|
During previous decades there may have been little or no scientific exchange between the countries of Eastern and Western Europe, but I am convinced that in the different Eastern European countries important fundamental work has been done in the frame of improvement, diagnostics, biological control and other topics of research. Western Europe might have had more technological possibilities and the identity of their company structures. We, researchers and lecturers are asked to put ourselves at the service of reality and progress. The plant´s evolution, its genotypical value and its being influenced by automation and artifice in order to get the desired phenotype, exceed boundaries and ideas. This never ending going on of the integrated plant production researcher, manager and producer can only be understood on a basis of skill, private initiative and, last but not least, love. Micro and macro economics specialists are able to forecast the evolution for certain cultures and to sensibly contribute to the farm´s profitability. Unfortunately, weather forecasting - of utmost importance for outdoor cultivation - largely remains a guessing game. In this field, the grower´s own $quot;horse sense$quot; and his $quot;Fingerspitzengefu¨hl$quot; are and remain largely respected and are - in this context-definitely faster and maybe more finetuned than what may be expected from theoretical chemists and geneticists. Continuous confrontation of first rate agricultural and scientific expertise of specialists, in cooperation with critical-minded people having practical experience and counsellors, should result in scientifically founded interventions, contributing to the producer´s social security and to guaranteed qualitative consumer food products. I would venture to call this mastering of the bio-identity $quot;plant$quot; by the bio-identity $quot;man$quot; an art. Let us hope that our individual assignment or status, together with knowledge and insight, may also lead to personal and family welfare and that the three economic sectors may contribute to prosperity in the horticultural world. How can we imagine for a moment the tickling reflection our parents would have if they could come back in ten years´ time. Without intensive study and application it is impossible both to have the motivation and to keep pace with technology. However, our possible optimism and new technological possibilities should not mean the revolution to bankruptcy for the younger generation, but a wise and encouraged evolution, based on experience and respect for previous generations. Typically during this period, i.e. with the fiftieth celebration of the liberation still in our mind, at which moment we, possibly by mistake, walked to different directions, forces us to reflection and modern joint venture formation. Our actual intense collaboration is a clear proof that the world would look more beautiful if people should help each other
|