In 1966, Department of Plant Classification with three laboratories including 1. Classification of Higher Plants,, 2. Classification of Lower Plants, and 3. Classification of Fungi and Bacteria, was established at the Iranian Research Institute of Plant Protection (then was called Plant Pests and Diseases Research Institute). In 1979, following reorganization of the institute, the department was renamed to "Department of Botanical Research". Bacteriology research was then separated from this department and was included in the “Department of Plant Diseases Research”. In 1997, the department was renamed again to “Department of Botany”. This department, which was the founder of research on the taxonomy of fungi and plants within the Ministry of Jihad-e-Agriculture of Iran, keeps a rich collection of vascular and non-vascular plants, algae, fungi, lichens, weeds, and fungus-like organisms, and has a unique position throughout the country particularly in terms of the plant protection research issues.
1. Identification of fungi and plants important in plant protection research issues.
2. Monitoring and detection of new species of fungi and plants entering the country (specially the quarantine species), and studying their distribution in Iran.
3. Collection, documentation, and preservation of fungi and plants in "IRAN" herbarium to meet the scientific, research and educational requirements.
4. Providing services to all scientific research centers in the field of identification of fungi, fungus-like organisms, lichens, algae and plants, especially weeds and plant seeds.
5. Cooperation and coordination with organizations and research institutes/universities to conduct joint research projects on biological diversity of fungi and plants.
6. Production of research software to facilitate identification and characterization of fungi and plants inhabiting various substrates.
7. Documentation and preparation of online databases for fungi and plants.
8. Publication of scientific findings in the form of articles, books, monographs and lectures.
9. Participation in food security and food safety issues through:
- Identification of fungi and plants which are harmful to human health, e.g. fungi producing mycotoxins on agricultural products and foodstuffs.
- Identification of fungi and plants decomposing industrial pollutants, released from power plants, refineries and nuclear energy centers.
- Identification of fungi and plants important in biological control to minimize the risks of chemical pesticides.
- Identification of fungi and plants playing important role in increasing soil productivity, reducing soil erosion, and increasing agricultural crop resistance against drought and salinity, e.g. mycorrhizal fungi, endophytic fungi, and symbiotic plants.
- Identification of fungi and plants threatening monumental relics by biodeterioration.
1. Implementation of over 200 individual and/or joint research projects.
2. Discovering and introducing 372 new taxa (including 196 plants and 176 fungi) for the world.
3. Producing 814 botanical research articles in renowned domestic or foreign journals along with publication of many scientific monographs.
4. Production of thirteen research softwares (Electrobotany).
5. Mentoring and supervision of over 100 MSc and PhD theses.
6. Receiving 20 international and national scientific awards for outstanding research activities in systematics and biodiversity of fungi and plants in Iran.
7.Publication of the scientific journal 'Rostaniha' (Botanical Journal of Iran) since 2000 in 16 volumes and 48 numbers. It is a biannual and bilingual (Persian & English) journal that is included in some important international (ISI, BIOSIS, CABI etc.) as well as national (ISC, Iran Journal, SID, Magiran etc.) database indexing systems.It was twice (2014 and 2016) awarded the best and high-ranked journal of the Ministry of Jihad-e-Agriculture of Iran.
1. Execution of various research projects on identification of fungi and plants important in plant protection research issues.
2. Monitoring and detection of new species of fungi and plants entering the country (specially the quarantine species), and studying their distribution in Iran.
3. Collection, documentation, and preservation of fungi and plants in "IRAN" herbarium to meet the scientific, research and educational requirements.
4. Providing services to all scientific research centers in the field of identification of fungi, fungus-like organisms, lichens, algae and plants, especially weeds and plant seeds.
5. Cooperation and coordination with organizations and research institutes/universities to conduct joint research projects on biological diversity of fungi and plants.
6. Production of research software to facilitate identification and characterization of fungi and plants inhabiting various substrates.
7. Documentation and preparation of online databases for fungi and plants.
8. Publication of scientific findings in the form of articles, books, monographs and lectures.
9. Permanent cooperation and exchange of information with similar national and international research centers in order to advance the knowledge of plant identification.
10. Supervising and consulting students’ theses and conducting specialized training courses.