Anna Keutgen

Anna Keutgen is a full Professor and Head of the Institute of Horticulture at the Department of Crop Science, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Austria. She holds a doctorate in Agricultural Sciences from the University of Bonn and completed her habilitation in Horticulture in Poland. Her academic career includes leadership roles at institutions in Poland and research positions in Germany. She is actively engaged in research, teaching, and knowledge transfer in horticulture and sustainable agriculture.

• PhD in Agricultural Sciences, University of Bonn, Germany (2000)
• Habilitation in Agricultural Sciences (Dr. hab.), Research Institute of Pomology and Floriculture, Skierniewice, Poland (2010)
• Venia Legendi in Quality of Plant Products, Georg-August University, Göttingen, Germany (2008)

Anna Keutgen's research focuses on horticulture, plant nutrition, organic farming, specialty crops, food chemistry, and sustainable agricultural systems. Her work spans plant physiology, post-harvest quality, biopharming, and innovative production methods such as vertical farming and agrivoltaics. She investigates the impact of environmental factors, cultivation practices, and processing on the nutritional and sensory quality of vegetables, fruits, and ornamental plants. A significant portion of her recent research explores microgreens, intercropping systems, and stress responses in crops.

Her recent publications reflect a strong emphasis on plant quality, stress physiology, and sustainable production. Key themes include nutrient management in microgreens, antioxidant properties of tomatoes and potatoes, intercropping effects on yield, UV-C treatment impacts on berry quality, and in vitro propagation of medicinal and horticultural plants. The research integrates physiological measurements (e.g., chlorophyll fluorescence), phytochemical analysis, and agronomic trials.

• Individual Rector's Award of the Second Degree for Outstanding Scientific Achievements, UTP Bydgoszcz (2011)
• Group Rector's Award of the 1st Degree for Outstanding Scientific Achievement, UTP Bydgoszcz (2010)
• Scientific Prize of the Isolde Voigt Foundation for research on Phytophthora-tolerant tomato varieties (2004)

Anna Keutgen leads multiple externally funded research projects on topics including crop-responsive greenhouse systems, Xylella fastidiosa resistance, CO2 enrichment, and specialized growing media. She supervises student theses and collaborates with national and international partners. She is also active in public outreach, contributing to media discussions on ecological gardening, urban agriculture, and sustainable food systems.