Agrobiological Faculty

Department of Crop Growing

Key facts & figures


History of the Department of Crop Growing

The Department of Crop Growing began its educational and scientific-methodological activity in 1898, as part of the agricultural division of the Kyiv Polytechnic Institute (KPI), as one of the leading departments of the agronomic faculty.


One of the first organizers of the agricultural division at KPI — and the first head of the Department of Crop Growing (which he led for 20 years) — was Professor Petro Rodionovich Slozkin. His scientific work focused on studying methods to improve soil fertility, applying rational fertilization systems for agricultural crops, and improving technologies for their cultivation. One of his significant achievements was the establishment of the first seed-control station in Ukraine.


Below is a list of those who have headed the department over time:

  • Professor Petro R. Slozkin (1899–1919)

  • Professor V.V. Koltunov (1918–1921)

  • Academician M.K. Malyushitsky (1921–1932)

  • Academician V.P. Zhivan (1935–1941)

  • Associate Professor V.D. Sakalo (1944–1946)

  • Corresponding Member of the Academy of Sciences T.T. Demidenko (1946–1958)

  • Professor M.O. Zelensky (1959–1960)

  • Professor M.G. Horodniy (1961–1982)

  • Professor M.A. Bilonozhko (1982–1991)

  • Professor O.S. Ustymenko (1991–1995)

  • Associate Professor D.M. Alimov (1995–1998)

  • Corresponding Member S.P. Tanchyk (1999–2002)

  • Professor S.M. Kalenska (2002–2006)

  • Associate Professor L.M. Yermakova (2006–2008)

  • Professor S.M. Kalenska (2008–present)


In July 2009, based on evaluation of educational-methodological, scientific, and other activities, the Department of Crop Growing was recognized as the best graduating department among higher education institutions under the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine in the training direction “Agronomy (6.090101)”, and received a diploma for 1st place in the competition.


Academic programs and educational scope

The department trains specialists at the “Bachelor” level at various faculties of NUBiP — agribiology; plant protection; biotechnology and ecology; economics; agrarian management; information technologies; electrification and automation of agricultural production; pedagogy; offers continuing education; and in NUBiP’s colleges (Bobrovytsia Agrarian-Economic College; Mukachevo Agrarian College).


For Bachelors the department provides courses such as:

  • Crop Growing

  • Technical Crops

  • Seed Science

  • Programming Yields of Agricultural Crops

  • Technology of Crop Production


For the Master’s program in “Adaptive Crop Growing” the department offers courses like:

  • Seed Science of Field Crops

  • Technology of Seed and Propagation Material Production

  • Features of Crop Cultivation Technologies in Organic Farming

  • Adaptive Technologies in Crop Growing

  • Energy Plant Resources

  • Forecasting and Yield Programming of Field Crops

  • Agrocenology

  • Innovative Technologies in Crop Growing

  • Biometry


The effective realization of the educational process is supported by heads of laboratories and lab assistants; in particular, a significant contribution to the establishment of the department’s laboratory base was made by the head of the laboratory, L.M. Kotrechko.


Every year the department graduates 15–20 highly qualified Masters, who successfully find employment in leading domestic and international enterprises of various forms of ownership.


Staff and scientific-pedagogical personnel (as of the reference time)


Currently the department staff includes: two professors (Doctor of Agricultural Sciences S.M. Kalenska; Doctor of Biological Sciences D.B. Rakhmetov); ten candidates of agricultural sciences (associate professors): M.Ya. Dmytryshak, L.M. Yermakova, A.V. Yunyuk, O.V. Bachynskyi, V.M. Mokriyenko, N.V. Novytska, L.A. Harbar, T.V. Antal, L.M. Honchar; senior lecturer L.D. Karpenko; O.I. Shutyi; V.S. Pylypenko; assistant V.P. Cherniy.


Research, teaching-methodical and scientific output


  • In 2002 the department established a scientific school of Doctor of Agricultural Sciences, Professor S.M. Kalenska. This school continues the ideas of previous generations — professor M.A. Bilonozhko and associate professor D.M. Alimov.

  • The department’s staff performs significant educational, scientific-methodical and research work: organises scientific-production conferences, seminars and meetings on crop production issues using modern information technologies; provides consulting services on cultivation technologies, product and seed quality, methods for their determination to farms of various ownership forms; develops technological maps for crop production; prepares business plans; provides services for inspection and diagnostics of crop plantings; provides services determining causes of insured events and size of damage in the crop-growing sector.

  • Over the last 10 years, the department team has published more than 35 textbooks and manuals on crop production technology, seed science, general crop growing, technical crops, etc. Their research materials were used in 20 monographs and about 500 scientific articles. The department secured over 40 patents and authors’ certificates.


Notable scientists of the department


  • Professor Petro R. Slozkin — one of the first organizers of the agricultural division at KPI and first head of the Department of Crop Growing; under his leadership, the first seed-control station in Ukraine was established.

  • Professor M.K. Malyushitsky — follower of Slozkin’s scientific ideas, who continued theoretical and practical research in crop growing.

  • Professors such as V.P. Zhivan contributed significantly to agricultural science before the Second World War, improving cultivation technologies for collective and state farms and preparing agronomical personnel for the demands of large-scale agriculture.

  • Corresponding Member T.T. Demidenko — a distinguished scientist in physiology, agrochemistry and crop science; under his leadership the department deeply studied physiological and agrochemical foundations of nutrition of grain, technical and forage crops, methods for managing their growth, development and productivity; he paid great attention to training scientific-pedagogical staff.

  • Professor M.G. Horodniy — under his leadership from 1961 to 1982, the department directed scientific activity towards development of progressive technologies for cultivation of technical crops; he personally prepared 25 doctors and candidates of agricultural sciences.

  • Professor M.A. Bilonozhko — continued the theoretical and applied research of his predecessors, working on improving intensive cultivation technologies (corn, sugar beet, wheat, buckwheat) and biological methods; during his tenure the department trained 19 candidates and 4 doctors of agricultural sciences.

  • Professor O.S. Ustymenko — studied root systems’ morphology, anatomy and physiological role in nutrient uptake for crops like corn, wheat, perennial grasses; he earned over 10 copyright certificates and prepared 5 candidates of agricultural sciences.

  • Associate Professor D.M. Alimov — known for developing a method of evenly distributed sowing of grain and technical crops, with 9 inventor’s certificates, and authoring textbooks and six educational manuals for agricultural higher education institutions.

  • Professor S.M. Kalenska — current Head of the Department; Corresponding Member of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine (NAAS); head of the Scientific-Methodical Commission at the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine (MON) for “Agrarian Sciences and Veterinary Medicine”; member of expert commissions; she supervises both educational and scientific work, and under her leadership the department has prepared 1 doctor and 33 candidates of agricultural sciences. She authored/co-authored over 375 publications including ≈ 30 monographs; holds 7 patents; authored many textbooks, methodological guides, normative documents, programs; her works have been used widely.