996
a new Department was established to study the most important questions
of postharvest scientific technological and technical problems
on the basis of wide-ranging collaboration between other university
departments and research institutions.
One of the criteria of healthy development. of traditional fields
is superposing of different generations while newer branches of
science are characterized by dominance of younger generation.
Environment of researchers is formed mainly by social respects
of research work, guarantee of research conditions, level of research
institutions, existence of leading personalities, possibilities
to get connected with international teams, independence of research
work, material and existence safety. A positive and hopeful development
is in this field the introduction and gradual extension of equivalent
to international level new PhD. training system.
In a few domains of science (biometry, marketing, etc.) there
are some difficulties in formation replacement for the reason
that mainly at beginning PhD. training was established on disciplinary
base and researches concerning new scientific branches or interdisciplinary
topics were handicapped.
Possibilities of horticultural publication can be considered generally
satisfactory. There is possibility to publish in international
journals as well. It is very important from the point of view
evaluation of scientific work. However recently the greatest problem
is continually diminishing or recently the greatest problem
is continually diminishing of scientific results, following narrowing
down of research conditions. We have to emphasize the efforts
of Hungarian Academy of Sciences and Ministry of Agriculture to
maintain scientific journals published in foreign languages.
Rapid method of publishing results is reading papers in conferences
and publishing them in conference proceedings. In this field
there are good possibilities and researchers often use this
way of publication. It is a good thing that conditions to publish
textbooks are getting better, while financing conditions to publish
manuals and monographs are not satisfactory.
Current situation: Hungary's agro-ecological conditions
give a good possibility for production of diversified, high-quality
horticultural products fit for fresh consumption and storage,
canning as well as deep freezing. During the last few decades
the production distorted, because of the former COMECON-demand
was the producion of low quality, mass products. This structure
did not take into account the agro-ecological conditions. The
production structure is not fit enough for demand of foreign and
domestic market by varieties.
Means:
Means:
Build up a sophisticated information system on basis of current and forecast market situation, agro-ecological potential, and on this basis determine the necessary (optimal) variety and species structure.
Build up a horticultural information system of varieties
Suggestions for further development of variety structure by answering two questions:
Current situation: horticultural production in Hungary
has been developed in a rather extensive way. There was not only
a slight impetus for achivement of optimal input/output relations.
The collapse of the former system's large-scale agricultural co-opratives
and state farms, as well as the slow formation of private horticultura state farms, as well as the slow formation of private horticultural
production farms create a totally new situation. The lack of infrastructural
environment for a modem, market-oriented system is an effective
barrier from point of view of above goals.
Means:
Determine the demand in various segments of market of horticultural
production to answer the question: What is the quality demand
(current), taking into consideralion the trends of technological
modernisation and balance of supply and (paying) demand
Determine the optimal technologies on basis of market demand and
considerations of envirornmental protection
Development of optimal technologies on the basis of economic and ecological considerations, with special emphasis on
Current situation: the postharvest sector is the weakst link in Hungary's food chain
Means:
Development of methods of determination of optimal harvest date
& research for optimalisation of storage conditions
Current situation: the processing industry has mostly recovered
its former market positions after the collapse in 1989-1992. The
privatisation process is nearing an end, most of the plants are
privatised by foreign direct investment. The friegn owners solved
numerous twhuological problem (e.<,,. production ofhigh - quality
linns) but them numerous technological problems (e.g. production
of high-quality tins), but there remain numerous question marks
in this field, too.
Means:
Determination of exact quality ddemands of horticultural processing industry for raw materials
Development of environment friendly logistical ways in the field of packaging
Development of new, competitive product-lines based on high-quality raw material and other comparative advautages of Hungary's horticulutre and food industry
Role of processed horticultural products in healthy nutrition
Product innovatioln for better quality products, attempting to strike an optimal equilibrium
between quality and food safety.
Current situation: Shrinking domestic paying demand, confused
market situation, increasing competition on foreign markets
Means:
Research of consumers' behaviour and segmentation possibilities of fresh and processed horticultural products
Market research on domestic aud foreign markets
Research for possibilities of modern, market-conform and flexible
structure of market and competition regulation
Asceptic technology, one of the most widespread technologies throughout
the world, is largely used by the fruit processing and filling
industry. The different forms of packaging are well known to consumers.
The aim of mechanical engineering is now to upgrade the heavy-duty
machines by making them more efficient in processing and to create
new, multiavy-duty
machines by making them more efficient in processing and to create
new, multi-functional machines. According to brand new concepts,
it is now possible to fill not only homogenous products in boxes
but also products containing small pieces of raw material. It
is hoped that this technology will be shortly be introduced into
Hungary.
The second most important item on the list is to make "traditional"
consumer packaging more easy-to-open. Otherwise, and this is true
with all packaging, the elderly will have the most problems with
it.
The market is changing very fast. The Hungarian canning industry
is increasingly trying to use jars as opposed to metal boxes.
The average size of consumer packaging materials is smaller than
it was a few years ago, and the thickness of the materials is
thinner than ever before. This is a matter of economics and enhanced
possibilities of improving technologies. The appearance of products
is becoming more important. For instance, unusual forms of jars
(prism-like) is becoming more common.
Canning companies produce different products for different segments
of the consumer sector. They know the importance of up-to-date
nutrition. That's why they are going to apply modern processing
methods (HTST) in handling raw materials. They combine minimal
treatments to reach an optimal variation.
The best companies produce vegetarian, fat-red>
The best companies produce vegetarian, fat-reduced products and
label all ingredients. They are continuously developing technical
conditions and produce increasingly newer generation products
(toppings and sauces with and without meat).
Budapest, July 1997