RESEARCH GROUP

Horticultural and Agroecological Systems

Updated: June 2025

We combine Horticultural Science and Agroecology in system-oriented studies of the resilience and sustainability of plant production, focusing on biological and ecological aspects.

The subject area covers studies of a wide range of crops in horticultural and agricultural cropping systems, in indoor and open-field systems and under both organic and conventional/integrated management at various scales and processing levels. We target rural, peri-urban and urban production sites, including annual (e.g. grain legumes, vegetables) and perennial crops (e.g. leys, fruit trees and perennial cereals) as well as non-plant production (e.g. mushrooms). The end-uses of harvested products also represent different areas, e.g.: food, feed, ornamentals, green manure, bioenergy feedstocks. 

The research includes studies of circularity in systems for efficient, safe and sustainable use of renewable resources, e.g. growing media, nutrients and energy. Food safety and food security are important topics, including issues around responsible use of resources and impacts of consumer behaviours (e.g. sustainable diets concepts) for sufficient and safe production of food.

HAS colleagues perform teaching linked to our research, and we have several responsibilities at course and programme levels within the Agricultural and rural management, Horticultural engineer – cultivation, Agroecology, Food and Landscape, and Horticultural science programmes.

The subject area is also responsible for the management of field experiments at the field research station Lönnstorp.

Subject area responsible and group leader: Georg Carlsson, Professor; georg.carlsson@slu.se

Deputy group leader: Anna Karin Rosberg, Senior lecturer

Categories:

Agroecology and food systems 

Arable crops and farming systems 

Horticultural production Systems 

Food safety and value networks