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Plant Protection: The way to a healthy plant

  • The aim of all our activities is to optimize plant protection methods in sustainable production. We look for solutions to plant protection problems that are both environmentally compatible and socio-economically balanced.
  • Plant protections spans disciplines from the basic sciences to problem-solving-oriented cross-sectional or systems sciences. It includes research into plant diseases and damage, their diagnosis and the elimination of their causes. These can be biotic, such as fungal diseases, pests or the effects of weeds, or abiotic, such as drought, frost, nutrient deficiency or salinization. Some causes are human-induced: for example, air and soil pollution, damage caused by inappropriate plant cultivation measures or insufficient training of people who work with plants.
  • Due to the diverse causes of plant damage and diseases, many disciplines are required to develop strategies to prevent or combat them. This is why professions with different core competencies work together in phytomedicine. It is also always geared towards the practical application of knowledge and thus contributes to sustainable consumer protection.

The Scientific Society for Plant Protection and Plant Health in Germany since 1928

  • The DPG promotes research, teaching and advice in the field of plant protection, e.g. on diseases, pests, weed influences or growth disorders in cultivated plants, measures to keep plants healthy and the practical application of the findings.
  • The DPG promotes the exchange of information between all partners in plant protection, including users and consumers, with the aim of preventing the development of adverse effects of plant protection on humans, animals and the environment.
  • The DPG promotes the exchange of scientific experience at national and international level.

We act through

  • the organization of and participation in scientific conferences and colloquia.
  • the German Plant Protection Conference
  • specialist conferences and working groups
  • maintaining relationships with organizations with related objectives and with colleagues in Germany and abroad.
  • memberships in scientific associations and federations.
  • by conveying a balanced picture of modern plant protection in our public relations work.
  • contributing to the design of curricula and training guidelines.
  • publishing the society's “PHYTOMEDICINE” bulletins for members
  • publishing the series “Phytomedizin Spectrum” in the DPG-Verlag.
  • the Editorial Board of the international journal “Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection” as the scientific organ of the DPG (free of charge for members of the Society).
  • the awarding of the Julius Kühn Prize, the Anton de Bary Medal for outstanding work in the field of phytomedicine and the badge of honor to deserving members. The DPG is a member of the board of trustees for the award of the Otto Appel Memorial Medal for valuable scientific and organizational work in the field of plant protection.

Create knowledge

Interdisciplinary & transdisciplinary

We are involved in interdisciplinary science that develops the fundamentals of the interactions between pathogens and crops in order to derive application-oriented solutions for safeguarding plant production from this knowledge. The DPG offers scientific forums for DPG members and non-members to exchange and discuss current research results or practical experience reports. These include working groups, national and international conferences.

Shaping the future

Innovative & creative

The youngDPG consists primarily of members who are in training and are preparing to work in plant protection. It is represented on the board by two elected board members who act as the spokespersons of the youngDPG.

The youngDPG can include bachelor students, master students, doctoral students, postdocs and young professionals. The maximum age of members in the Young DPG is based on the maximum age for the award of the Julius Kühn Prize (40 years).

Highlighting excellence

Powerful & dedicated

Our members produce outstanding achievements in research and the development of new crop protection strategies. The DPG recognizes this commitment by awarding prizes and awards.

Our awards
  • Anton de Bary Medal: for lifetime scientific achievement
  • Otto Appel Memorial Coin: for organizational/scientific lifetime achievement
  • Rudolf Heitefuß Award for Scientific Achievement: for special scientific achievements (regardless of age)
  • Julius Kühn Prize: for outstanding scientists under the age of 40
  • Young Talent Award: for first-class theses (Master's/PhD)
  • Honorary membership: for the special promotion of the integration of the DPG in scientific networks
  • Honorary pin: for special services to the DPG
Application deadline
(please refer to the statutes of the awards)
  • Anton de Bary Medal: November 30
  • Otto Appel Memorial Coin: December 31 before the DPST
  • Julius Kühn Prize: December 31 before DPST
  • Rudolf Heitefuß Award for Scientific Achievement: May 31 & November 30
  • Young Talent Award: December 31
  • Honorary pin: December 31
  • Honorary membership: March 1 before DPST

Cultivating discourse

Informative & up-to-date

Phytomedicine combines the science of plant diseases and damage with the practice of comprehensive plant protection. It is therefore of central importance for securing the population's food supply. It guarantees high-quality plant products in sufficient quantities. It creates the basis for adequate plant quarantine and safe trade in agricultural and horticultural products.

The core competencies of plant protection are integrated into interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary fields of interaction that include the economic as well as the ecological and social aspects of plant cultivation (consumer protection, occupational health and safety, environmental protection, product quality) and thus promote the sustainable development of plant cultivation systems in terms of increased production quality in a socio-economic and landscape-ecological context with the support of communication and advice.

This is why we actively and competently contribute to current discussions through our conferences.
 

Establish a network

Participative & cooperative

The DPG works together with numerous other organizations at various levels:

  • In joint working groups, there is personal, professional exchange between members of different specialist societies.
  • Partnerships reflect particularly close relationships between the DPG and friendly organizations. Agreements underpin the reliability of the relationships and their particular importance for both sides.
  • National and international umbrella organizations need strong partners in order to be able to implement common goals effectively. The DPG supports associations that are committed to plant protection issues.
  • The DPG already maintains informal relationships with some organizations for which phytomedical issues are important but for which no regular relationships exist yet, bringing the two together on special occasions (e.g. as part of the National Action Plan for the Sustainable Use of Plant Protection Products).

Connecting members

Experienced & non-profit

Our members base their work on the benefits for the common good. We are aware of the outstanding importance of plant protection for securing the nutritional basis of our population in a growing Europe and under the conditions of globalizing trade. The DPG's mission is to bring together a wide range of interest groups who, in their own special way, safeguard the nutritional basis of the population.

Every member represents the DPG externally through his or her activities and represents plant protection interests in public. Every member is therefore equally important to us in terms of achieving our statutory objectives.