Fourth-year students majoring in "Soil Science and Agrochemistry" at the Faculty of Ecology and Soil Science of Baku State University (BSU) are currently completing their industrial internship at the Vegetable Research Institute under the Ministry of Agriculture.

During the internship, students are familiarized with the Institute’s various departments and laboratories. In the Agro-Technology Department, they learn about soil selection, land preparation, sowing and planting, and agronomic care practices for vegetable and melon crops in both open fields and greenhouse environments. The Selection Department introduces them to the selection of initial materials and the creation of new varieties and hybrids through different breeding methods.

At the Seed Production Department, students study the principles of primary seed production for local and regionalized crop varieties. In the Greenhouse Vegetable Growing Department, they gain insights into the technologies for cultivating tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, cucumbers, and lettuce under protected conditions, as well as their breeding and seed production processes.

The Functional Analysis Laboratory provides training on plant fertilization regimes, physiological indicators, and the analysis of soil, plant, and water samples, including determining agrochemical residue levels. In the Processing, Storage, and Quality Laboratory, students learn about the modern methods of processing produce, artificial and natural drying techniques, and preservation practices.

In the Plant Protection Laboratory, students study the application of various methods to combat harmful organisms. At the Agrobiotechnology Laboratory, they are introduced to the microclonal propagation of potato plants via the apical meristem method, leading to the production of healthy and pure plant lines. These plants are then used in the Potato Growing Department for the development of new potato varieties and their cultivation technologies.

One of the highlights for students is working with state-of-the-art equipment, such as the ICP-OES device for detecting various macro- and microelements in plants, soils, and water, and the gas and liquid chromatography systems for pesticide residue analysis. Additionally, they focus on determining dry matter, extractive substances, sugar, starch, nitrate content, and more in different organs of vegetable plants. Students also carry out analyses to detect nitrite, sulfate, and chloride ions in water samples during their time in the laboratories.

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