The Institute of Ornamental and Medicinal Plants – Sofia is a subdivision of the Agricultural Academy, the only scientific unit in the country whose object of research is ornamental plants. Since 2018, with the adoption of the new Organizational Regulations of the Agricultural Academy, a new direction “Medicinal Plants” has been included in the scientific research work of the institute.

     At the Institute of Plant Breeding and Breeding – Sofia, scientific, applied and fundamental research is focused on the selection of flower crops, the study of wild species of local flora with decorative and medicinal value, maintaining a gene pool of ornamental and medicinal plants in in vivo, ex situ and in vitro collections, studying and preserving endangered wild species for the protection of biodiversity, developing technologies and technological elements for the cultivation and propagation of major flower crops – nutrition, disease and weed control, variety maintenance and seed production schemes, regulating plant growth and development, stress tolerance, schemes and protocols for in vitro propagation, etc.

     The expert, consulting and design activities carried out at the Institute of Plant Protection and Design – Sofia are on projects and programs in the field of ornamental and medicinal plants of national, regional and international importance;

      At the Institute of Ornamental Plants – Sofia, doctoral students are prepared to acquire the educational and scientific degree “Doctor” in the accredited scientific specialty “Ornamental Plants”, under the terms and conditions of the Law on Ornamental Plants of the Republic of Bulgaria, the Higher Education Act and the current regulatory acts;

      IDLR-Sofia cooperates with research, educational and other organizations in the country and abroad, is a member and participates in the activities of national and international scientific organizations.