Seventy-two students from Czech and international universities and research institutions took part in the 33rd edition of the international student conference MendelNet. Hosted by the Faculty of AgriSciences at Mendel University in Brno, the conference provided a platform for presenting research findings across eight thematic sections. The award-winning projects covered a wide range of topics, including the use of remote sensing methods to monitor soil moisture, the development of functional foods, farm animal health, and the influence of landscape structure on common vole populations.

The international student conference MendelNet, organised by the Faculty of AgriSciences at MENDELU, is a long-established platform bringing together students, their supervisors and experts from various scientific disciplines. It focuses primarily on topics related to agriculture and natural sciences. Its main objectives are to encourage students to actively present their own research, share scientific knowledge and exchange experience. The conference is primarily intended for PhD students, but students enrolled in Master’s and Bachelor’s degree programmes are also welcome to participate. Taking part in the conference gives them an opportunity to develop their academic and presentation skills and establish new scientific contacts.

The international character of this year’s edition was reflected in the diverse range of participating institutions. In addition to Mendel University in Brno, the conference welcomed representatives of Masaryk University, the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, the Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, the University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Brno University of Technology and the University of Silesia in Opava. International participants represented institutions from Hungary, Poland, Türkiye, Pakistan, Ecuador and Ethiopia.

As in previous years, the conference also included a competition. Individual presentations were evaluated by expert committees, which assessed their academic quality, originality and contribution to their respective fields.

Students presented their research in eight thematic sections, each with its own winner:

• AgroEcology – Réka Döbröntey: Monitoring soil moisture content variability using remote sensing methods (MATE, Gödöllő)
• Animal Biology – Unqa Mustafa: Sprayable ciprofloxacin-loaded chitosan nanospheres-based topical formulation for eliminating multidrug-resistant bacteria and accelerating infected wound healing (MENDELU & NIBGE-C, Faisalabad)
• Animal Production – Anna Zuzanová: The effect of different physical forms of starter feed on rumen development of Holstein calves (MENDELU)
• Chemistry and Biochemistry – Štěpánka Mošťková Penčáková: Anthocyanin-Based Chitosan Films for Monitoring Chicken Meat Freshness (MENDELU)
• Engineering and Technology – Gabriela Dřínovská: Developing a Novel Functional Food: Chlorella vulgaris as a Natural Source of Bioactive Selenium (MENDELU)
• Plant Biology – Ema Holendová: Flax, fungi and cadmium: rewiring plant stress responses through symbiosis (MENDELU)
• Plant Production – Jan Veselský: Organic-acid-derived feather hydrolysate drives soil microbiome succession toward copiotrophic and putatively plant-beneficial taxa (IBP Brno)
• Wildlife Research – Ivo Adam: More than crops: Landscape structure shapes common vole (Microtus arvalis) populations in agroecosystems (MENDELU)

The topics of the award-winning presentations demonstrate the broad scope of contemporary agricultural and natural science research. In addition to exploring new ways of using natural resources and developing innovative materials, young researchers are also focusing on animal health, food quality, soil environments and the relationships between agricultural landscapes and wildlife.

Once again, MendelNet provided a platform for presenting emerging scientific talent, engaging in expert discussions and exchanging knowledge internationally. It also gave students the opportunity to present their research findings to the wider scientific community and discuss them in the context of the knowledge and experience of other young researchers from different countries.

Further information about the conference is available on the MendelNet 2026 website.

Photo caption: One of the presenters in the Chemistry and Biochemistry section presents her research findings at the MendelNet 2026 student conference. Photo: Monika Šarlejová.