It is with great regret and deep sorrow that we have to announce the sad news that on 8 June 2022 passed away our dear colleague Ing. Zdeněk Stehno, CSc.
Zdeněk graduated from the Faculty of Agronomy at the University of Agriculture in Prague and after completing his postgraduate studies in 1976, he joined the Research Institute of Crop Production in Prague – Ruzyně. His whole professional life was connected with wheat research and breeding. From 1985, he worked in the Genetic Resources Department, and from 1990 until his retirement in 2013, he headed the Genebank Department. He was curator of genetic resources of wheat, triticale and winter barley and responsible for the collections of VÚRV Prague – Ruzyně within the National Programme for Conservation and Utilization of Plant Genetic Resources and Agrobiodiversity. He was the principal investigator of a number of research projects. He published numerous scientific and technical articles, book chapters and books; he was also the author of the spelt variety Rubiota and the emmer variety Rudico. Zdeněk collaborated with many national institutions, research and breeding institutes and universities. He was also very active in promoting organic agriculture in the Czech Republic. He also cooperated with international institutions, e.g. CIMMYT, ECPGR, FAO, IBRA and others. We will miss him not only as an outstanding colleague but also as a friend and humble person.
ZS