At present principal activities of Research Institute of Plant Production Piešťany is:
- The main objective of RIPP activities is scientific research and development as well as scientific and technological services aiming at:
- regulation of factors conditioning and influencing the quantity and the quality of yield at main field and special crops;
- sustainable improvement and innovation of growing systems and technologies in plant production, including the integrated, alternative and ecological forms and considering the specific productive, soil, geographical, climatic, economic and ecological features of the regions and conditions of the environment;
- application of the principles of coexistence at utilisation of all the forms of growing technologies and biological materials, including the genetically modified plants;
- sustainable production of biomass and ways of biomass utilisation for energy production and for non-food purposes;
- effects and impact of climate change on the course of production process at the plant production and possibilities for an adaptation of agriculture to the change;
- ecologisation and biologisation of the plant production;
- non-production and landscape-forming functions of plant production and of agricultural production and their role in the rural life and development;
- collecting, studying, conservation and utilisation of plant gene pool for agriculture and nutrition;
- analyses of plant genotypes and phenotypes and their pathogens, relationship between them and creation of new biological materials with improved properties using the progressive methods;
- biotechnological procedures applicable in plant production and in agriculture, including the modifications of plant genomes;
- genetically conditioned tolerance and persistence of plants to negative factors of the environment;
- improving the quality, safety and functionality of food resources and their utilisation in animal production, foodstuffs and other sectors.
- Dissemination of knowledge and putting the research and development results into practice.
- Development, maintenance and improvement of the infrastructure for all forms of research and development.
- Coordination of the “National Programme on Conservation of Plant Genetic Resources”, operation of the “Gene Bank of the Slovak Republic”.
- Breeding the new varieties of field and special crops as well as some other plants, maintenance breeding of the registered cultivars utilised in the agriculture.
- Analytical activities in the fields of chemistry, biology, landscape formation and other, as related to the RIPP principal activities.
- Monitoring, surveying, collecting and analysing data and information used for making strategies, prognoses, outlooks, concepts, expertises, studies, proposals and syntheses in the fields of general and specialised plant production, agriculture and in the related research and development.
- 8. Advisory, evaluating and project-making activities for implementing innovative elements in research, development, plant production and agriculture.
- Control activities performed as accredited by the founder (i.e. Ministry of Agriculture of the Slovak Republic).
- Participation in making proposals and amendments of technical standards and other legislation within the scope of the principal activities.
- Acquisition and dissemination of scientific information for the needs of research, development, advisory service and practical users.
- Publishing and editing scientific, professional and popular literature and serials.
- Utilisation of the research results by the research workers and students in collaboration with the universities, for all types of education and post-graduate training.
- Educational activities (accredited, life-long and other forms of training) in agreement with the needs of research, development and practice.
- Active participation in the national and international cooperation in science and technology, in the international research projects, in the projects of international centres of research and development, in the activities of international organisations and authorities.
- Undertaking other activities with the objective to generate the RIPP´s own resources.
- Performing other tasks as demanded by the founder (i.e. Ministry of Agriculture of the Slovak Republic).
The Plant Production Research Center specialises in research on cereals, oil crops, vine grape, energy crops, medicinal and aromatic plants, forage crops, legumes and some special crops. Plant breeding aimed at winter and spring wheat, spring and winter oats, triticale and poppy is carried out by the Research and Breeding Stations at Malý Šariš and at Vígľaš-Pstruša.