In the recent decades, the structure of Hungarian agriculture has undergone significant transformation. Between 1990 and 2022, the number of farms decreased from 1.4 million to 241,000. After the political transition, large-scale collective farms were replaced by small- and medium-sized private holdings; however, later a renewed trend of concentration emerged, especially in arable crop production. By 2022, the share of arable farming rose to 66.8%, while the proportion of horticultural and plantation farms declined.
In terms of land ownership, medium-sized farms (5–300 hectares) became dominant, while small-scale farming lost ground. The share of large farms also significantly decreased, with land use becoming increasingly concentrated in the hands of mid-sized operators.
The extent of agricultural land has continuously declined, whereas forested areas expanded. The proportion of land withdrawn from cultivation has increased, primarily due to urbanisation and infrastructure development. Kitchen gardens have almost disappeared, and vineyard, orchard, and grassland areas have also shrunk.
Changes in cropping patterns were shaped by market conditions and climate factors: the cultivated area of cereals – especially wheat and rye – declined, while sunflower and rapeseed production expanded. The area under most vegetable and fruit crops decreased, with only a few newer crops (e.g., broccoli, zucchini) showing growth.
The average yields of major crops generally improved due to technological advancement. However, climatic extremes – particularly the severe drought of 2022 – caused substantial declines in productivity.

In the 2024 growing season, I examined the smart parameters of five different genotypes of maize hybrids within the framework of a long-term field experiment. The research focused on the germination dynamics, dry matter accumulation in relation to the useful heat units, and the analysis of individual NDVI and SPAD values of the plants.
The cooling that occurred during the two weeks following sowing posed challenges for the hybrids, yet the adaptive strategies of the different genotypes were clearly observable. The dynamics of germination and the rate of dry matter accumulation highlighted the diversity among the genotypes, offering significant potential in terms of yield and harvest timing.
The Kabanero hybrid performed exceptionally well, emerging the earliest and reaching the highest final dry matter content. The Synopsis hybrid showed dynamic adaptation: although its initial germination was slower, it later accelerated, resulting in balanced dry matter accumulation. Dueling hybrid exhibited the most equal germination and the highest number of emerged plants, coupled with a continuous increase in dry matter content, leading to stable growth. Indem1012 hybrid was sensitive to the drop in temperature, resulting in delayed germination, yet it still achieved significant dry matter accumulation. Kabaretto hybrid emergence equal and although it maintained a lower dry matter content until physiological maturity, it produced the highest average yield, demonstrating its excellent yield potential.
NDVI analysis revealed that all hybrids reached their highest values during the V12 phenological stage, reflecting healthy plant development. The SPAD value analysis showed similar patterns for the Kabanero, Synopsis, and Dueling hybrids, with peak values measured at the V12, silking, and R4 stages. In the Indem1012 and Kabaretto hybrids, high SPAD values were recorded during the V12 stage, followed by a decrease during silking, and a subsequent increase at the R4 stage, indicating the hybrids' adaptability.
Overall, the diverse performance of the studied maize hybrids provided valuable insights into the relationships between germination dynamics, dry matter accumulation, and physiological development, highlighting the potential inherent in genetic diversity.

In Hungary, seeds can only be placed on the market after obtaining official certification. This ensures the availability of high-quality seeds, which are considered a fundamental prerequisite for successful crop production. High-quality seeds also form the basis of food production, as only seeds of superior quality can achieve the maximum yield potential of a given variety. As part of the official seed certification process, the National Food Chain Safety Office (NÉBIH) conducts small-plot post-control tests at the Monorierdő Variety Post Control Station. The purpose of these tests is to verify the varietal identity and purity of the seeds.
This study examines the 2024 variety post control results for five sunflower hybrids. Seed samples obtained from certified seed lots underwent an official progeny testing procedure after sowing. Where their morphological and phenological traits were compared to the official variety descriptions. Throughout the growing season, multiple field inspections were performed, and the resulting homogeneity data were analyzed using statistical methods. The five tested hybrids exhibited varying degrees of homogeneity, but all remained within the error limit accepted by the authorities. Among them, the N3 hybrid proved to be the most homogeneous, as a significant portion of the samples achieved 100% genetic purity. In contrast, the N5 hybrid showed the greatest variability. Variance analysis revealed a significant difference in homogeneity values among the hybrids. These differences may be attributed to genetic and cultivation technology factors, such as genetic instability and/or mechanical mixing. A more precise identification of these factors (refining the system) could help seed growers to producers higher-quality products, increasing the genetic value of their varieties on the seed market.

The extremely hot summer weather in 2024 provided favorable conditions for the heat sum-based evaluation of maize hybrids. At the University of Debrecen's Látókép Experimental Station, we evaluated the development, dry matter accumulation, and water loss dynamics of five hybrids with different FAO numbers (P9398, P9944, P9975, P0450, P0710).
Based on the results, hybrid-specific physiological maturation and dry matter accumulation could be well monitored as a function of the useful heat sum. The dry matter and grain moisture values determined during sampling allowed for accurate characterization of the water loss rate, which showed significant differences between the hybrids. The timing and duration of the intensive water loss phase are decisive for the harvest date and drying costs. Heat sum-based monitoring is a reliable tool for determining the phenological stages of maize hybrids and can contribute to the optimization of cultivation technology in a changing climate.

Climate change poses increasing challenges for maize production. Climate change is particularly noticeable in Hungary. When growing maize hybrids, special attention must be paid to nutrient and water supply. Irrigation development and the installation of irrigation systems are key elements of precision maize cultivation. One such intensive technology is drip irrigation, which ensures efficient crop production in a planned and controlled manner. This precision irrigation technique delivers water directly to the root zone, optimising water supply. The movement of nitrogen in the soil, which is necessary for yield formation, is highly dependent on irrigation. Monitoring the nitrogen supply of plants provides important information. The most commonly used methods for this are the SPAD and NDVI indices, which have a wide range of applications.
The tests were carried out at the Látókép Experimental Station of the University of Debrecen, where all the conditions are in place to carry out important analyses by comparing accurate measurement data collected over many years. This time, the subject of the study was the FAO520 maize hybrid. Based on the long-term experiment results, the H520 maize hybrid has good phenotypic characteristics, a stable structure, high yield potential, good adaptability, and fast water release dynamics. The yield of the H520 maize hybrid is excellent in irrigated cultivation (21.41 t/ha). The dry matter accumulation dynamics of the hybrid are outstanding. The grain moisture content at harvest was very favorable, at 13.9%.

In recent years, corn stem base rot has received less attention, primarily due to advancements in breeding activities. However, given the increasing climatic extremes and the intensification of cultivation technologies, it remains crucial to address this syndrome, as it significantly impacts yield. The inoculum persisting in the corn stalks left on the field poses a threat to subsequent crops in the crop rotation, increasing protection costs. The aim of our research was to rapidly and quantitatively assess the resistance of corn stalk rind under different tillage systems. Our results indicate that the severity of stem base infection varied across tillage practices. The lowest infection rate was observed in conventional tillage (12%), whereas strip-till systems exhibited significantly higher levels (24.5%). Although stalk breakage did not occur by the end of the growing season, plants affected by stem base rot produced 12.5% lower yields compared to healthy ones.

The development of precision agriculture and digitalisation has brought significant changes in agricultural technology and data-driven decision-making. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and multispectral imaging technologies are effective tools for monitoring plant populations and detecting stress conditions (abiotic, biotic). Vegetation indices (NDVI, GNDVI, NDRE, LCI) provide detailed information about the physiological state of plants and the spatial distribution of stress factors. In the research conducted at the University of Debrecen, the ’MV Nádor’ winter wheat variety was examined in combinations of different tillage methods (autumn ploughing, strip tillage) and different nutrient supply treatments. During the multispectral data collection, high-resolution UAV images were used, which were analysed using the QGIS GIS software. The application of nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium) and tillage methods had a significant impact on vegetation indices, which reflected the health status and homogeneity or heterogeneity of the plants. The results mean that higher nutrient levels showed more favorable growth and homogeneous plant stand. During the statistical analyses, we infer the spatial effects of stress factors based on the standard deviation and variance values. The values of NDVI and GNDVI indices showed an increasing trend with increasing nutrient levels, especially in the case of the 160 kg/ha nitrogen treatment, which ensures more uniform development. Based on the LCI and NDRE values, we obtained a much higher variance and SD value for the 160 kg N/ha treatment applied in autumn ploughing than for strip cultivation. Based on the data, precision technologies enable more sustainable and predictable crop production.