The Institute for Plant Protection and Environment (IPPE) is a scientific research organization, accredited as a research and development institute with a 75-year tradition of research in the field of plant protection. Primary research areas of the Institute for Plant Protection and Environment include biotech and natural sciences, i.e. phytopathology, herbology, chemistry, entomology, nematology, ecology and environment protection.

Research topics are diverse including:

• biology, ecology, population genetics and phylogeny of quarantine, economically important and invasive insects in different agroecosystems;
• molecular detection of phytoplasma, study of epidemiology and etiology of the diseases and insect vectors role in their propagation;
• identification of quarantine and economically important phytopathogenic bacteria, fungi and viruses, using the conventional serological and molecular methods;
• biology, ecology, genetics and diversity of bacteriophage and their potential use in biological control of economically important bacteria;
• biotic stress of plants caused by plant pathogens and identification of tolerance/resistance;
• monitoring and prognosis of most relevant diseases in agriculture;
• biological control of invasive weeds, plant pathogens and pests;
• integrative pest management in agricultural practice;
• biological and ecological characteristics of weeds, distribution patterns and pathways;
• management strategies; resistance of weeds to herbicides;
• negative impact of herbicides to environment;
• control and improvement of seeds quality in vegetables, crops, ornamentals and forests;
• diversity of soil and plant nematodes, interaction with other organisms; biological control of phytoparasitic nematodes;
• physical and chemical parameters of pesticides and fertilizers;
• biological nutrition value of fertilizers etc.