SLU Alnarp hosts one of the strongest research groups in chemical ecology in the world. It is based on the development of knowledge on how pheromones govern insect behaviour. Extensive research aimed at a better understanding of insects’ communication systems has yielded vastly improved and more environmentally friendly pest-control practices in agriculture and horticulture, as well as in forestry.
Other important research areas at SLU Alnarp includes Nature’s own ability to contribute to improved human health and quality of life, the development of vegetable oils for industrial use, bio-energy and horticultural microbiology.
Landscape planning deals with all aspects and characteristics of our (outdoor) physical environments and how they influence people’s health and quality of life.
Landscape planning encompasses the history of gardens, parks and landscapes, landscape design and theory and how different surroundings influence our every day work and leisure. Methods and strategies are developed for the design of functional recreational landscapes on urban fringes, as well as safe and creative playgrounds and schoolyards for our children.
Landscape management comprises design, construction and maintenance of urban outdoor spaces as well as management of multi-purpose landscapes for e.g. residential, recreational or commercial purposes, forestry or agriculture. A specific field of research is landscape-oriented environmental psychology, which studies the effect of different “green” environments on people’s well-being.
The horticultural research addresses the entire process from cultivation of crops for food and industrial use, as well as plants for ornamental purposes to handling, storage, marketing and sales.
Plant breeding, biotechnology and integrated plant protection in agriculture and horticulture, as well as the quality and nutritional contents of fruits and vegetables, form other important elements in the research activities.
The agricultural research focuses on the development of new technologies and crops to satisfy the needs of the next generation of producers of foods, energy and recreational activities. The effects of cultivation regimes and technologies on the environment and product quality, as well as the planning and design of farm buildings, are other interesting topics of research.
Research on how to create safe and healthy working environments, including supportive management and the formation of creative workplaces, is an important element of the faculty’s activities. Focus is also placed on economic issues, entrepreneurship, marketing and consumer behaviour.