HISTORY AND EVOLUTION OF THE PROGRAM

The graduate program in Agronomy/Plant Science (Fitotecnia) at UFLA is a pioneer in its field in Brazil, making it especially relevant. The Program is developed under the responsibility of the Department of Agriculture (DAG) of the School of Agricultural Sciences of Lavras (ESAL), at the Federal University of Lavras (UFLA), located in Lavras, MG. UFLA is considered one of the best universities in the country and has been ranked among the most qualified for years, reflecting a well-established institution. UFLA's excellence was reaffirmed in 2024. The result achieved in the General Course Index (GCI), an indicator that considers the quality of undergraduate and graduate programs, was published by the National Institute for Educational Studies and Research, Anísio Teixeira, from the Ministry of Education (acronym in Portuguese: Inep/MEC). The institution received the maximum rating (5), a performance it has consistently maintained since 2008. In the rankings, UFLA is the 10th best federal university in Brazil, the 12th among public universities, and the 3rd in Minas Gerais. Only 2% of Brazilian institutions fall within this top excellence range, reinforcing the university’s commitment to delivering quality education at both undergraduate and graduate levels.

UFLA is also highly ranked internationally, such as in the Times Higher Education (THE) University Impact Rankings, where in 2024 it was ranked in 9 out of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), improving its position in several of them, especially in SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), where UFLA was listed among the top 200 institutions worldwide.

The School of Agriculture was founded in 1908, and by the late 1960s, the Department of Agriculture was created. Even before having a graduate program, it was already a pioneer in developing research projects in partnership with the National Department of Agricultural Research (DNPEA) of the Ministry of Agriculture, and later with the Integrated Agricultural Research Program of Minas Gerais (PIPAEMG), which preceded the Agricultural Research Company of Minas Gerais (EPAMIG). As the School expanded and academic training and research grew in impact, alongside the increasing demand for highly specialized professionals due to Brazil’s rapid economic growth in the 1970s, the proposal for creating a graduate program emerged. It targeted an area of great demand and strategic importance to the country. At that time, several faculty members were on leave to complete their graduate studies, many abroad. Thus, efforts to implement the Master’s program in Plant Science began, and it was approved in 1974 through Official Letter No. 4177 of August 23, 1974, by the Ministry of Education.

The Graduate Program in Plant Science began in 1975, covering topics such as Fruit Crops, Coffee Growing, Plant Breeding, Vegetable Crops, Legumes, Tobacco, and Soils. In related fields, it included training in Statistics, Biochemistry, Plant Physiology, Genetics, Soils, Plant Health, Seeds, Agricultural Economics, Marketing, Irrigation, and Drainage. The Program included 40 professors and 3 researchers from EPAMIG. The Master’s program in Agronomy/Plant Science aimed to enhance professional training for higher education and agricultural research, contributing directly to the development of Brazilian agribusiness. In response to growing demand and impact, the Doctorate program was created in 1989, with the first dissertation defended in 1992.

Since its inception, graduates have had a significant impact and presence in both national and international agribusiness. By the end of 2024, the Program had led to the completion of 1,010 master's dissertations and 607 doctoral theses, highlighting its importance in human resource training. In addition to its national impact, the Program is highly focused on internationalization. Faculty exchanges have always been encouraged, with post-doctoral studies and participation in research projects with international institutions and researchers, both short- and long-term. Student mobility is also promoted, with students encouraged and prepared to engage in international research through programs like the CAPES Sandwich PhD Program (PDSE) and other partnerships abroad.

Since its foundation, the Program has trained specialized professionals in Plant Science, addressing the demands of agriculture based on technology and innovation, always considering sustainability and environmental responsibility. Early research projects aligned with the state’s agricultural profile, focusing on major crops such as corn, soybeans, beans, and coffee. Research in horticulture also stood out, targeting both large-scale and small-scale farmers, aiming to increase productivity. These efforts were influenced by the Green Revolution, which began in the late 1960s in the USA and guided agriculture in the following decades in both the USA and Brazil. Technological development thus served as a foundation for productivity gains in agriculture.

By the late 1970s, new crops such as tobacco, cotton, eucalyptus, and ornamental plants also became research priorities. Over time, research approaches have been refined to keep pace with global changes, shaping the education of graduate students through an integrated and multidisciplinary lens within Plant Science. This has made the Program solidified and highly regarded in the national agricultural field, with consistent and significant international presence of its students, faculty, projects, and publications.

New subjects and updates to course syllabi have been introduced to address environmental concerns, especially climate change and its impacts on agricultural production in tropical and subtropical regions. Topics such as biotic and abiotic stress and their mitigation, food security with nutritional awareness, and sustainability are central to both the research and curriculum. Studies on green areas, their characteristics and impacts, and emerging trends in urban agriculture have been developed to support quality of life in modern societies.

Today, the Program also incorporates studies in integrated agricultural production systems, sustainable use of natural resources in circular agriculture, and applications of advanced technologies, such as remote monitoring, automation, data science, drone usage, high-resolution imagery, and artificial intelligence tools applied to agriculture. These innovations are now part of the Program’s comprehensive thematic focus.

The main objective of the PPGAFIT is to train human resources for teaching, research, extension, management, education, and production in various areas of Plant Production, contributing to viable and sustainable agricultural development, with an emphasis on national and global agribusiness. Accordingly, the training offered by PPGAFIT seeks to:

1. Competently propose solutions to technical-scientific problems in its fields of knowledge;
2. Contribute to the development of innovative, economically and environmentally sustainable technologies and processes;
3. Develop and apply innovative educational processes that promote qualified human development and citizenship, aiming at solving societal problems and ensuring global food security;
4. Base scientific and pedagogical conduct on ethical and socially responsible standards.

To achieve these objectives, PPGAFIT is committed to the qualified training of students in master's and doctoral programs, focusing on teaching, research, and extension in Agronomy/Plant Science, within the Plant Production area. Considering the students’ background and potential, the Program promotes strong scientific and professional training to enable them to develop innovative science and technologies to solve real-world problems, considering economic, political, social, environmental, and cultural aspects, with an ethical and humanistic view of society. This comprehensive training prepares graduates to meet new challenges and continue contributing to Brazil’s prominent role in global agriculture.

In the final semester of the 2021–2024 quadrennium, 139 students were enrolled in the Program—83 doctoral and 56 master's students—most of whom received scholarships (95 in total) provided by public funding agencies such as CAPES, CNPq, and FAPEMIG, as well as some from EMBRAPA and private sector partnerships.

Program graduates come from diverse geographical, social, and academic backgrounds. They work in research and teaching at both undergraduate and graduate levels in Agricultural Sciences across Brazil and abroad, as well as in the private sector. The high percentage of successful alumni in their professional careers demonstrates the consistency and coherence of the Program and its faculty. Through graduate education, students are empowered to develop new technologies that enable increasingly efficient agricultural exploitation, improving quality of life and food production with sustainability and environmental conservation. Students are trained through interconnected teaching, research, and extension actions across various lines of the Plant Production area, acquiring the skills and competencies to perform with excellence in the job market.

All Program activities in teaching, research, and extension are guided by three major themes:

1. FOOD PRODUCTION FOR THE WORLD: The major challenge in the coming decades is to produce sufficient, safe, and economically viable food for the global population. Research focuses on increasing productivity through the development of high-yield, resistant, and adapted varieties, and establishing efficient production systems, from soil correction and seed production to techniques for greater tolerance to abiotic stress and plant protection.
2. SUSTAINABILITY AND CONSERVATION: Emphasizing land and water use in combination with sustainable production practices. This includes considerations of urban and rural development and their relationships with environmental, cultural, economic, and social conservation.
3. TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION AND BIOTECHNOLOGY: Encouraging the development and use of new and advanced production and data processing technologies, and the use of biotechnological techniques to boost productivity and efficiency.

PPGAFIT's activities range from research, prospecting, and improvement of new cultivars adapted to diverse tropical production systems, to studies of production systems from planting to harvesting of both major crops and horticultural plants. This includes specific seed production technologies and the application of biotechnological and advanced technological resources, incorporating various precision and digital agriculture tools. This broad scope, practical relevance, and innovative capacity place the Program at the forefront of scientific development, reaffirming its commitment to high-impact education and research for society.

Text prepared by the PPGAFIT 2021-2024 Coordination.