Working group History of Agronomy

In the past, agricultural science and crop production research in Germany has seen many innovations, some of which were groundbreaking for their time and had a fundamental impact on agriculture. The working group “History of Agronomy” therefore aims to honor some of this work and evaluate it from the perspective of today's agricultural research.

Selected topics of focus for the working group are: 1. Breeding and cultivation of “old” crops. 2. Use of species and variety mixtures in the past and present. 3. Developments in mineral fertilization, organic fertilization, and “humus theory.” 4. Crop rotation research and long-term field trials. 5. Structure and diversity of agricultural landscapes. 6. Functions and use of moors. 7. Changes in the quality of crops. 8. Influence of climate change on agricultural production.

The above priorities are proposals for the working group's activities. They will be discussed by the members of the working group and may be expanded or amended at any time.

News / Dates

The working group was reestablished at the 65th annual conference of the GPW, which took place from September 23 to 25, 2025, at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg.
The previous contact person was Dr. Harry Knittel, whom the working group would like to thank warmly for his work over the past years.

Reports from the AG

The working group intends to examine some of the innovations in agronomy and crop production that have been made in recent decades and to evaluate and classify them in the context of today's agronomy research and agriculture. The results of this work will be presented at the upcoming annual conferences of the GPW. Anyone interested in these topics is therefore cordially invited to participate in the work of the working group “History of Agronomy.”

Contact person