Among the main technologies developed by the DHS are listed:

•      Characterization of materials with potential use as horticultural substrate.

•      Introduction and evaluation of new cultivars with economic potential.

•      Definition of rootstocks associated with space in citrus and drupaceousplanting.

•      Techniques for managing fruitful plants, with emphasis on breaking dormancy, pruning, conduction systems, fruit thinning and nutrition.

•      Establishment of protocols for micro and macro propagation of vegetableplants.

•      Characterization of genetic resources of fruitful, medicinal and vegetableplants.

•      Defining conditions for storing fruits, vegetables and flowers.

•      Organic production of citrus fruits.

•      Production of seedlings in greenhouse.

The research lines of the Department of Horticulture and Forestry related to the Graduate Program in Phytotechnics at UFRGS are:

EVALUATION OF AGRONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY.

Characterization, evaluation and analysis of cropping systems from the perspective of sustainability.Cropping systems and sustainability indicators.Comparative analysis of cropping systems.Identification and evaluation of new crops, agribusiness and rural activities.

Study of the behavior of various crops after harvest; cold storage alternatives for horticultural species.

Physiological studies of the accumulation of reserve substances from the plant development, mechanisms of dormancy of buds and possible interference of hormonal regulation and the application of growth regulators.

Development of management practices, pruning and conduction of plants in order to increase performance of horticultural crops.

Study of the dynamics of nutrients in the soil and the plant; efficiency in nutrient uptake by the plant; response to the addition of various sources of fertilizers and amendments.Forms of fertilizers in different soil management systems.Study of ways of fertilization in the cultivation without soil.

Researchers / Advisers: Ingrid Bergman Inchausti de Barros; Renar João Bender; Gilmar Arduino Bettio Marodin; Paulo Vitor Dutra de Souza; Sergio Francisco Schwarz, Gilmar Schäfer, Magnolia Aparecida Silva da Silva.

PLANT PROPAGATION SYSTEMS

Knowledge of the physiological basis for the analysis of the different processes involved in plant propagation.Analysis of methodological aspects which enable obtaining seedlings of a good quality.Protocol development in micro and macro propagation.

Characterization of the physical and chemical properties of the materials used as substrates and as conditioning.Interaction of these properties in mixtures.

Techniques for cultivation in containers.

Researchers / Advisers: Ingrid Bergman Inchausti de Barros, Paulo Vitor de Souza Dutra, Gilmar Arduino Marodin Bettio, Renar João Bender, Sergio Francisco Schwarz, Gilmar Schäfer, Magnolia Aparecida Silva da Silva.

GENETIC RESOURCES AND IMPROVEMENT.

Introduction, rescue, conservation and characterization of native and exotic genetic resources of vegetable plants with characteristics of adaptability to the ecological conditions in southern Brazil.

Application, adaptation and improvement of techniques for selection and improvement, on the field and in the laboratory, of the resources described above.

Investigators / Advisers: Gilmar Arduino Bettio Marodin; Ingrid Bergman Inchausti de Barros; Sergio Francisco Schwarz, Gilmar Schäfer, Magnolia Aparecida Silva da Silva.