
Horticulture is the science, art, and profession of cultivating, maintaining, harvesting, and marketing various types of fruits, vegetables, and ornamental plants. In 2001, the Faculty of Agriculture began admitting students to an associate-to-bachelor's degree program in Plant Production with a specialization in Horticulture, under the supervision of the Department of Agronomy. The Department of Horticultural Science was established as a fully independent entity in October 2003, admitting its first cohort of 30 students into the associate-to-bachelor's program in Horticultural Science. In 2004, the continuous bachelor's degree program in Horticulture was established. Furthermore, in response to the needs of the Kurdistan province and with the aim of training specialists in landscape architecture, the department expanded by launching a bachelor's program in Landscape Engineering in 2016.
Currently, the department offers undergraduate programs in two fields: Horticultural Science and Engineering, and Landscape Engineering and Design. At the master's level, the department admits students in five specializations: "Pomology (Fruit Trees)," "Ornamental Plants," "Olericulture (Vegetables)," "Greenhouse Crop Production," and "Medicinal Plants." The department is also pleased to announce that it has been admitting doctoral students in "Production Physiology and Post-Harvest of Horticultural Crops" since October 2023, and will begin admitting doctoral students in "Breeding and Biotechnology of Horticultural Plants" from October 2024.
Currently, the department offers undergraduate programs in two fields: Horticultural Science and Engineering, and Landscape Engineering and Design. At the master's level, the department admits students in five specializations: "Pomology (Fruit Trees)," "Ornamental Plants," "Olericulture (Vegetables)," "Greenhouse Crop Production," and "Medicinal Plants." The department is also pleased to announce that it has been admitting doctoral students in "Production Physiology and Post-Harvest of Horticultural Crops" since October 2023, and will begin admitting doctoral students in "Breeding and Biotechnology of Horticultural Plants" from October 2024.
1. Pomology Section
Production of Healthy and Organic Horticultural Products: Given the excessive use of pesticides and fertilizers, the primary goal in this area is to optimize the cultivation conditions for strawberries and fruit trees. This involves determining the best fertilizer formulas, utilizing bio-fertilizers such as beneficial bacteria for nutrient fixation (e.g., *Azotobacter*), and employing organic fertilizers like humic acid.
Increasing Crop Productivity through Resistance to Environmental Stresses: The water scarcity crisis poses a major challenge to the production of many fruits in Kurdistan province, Iran, and globally. Key research objectives of the Horticultural Science Department include identifying resistant cultivars, applying appropriate fertilizer treatments, and determining optimal irrigation and fertilization regimes to combat drought stress, particularly in grapes and strawberries. Furthermore, high soil salinity, resulting from both natural salt accumulation and the heavy use of chemical fertilizers, has limited the production of many horticultural crops. The department's long-term vision includes identifying salt-tolerant cultivars and investigating the use of beneficial compounds, such as potassium silicate, to mitigate salinity damage. Early spring and late autumn frosts are significant challenges for many growers worldwide. Apricots, almonds, and walnuts are among the most affected species, suffering from flower drop due to these frosts. A primary research goal is to identify late-blooming and frost-resistant cultivars and rootstocks among native and wild species in the province and to use them in breeding programs to introduce cultivars resistant to early spring frosts.
Production of Disease- and Virus-Free Vegetative Propagation Materials: As most fruit trees and strawberries are propagated asexually through cuttings and grafting, many orchards in Iran are unfortunately afflicted with diseases like fire blight and canker. The Horticultural Science Department has initiated *in vitro* studies for the propagation of healthy, disease- and virus-free rootstocks. The production of such propagation materials is a top research priority in our long-term plan.
Development of Nutritional Formulations for Hydroponic Strawberry Cultivation: Strawberries are a crop of high economic value. Greenhouse cultivation is one method for off-season production. Currently, soilless culture is widely used in many countries. The Horticultural Science Department at the University of Kurdistan, equipped with a research greenhouse for soilless strawberry cultivation, has begun research on various fertilizer formulations specifically for strawberry production. A key research priority is to determine the most effective nutrient solution composition to achieve maximum yield and optimal quality in various strawberry cultivars, such as 'Paros', 'Queen Elisa', 'Diamante', 'Aromas', and the local Kurdistan cultivar.
Increasing Crop Productivity through Resistance to Environmental Stresses: The water scarcity crisis poses a major challenge to the production of many fruits in Kurdistan province, Iran, and globally. Key research objectives of the Horticultural Science Department include identifying resistant cultivars, applying appropriate fertilizer treatments, and determining optimal irrigation and fertilization regimes to combat drought stress, particularly in grapes and strawberries. Furthermore, high soil salinity, resulting from both natural salt accumulation and the heavy use of chemical fertilizers, has limited the production of many horticultural crops. The department's long-term vision includes identifying salt-tolerant cultivars and investigating the use of beneficial compounds, such as potassium silicate, to mitigate salinity damage. Early spring and late autumn frosts are significant challenges for many growers worldwide. Apricots, almonds, and walnuts are among the most affected species, suffering from flower drop due to these frosts. A primary research goal is to identify late-blooming and frost-resistant cultivars and rootstocks among native and wild species in the province and to use them in breeding programs to introduce cultivars resistant to early spring frosts.
Production of Disease- and Virus-Free Vegetative Propagation Materials: As most fruit trees and strawberries are propagated asexually through cuttings and grafting, many orchards in Iran are unfortunately afflicted with diseases like fire blight and canker. The Horticultural Science Department has initiated *in vitro* studies for the propagation of healthy, disease- and virus-free rootstocks. The production of such propagation materials is a top research priority in our long-term plan.
Development of Nutritional Formulations for Hydroponic Strawberry Cultivation: Strawberries are a crop of high economic value. Greenhouse cultivation is one method for off-season production. Currently, soilless culture is widely used in many countries. The Horticultural Science Department at the University of Kurdistan, equipped with a research greenhouse for soilless strawberry cultivation, has begun research on various fertilizer formulations specifically for strawberry production. A key research priority is to determine the most effective nutrient solution composition to achieve maximum yield and optimal quality in various strawberry cultivars, such as 'Paros', 'Queen Elisa', 'Diamante', 'Aromas', and the local Kurdistan cultivar.
2. Post-Harvest Physiology and Technology Section:
Issues in the post-harvest stage of horticultural products include a lack of product grading, improper storage, inadequate packaging, unscientific processing, and insufficient knowledge of product characteristics and spoilage causes. To achieve the overarching goals of the horticulture sector—reducing agricultural waste and ensuring food security—it is essential to use appropriate treatments, understand product characteristics, implement proper storage, optimize processing methods, identify the causes of spoilage, and establish effective grading and sorting systems. Water loss, mechanical damage, tissue softening, chemical changes, immaturity, mold contamination, and chilling injury are among the reasons for quality decline and post-harvest losses in fruits. Comprehensive research priorities for reducing waste and losses in horticultural products, which will be a focus of the Horticultural Science Department's long-term vision, include: evaluating systems to determine the exact amount of agricultural waste in post-harvest stages; determining the optimal harvest time for crops like strawberries, grapes, quince, and pomegranates; identifying suitable cultivars for each product; defining the biological and chemical properties of horticultural products; identifying and controlling the causes of mechanical damage; and developing necessary standards. Based on the above, the main research priorities in the post-harvest physiology and technology area are:
1. Investigating the post-harvest behavior and storage capability of fruits and vegetables cultivated in the province.
2. Identifying the best storage conditions (temperature and humidity) to extend shelf life and minimize waste.
3. Utilizing packaging materials developed with nanotechnology.
4. Examining quality changes in various fruits and vegetables during the storage period.
5. Assessing the eating quality and post-harvest potential of lesser-known horticultural species such as quince, medlar, and hawthorn.
6. Applying pre- and post-harvest treatments with effective synthetic compounds to increase the post-harvest life of fruits, vegetables, and cut flowers.
7. Using edible coatings, such as aloe vera gel, to improve the eating quality and extend the shelf life of perishable products like strawberries.
1. Investigating the post-harvest behavior and storage capability of fruits and vegetables cultivated in the province.
2. Identifying the best storage conditions (temperature and humidity) to extend shelf life and minimize waste.
3. Utilizing packaging materials developed with nanotechnology.
4. Examining quality changes in various fruits and vegetables during the storage period.
5. Assessing the eating quality and post-harvest potential of lesser-known horticultural species such as quince, medlar, and hawthorn.
6. Applying pre- and post-harvest treatments with effective synthetic compounds to increase the post-harvest life of fruits, vegetables, and cut flowers.
7. Using edible coatings, such as aloe vera gel, to improve the eating quality and extend the shelf life of perishable products like strawberries.
3. Ornamental Plants Section:
Boosting non-oil exports is a priority in the country's five-year economic, social, and cultural development plans. Achieving this not only contributes significantly to harnessing the country's economic potential and national production growth but will also be effective in addressing the most critical economic challenge: unemployment. Therefore, efforts and planning to promote and diversify non-oil exports are of great importance. Given the suitable climate of Kurdistan province, its abundant labor force, and, most importantly, its proximity to Iraq, there is significant potential for producing various plants and boosting the agriculture and horticulture sectors. It is essential to leverage this potential and economic advantage. Unfortunately, the necessary investments and actions to optimally utilize these advantages for the production and export of ornamental plants have not yet been made, requiring more targeted efforts. Additionally, due to the water scarcity crisis, research is planned in the coming years to introduce and change the cultivation patterns of plants in the university's green spaces and across Kurdistan province. In general, the Ornamental Plants section of the Horticultural Science Department intends to pursue the following efforts to achieve this goal:
1. Developing the ornamental plants sector in Kurdistan province in collaboration with the Agricultural Jihad Organization and affiliated institutions.
2. Conducting research on the cultivation of ornamental plants in the open fields of Kurdistan province and introducing them to producers.
3. Establishing a well-equipped greenhouse at the university for the production of ornamental plants and conducting research on various aspects of ornamental plants.
4. Introducing drought-resistant ornamental trees, shrubs, and vines (both native and non-native) for cultivation in green spaces.
5. Introducing drought-resistant groundcovers or native Kurdistan grasses to replace traditional lawns in green spaces.
6. Conducting research on the Xeriscape approach.
7. Investigating the ecological needs of native species from Kurdistan and Iran with aesthetic qualities for introduction and cultivation in green spaces.
8. Striving to establish a research institute for bulbous plants in the west of the country and creating a collection of them.
9. Working towards improving the university's green spaces and establishing a landscape management office at the university to address related issues.
10. Conducting research on tissue culture, propagation, and biotechnology of native Iranian plants with ornamental and medicinal potential.
11. Endeavoring to collaborate with the municipality and the green space organization of Sanandaj to improve and scientize the city's green spaces.
1. Developing the ornamental plants sector in Kurdistan province in collaboration with the Agricultural Jihad Organization and affiliated institutions.
2. Conducting research on the cultivation of ornamental plants in the open fields of Kurdistan province and introducing them to producers.
3. Establishing a well-equipped greenhouse at the university for the production of ornamental plants and conducting research on various aspects of ornamental plants.
4. Introducing drought-resistant ornamental trees, shrubs, and vines (both native and non-native) for cultivation in green spaces.
5. Introducing drought-resistant groundcovers or native Kurdistan grasses to replace traditional lawns in green spaces.
6. Conducting research on the Xeriscape approach.
7. Investigating the ecological needs of native species from Kurdistan and Iran with aesthetic qualities for introduction and cultivation in green spaces.
8. Striving to establish a research institute for bulbous plants in the west of the country and creating a collection of them.
9. Working towards improving the university's green spaces and establishing a landscape management office at the university to address related issues.
10. Conducting research on tissue culture, propagation, and biotechnology of native Iranian plants with ornamental and medicinal potential.
11. Endeavoring to collaborate with the municipality and the green space organization of Sanandaj to improve and scientize the city's green spaces.
4. Medicinal Plants Section:
Kurdistan province and western Iran are regions rich in plant diversity, and the local population uses many of these plants for food and medicine. Unscientific harvesting from natural habitats could lead to shortages and even the extinction of some of these plants in the near future. Moreover, many plants in the province have not been evaluated for their primary and secondary metabolite content and medicinal potential, remaining largely unknown. Water scarcity has also limited the cultivation of many plants. In these conditions, using native and endemic medicinal plants with low water requirements can be a suitable option to combat water shortages. Therefore, it seems necessary for institutions, research centers, and universities to focus their research on identifying, evaluating, and producing valuable medicinal plants of the province. This would, on one hand, help meet some of the food and medicinal needs of the province and the country, and on the other hand, prevent the destruction of natural resources due to excessive and unprincipled harvesting. The main objectives of the Horticultural Science and Engineering Department in the medicinal plants section include:
1. Evaluating optimal production methods for plants used as food and medicine in the local diet to protect the environment and aid in the restoration of medicinal plants in their natural habitats.
2. Assessing the primary and secondary metabolites of native and endemic Iranian plants to identify medicinally valuable species.
3. Evaluating various propagation and production methods for plants with proven medicinal potential.
4. Initiating collaborations with pharmaceutical and health companies to utilize the active compounds of native Iranian medicinal plants in their products.
5. Providing consultation, encouragement, and assistance to farmers to increase the cultivation area of medicinal plants.
6. Establishing a collection of medicinal plants, and organizing workshops and lectures to familiarize the public with medicinal plants and promote their cultivation.
1. Evaluating optimal production methods for plants used as food and medicine in the local diet to protect the environment and aid in the restoration of medicinal plants in their natural habitats.
2. Assessing the primary and secondary metabolites of native and endemic Iranian plants to identify medicinally valuable species.
3. Evaluating various propagation and production methods for plants with proven medicinal potential.
4. Initiating collaborations with pharmaceutical and health companies to utilize the active compounds of native Iranian medicinal plants in their products.
5. Providing consultation, encouragement, and assistance to farmers to increase the cultivation area of medicinal plants.
6. Establishing a collection of medicinal plants, and organizing workshops and lectures to familiarize the public with medicinal plants and promote their cultivation.
5. Horticultural Biotechnology Section:
Global agriculture in the 21st century pursues two important goals for the coming years: increasing global agricultural production and preserving the environment. Achieving the goal of increased production is not possible without using new fertile agricultural lands, and the environment can only be protected by a significant reduction in chemical use. Genetic engineering and, in general, the genetic manipulation of plants using modern technologies, as an extension of traditional genetic improvement technologies, have now become a viable option, facing both significant support and opposition. New advances in cellular and molecular biology have opened new avenues for producing transgenic plants. These products, known as Genetically Modified (GM) Crops or transgenic crops, are rapidly expanding. Transgenic plants are generally defined as plants that have received one or more genes from other genetic sources (bacteria, animals, humans, and other plants) using modern genetic engineering methods. These plants are typically created with objectives such as increasing resistance to pests and diseases, enhancing tolerance to abiotic stresses like drought, salinity, and cold, improving nutritional quality, increasing crop yield, producing vaccines and plant-based antibodies, and boosting the production of specific metabolites. Genetic engineering has provided possibilities that were perhaps unimaginable before its advent. The Biotechnology section within the Horticultural Science Department at the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Kurdistan, has recently been established, and the necessary equipment for this field is being procured. Given the importance of biotechnology in improving the quantity and quality of many horticultural products worldwide, the main priorities at the Horticultural Science Department of the University of Kurdistan, on which the greatest focus is placed, include the following:
1. Identifying genes involved in resistance to drought, salinity, and cold in fruit trees, vegetables, and ornamental flowers, and using these genetic resources to understand the mechanisms of stress resistance in plants and ultimately develop resistant cultivars.
2. Investigating the expression of genes involved in various physiological processes of horticultural products under chemical treatments to find the best agronomic and non-agronomic methods for inducing resistance to biotic stresses.
3. Producing edible vaccines by transferring genes encoding important medicinal proteins such as insulin, antibodies, and other effective proteins into the genome of suitable plants like lettuce and tomato.
4. Identifying genes involved in metabolic pathways leading to the production of valuable medicinal compounds such as ajmaline. These identified genes can be used to produce valuable medicinal compounds like alkaloids in non-host species and even bacteria.
5. Producing horticultural crops resistant to drought, salinity, diseases, and pests using plant genetic engineering, especially for strawberries and grapes, which have the largest cultivation area in the province.
6. Producing healthy and virus- and disease-free propagation materials for species that currently have infected propagation materials, including fruit trees, strawberries, and potatoes. 7. Conserving and propagating rare plant species that are endangered due to excessive use for medicinal and food purposes. Examples include *Satureja khuzistanica (Marzeh Horami), Ferula assa-foetida (Asafoetida), and Orchis (Salep), and other important species of Kurdistan province and Iran.
1. Identifying genes involved in resistance to drought, salinity, and cold in fruit trees, vegetables, and ornamental flowers, and using these genetic resources to understand the mechanisms of stress resistance in plants and ultimately develop resistant cultivars.
2. Investigating the expression of genes involved in various physiological processes of horticultural products under chemical treatments to find the best agronomic and non-agronomic methods for inducing resistance to biotic stresses.
3. Producing edible vaccines by transferring genes encoding important medicinal proteins such as insulin, antibodies, and other effective proteins into the genome of suitable plants like lettuce and tomato.
4. Identifying genes involved in metabolic pathways leading to the production of valuable medicinal compounds such as ajmaline. These identified genes can be used to produce valuable medicinal compounds like alkaloids in non-host species and even bacteria.
5. Producing horticultural crops resistant to drought, salinity, diseases, and pests using plant genetic engineering, especially for strawberries and grapes, which have the largest cultivation area in the province.
6. Producing healthy and virus- and disease-free propagation materials for species that currently have infected propagation materials, including fruit trees, strawberries, and potatoes. 7. Conserving and propagating rare plant species that are endangered due to excessive use for medicinal and food purposes. Examples include *Satureja khuzistanica (Marzeh Horami), Ferula assa-foetida (Asafoetida), and Orchis (Salep), and other important species of Kurdistan province and Iran.
Bachelor's Level: Program in Horticultural Science and Engineering, Program in Landscape Engineering and Design.
Master's Level: Program in Horticultural Science and Engineering with specializations in Pomology (Fruit Science) ,Olericulture (Vegetable Science) , Ornamental Plants ,Greenhouse Crop Production , Medicinal Plants.
Doctoral (PhD) Level: Program in Horticultural Science and Engineering with specializations in Production Physiology and Post-Harvest of Horticultural Crops
Master's Level: Program in Horticultural Science and Engineering with specializations in Pomology (Fruit Science) ,Olericulture (Vegetable Science) , Ornamental Plants ,Greenhouse Crop Production , Medicinal Plants.
Doctoral (PhD) Level: Program in Horticultural Science and Engineering with specializations in Production Physiology and Post-Harvest of Horticultural Crops
The Department of Horticultural Science and Engineering is one of the most significant departments within the Faculty of Agriculture. It holds the top rank in the faculty in terms of the number of undergraduate and graduate students. Furthermore, its faculty members are consistently recognized among the top performers in teaching and research each year.