by Edward Żurawicz

Poland is the world's third biggest (after the United States and China) producer of fruit in a moderate climate zone.

It produces some 80 kg of fruit per capita, nearly twice as much as Germany, France or Italy. Fruit production is growing systematically, and almost 60 percent of it is earmarked for export, mostly to European Union countries.

The development of fruit growing in Poland was facilitated not only by the private ownership of farmland, but also by research conducted at several centers, including the Research Institute of Pomology and Floriculture in Skierniewice, led by the pioneer of modern orchard cultivation and the institute's founder, Professor Szczepan Pieniążek. In 2001 the institute celebrated its 50th anniversary, and in December last year Professor Pieniążek celebrated his 90th birthday.

Professor Pieniążek has maintained close bonds with many university centers and modern fruit growing farms in the United States, sending young academics for internships there. Currently, the level of scientific research is measured not only by production volume, but also by the modern methods of cultivating certain fruits. For example, the production of black currants is fully mechanized, bringing the admiration of colleagues from around the world.

Center of Excellence
The European Cooperation in Scientific and Technical Research (COST) program includes all EU member and associated states. Participation in these programs allows the institute to obtain funds from the European Commission for maintaining scientific contacts or for scholarships.

The institute's successes and its significance to the development of Polish and European pomology were confirmed in spring 2002 when the European Commission granted it the status of a Research Center of Excellence in Sustainable Pomology, within the 5th Framework Program.

Sustainable fruit growing differs from traditional methods in its preference for technologies that guarantee a biological balance in the environment surrounding the orchard, and fruit that meets strict safety requirements. This means limiting the application of fertilizers, growth regulators and pesticides to a minimum.

In cooperation with partners from several European research centers from Germany, France, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Italy, Great Britain and Belgium, the institute is implementing, within the 5th Framework Program, a major project involving high-quality varieties of disease-resistant apple trees useful for sustainable farming.
The goal is to identify genetic factors controlling apple quality in view of the features demanded by consumers and producers of the fruit in Europe. The project is based on the gene resources of apple trees at the disposal of partner states. It is assumed that providing genetic characteristics will produce rapid practical benefits, lowering the costs of production of new varieties and introducing varieties of high quality which are resistant to dangerous pathogens and pests-as a result, limiting the application of chemical pesticides.

Innovative growth stimulators
The institute also participates in the 6th Framework Program of the European Commission. Its priorities include food safety and quality, and sustainable farming. The institute has taken up the subject of providing high quality innovative plant growth stimulators obtained from biological material. The project involves not only four science and research centers from Poland, Germany, Italy and Spain, but also small and medium-sized companies that most often have no own science and research facilities. In Poland, two companies take part-Sadpol from Wierzbica near Serock (producer of strawberries on 200 hectares of land and of raspberries on some 100 hectares), and Markiewicz from Buszkowo near Bydgoszcz, which has over 100 hectares of strawberries.

The results of the research will produce innovative, environmentally friendly technologies for fertilizing and growing orchards in Europe, with a reduced application of fertilizers and other chemical agents used in plant growth. In this project, the institute not only conducts research; it is also the general coordinator of a consortium that includes partners from Poland, Latvia, the Netherlands, Spain, Italy and Germany.

Contact
Professor Edward Żurawicz
Research Institute of Pomology and Floriculture, Skierniewice Center of Excellence, 96-100 Skierniewice, Poland
e.zurawicz@insad.pl
tel. (+48-46) 833 20 21/24