The Institute carries out fundamental scientific research, scientific and applied research, innovative and consulting activities in the field of breeding, seed production and technologies for growing forage crops.

Institute of Forage Crops has one scientific department: “ Selection and Technology „.

The Scientific Department „Selection and Technology“ works in the field of:

  1. Genetic resources (varieties, populations, lines, branches, etc.) – development and preservation of annual and perennial legumes and grasses;
  2. Development of new varieties of annual and perennial legume and grass forage crops in different areas of use;
  3. 3. Seed production, variety maintenance, methodical control of certified varieties and candidate varieties;
  4. 4. Crop production and pasture farming, including: development of technologies for growing forage crops in the conditions of sustainable and biological forage production and creation of highly productive sown meadows and pastures, improvement, maintenance and use of natural pastures;
  5. 5. Plant protection: development of an integrated system of management and control of pests in forage crops (diseases, weeds and insects);
  6. Biochemical evaluation, forage quality and nutritional value of annual and perennial forage crops.
  7. Institute performs expert, consulting and design work on projects and programs in the field of breeding, seed production and technologies for growing forage crops of national, regional and international importance;
  8. Institute carries out educational activity by preparing doctoral students for the acquisition of the educational and scientific degree „PhD“ in accredited scientific specialties under the conditions and according to the order of the Law for the development of the academic staff in the Republic of Bulgaria, the Law on Higher Education and the current normative acts;
  9. Institute carries out educational activities by training specialists and conducting courses to increase the qualifications of persons who are employed in the field of forage production and crop production.

The following varieties have been created at the Institute of Forage Crops:

  • Medicago sativa– Pleven 1, Pleven 6, Pleven 13, Obnova 10, IFK Victoria, Storgozia, IFK Vit, IFK Vera, IFK Dara and Dama
  • Spring forage pea – Pleven 4 and Kerpo
  • Winter forage pea – Pleven 10 and Mir
  • Spring vetch – Tempo
  • Dactylis glomerata – Dabrava
  • Festuca arundinacea – Albena
  • Bromus inermis – Nika
  • Lolium perenne – Harmony
  • Agropyron cristatum – Freshness
  • Agropyron desertorum – Morava
PhotosMembers:Scientific interests:Curriculum Vitae and scientific production
Prof. Natalia Georgieva Anastasova, PhD
Head of scientific department
E-mail: imnatalia@abv.bg
Organic farming, Biologically active substances, Energy efficiency, Water deficit, Allelopathy, Genetic resources and breeding



Prof. Ivelina Mitkova Nikolova, PhD
E-mail: imnikolova@abv.bg
Entomofauna of forage crops; Insect pest activity; Tolerance/resistance; Organic insecticides; Integrated insect pest control



Prof. Daniela Varbanova Kertikova, PhD
E-mail: d_kertikova@abv.bg
Breeding and seed production of alfalfa, forage pea and vetch



Prof. Anelia Ilieva Katova, PhD
E-mail: katova@hotmail.com
Plant Breeding, seed production and variety maintenance of perennial forage grasses: perennial ryegrass, tall, meadow and red fescue, crested and standard wheatgrass, smooth brome, etc. for different directions of use (forage and decorative purposes); breeding methods - hybridization, incl. and remote, selection for high productivity, quality and ecological stability, polyploidization, flow cytometry



Assic.Prof. Plamen Atanasov Marinov-Serafimov, PhD
E-mail: plserafimov@abv.bg
Optimization of different methods of weeding (chemical, biological, integrated control systems and alternative methods); Biological and economic threshold of the harmfulness of weed species, a critical period of weeding of agricultural crops; Selectivity and efficiency of herbicides, possibilities to overcome the phytotoxic effect of herbicides in forage crops; Allelopathic relationships between weed species and crop plants; Allelopathic tolerance of forage crops to typical weeds; Overcoming induced seed dormancy in Sorghum species to increase their competitiveness against typical weeds; Overcoming induced seed dormancy in Sorghum species to increase their competitiveness against typical weeds.



Assic.Prof. Valentin Ivanov Kosev, PhD
E-mail: valkosev@hotmail.com
Heterosis manifestations and degree of transgression, Analysis of the inheritance of quantitative traits, New methods for creating initial material for selection, Ecological stability and adaptability, Determining the genotype by phenotype without changing generations



Assic.Prof. Irena Asparukhova Golubinova, PhD
E-mail: golubinova@abv.bg
Selection and seed production of annual and perennial cereal and leguminous crops (sorghum, sudangrass, broomcorn, birds trefoil), allelopathic potential, allelopathic tolerance, tolerance to drought, nutritional and anti-nutrient substances in grain and feed, brittleness of grain



Assis.Prof. Ina Stoycheva Mavrovska, PhD
E-mail: ina7777@abv.bg
Synchronization of estrus by hormonal preparations and artificial insemination of sheep. Early induction of estrus and artificial insemination; Nutrition with balanced rations; Quality, energy and protein nutrition and digestibility of forages, Methods to increase the quantity and improve the quality of milk from sheep. Pasture management for ruminants



Assistant Marko Kolaksazov
E-mail: m.kolaksazov@gmail.com
Low-temperature stress in plants; Formation of reactive oxygen species and induction of oxidative stress and methods for their determination; Еnzymatic and non-enzymatic аntioxidant defence system; Аbscisic acid and jasmonic acid as phytohormones of the stress regulation; Photosynthesis. Light phase, PSII and PSI, photosynthetic pigments and lightharvesting complexes. Methods for measurement of the photosynthetic activity: chlorophyll fluorescence and uptake of СО2.



Assistant Ivanina Vasileva, PhD
E-mail: Ivanina_vasileva1@abv.bg
Cultivation of microalgae, Separation and analysis of proteins, Enzyme assays, Lipid extraction, Spectroscopic analyses, Physiological-biochemical analyses



Assistant Sevdalina Dimitrova
E-mail: siskata_78@abv.bg
Plant breeding and seed production



Assistant Krasimir Zahariev
E-mail: kzahariev@abv.bg
Innovative computer technologies for
agricultural production; Computer and
communication techniques and technologies
for monitoring agricultural crops; Internet of
things, intelligent systems, and artificial
intelligence systems to help agricultural
production