Research Background:
The Institute owns various laboratory equipment such as microscopes and binoculars, dry and steam sterilizers, biological incubators, ELISA device, water distillation devices, sterile cabinets, centrifuges, agitators, grinders, mixers, UV/Visible and Spectrophotometers, Gas Chromatography Analyzers (GCMS, HRGC), rotary evaporator, termohygrographs, leaf wetness recorders, computers, sensitive scales, gravity measurers, freezers and coolers. Additionally, fully equipped laboratories are available being active on mycology, bacteriology, virology and plant parasitic nematodes.
Constructional Wealth:
The institute owns totally 3000 square meters-building wealth consisting of two main service buildings in which Administrative Office and Phytopathology, Entomology, Plant Protection Chemicals, Biological Control, Plant Protection Product and Machinery Applications, and Herbology Departments are situated, office and treasury building, two-storied museum building, meeting and social facility building, 14 separate climate rooms, library, 4 greenhouses (2 glasses and 2 plastics), 3 containers for quarantine studies + 1 container for pesticide analysis, dining hall, cold store, garage, workshop and repair shop.
Staff
Totally 45 Technical staff consisting of Agricultural Engineer (16 PhD, 26 MSc. and 3 Bachelor's degrees), 1 Food Engineer (MSc.) and 1 Chemist are working in the Institute. Additionally, 14 administrative staff and 27 workers are functioning.
Distribution of Technical Personnel in Departments and Labs:
DUTIES AND AIMS
Research Area:
- To diagnose disease, insect and weed pests causing crop losses in agricultural plants and beneficial fauna and flora present in working area,
- To determine characteristics, distribution, biology and damage ways of the pests,
- To determine, improve and implement of the most suitable and low-priced control methods against the pests with respect to the results obtained.
Research subjects are chosen among the problems delivered by extension services and farmers or the subjects defined by the researchers according to their observations in the Region.
Projects conducted in the Institute are supported and subsidized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) beside national and international official or private Institutions, universities and TUBITAK in cooperation.
Training:
Training studies constitute one of the fundamental duties of the Institute.
Training courses are organized in different places and different subjects according to the needs and problems faced annually. In 2010, 29 individual courses that are important in the Region were organized and 870 technical personnel were trained, totally. Additionally, growers have been trained to the extent of Integrated Management Projects in the field.
Publication:
Researches completed are published in different scientific journals as well as national and international Congresses and Symposia related to their subjects. Besides, published and audiovisual training materials such as technical books, bulletins, farmer brochures and letters, posters, slides and video films are prepared by the researchers and consultants.
The Institute is also charged with the edition of "Technical Instruction Books of Plant Protection", "Standard Methods for Pesticide Efficacy and Side-Effect Tests" to be published by the Ministry according to the results obtained in research studies and implemented.
Analyses:
Inspection of soil and saplings in terms of nematodes and pathogens subjected to national and international quarantine list is legally required in commercially established nurseries in Türkiye. The inspection is performed and reported by the Institute, officially.
Similarly, all plant propagation materials such as plant, seed, sapling and seedling from abroad must be tested and inspected in collaboration of related quarantine institution in terms of national and international quarantine regulations. Test results are reported to all related institutions and organizations.
Consultancy:
If requested, the Institute serves to official and commercial institutions and organizations, to farmer sand farmer cooperatives as a consultant together with all departments and branches. In the frame of its specialty; diseases, pests and weeds from extension services, private enterprises, cooperatives and farmers are diagnosed and suitable control methods against them are suggested.
Additionally, it serves to agricultural export and import companies and organizations, and quarantine institutions in need of consultancy to solve the problems rapidly.
Other Duties:
The Institute is responsible for the collection and preservation of samples concerning fauna and flora of the Region.
It works in national and international scientific events such as congresses, symposia, conferences and working groups as organizer or participatory institution.
