100 - year birth anniversary
of Doc. dr. ing. Karel Osvald

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Prof. ing. Václav Fric, DrSc.

Doc. dr. ing. Karel Osvald

Our hop public together with brewers remember this year as a 100 year birth anniversary of a foremost personality of Czech hop-growing and founder of Hop research institute, prominent breeder of Saaz semi-early red-bine hops Doc. dr. ing. Karel Osvald.

He was born on 19th September 1899 in Domoušice, district Louny, as a son of Karel Osvald and Albína born Rígrová from Domoušice. Father who was a Schwanzenberk accountant at local forest office died when he was three years old. After finishing elementary school in Domoušice at the age of 11 he entered grammar school in Louny where he graduated in 1917. After graduation he had to join the army where he finished in November 1919. Before joining the army he had applied to Agriculture academy in Tábor where he started studying when he returned. Because the academy was closed down he transferred to Agriculture engineering college in Prague which he completed with second final exam in 1921.

After short working experience at farm in Jeneč near Prague he joined as an expert assistant the biological institute of State research institutes in Prague. In 1922 he was appointed an assistant of department for plant improvement at Agriculture college in Prague and was charged with running the selection station in Uhříněves. In 1924 he started working as an assistant at this department (current faculty). After entering the college he succeeded in obtaining grants for foreign travels. On 26th May 1922 he received grant of Ministry of agriculture of 6.000 Kč for a trip to Germany, Denmark and Sweden and by his college he was awarded a scholarship of 9.000 Kč for a visit of the same countries.

As an assistant for plant improvement Karel Osvald was entrusted by Ministry of agriculture with management of the breeding work at the agriculture research facility in Deštnice on 1st January 1926. Under his leadership selection work in hops began in 1927. That year 130 plants were chosen at different cultivation locations: Deštnice, Domoušice, Solopysky, Pnětluky, Rakovník and Louny. The selection of plants in this extent was extraordinary for that time. Thanks to Osvalďs thorough knowledge of local area in the center of Saaz region and his breeding talent he succeeded in creating a foundation for a body of work that is used as a basis for the research work of next generations of breeders till today by gathering wide and various genes-fund of this region. When entering the grounds of breeding it is necessary to stress one of many characteristics of Osvalďs personality which pervades through his whole career - his close contact with hop-growers and the entire hop base.

Karel Osvald's Matriculation Certificate

Other characteristic of Osvalďs personality was his attitude to work and his effort for self-education as well as his great will to unveil the laws of nature. It can be documented solely by the number of events in his curriculum vitae, to which are added further stages of forming of his expert profile. In 1927 he defended his dissertation work with a topic " Variable statistics of width of wheat straw" and he was awarded doctorate in technical sciences. He succeeded in securing the experimental material for his project when he worked as a head of selection station in Uhříněves and as an expert assistant for plant improvement.

In 1927 Osvald received a grant of 1 0.000 Kč from the National- economy institute at Czech academy of sciences for a three month trip to Germany and England in order to enhance his knowledge of hop breeding.

He had the opportunity to meet with research and breeding experts of these countries. Undoubtedly a very important event was a meeting with Prof. dr. Salmon, well-known genetic engineer who amongst other findings also discovered a gene which holds content of alpha bitter acids.

After returning from his travels dr. ing. Karel Osvald was appointed an inspector of biological institute of State agriculture research institutes in Prague and Ministry entrusted him again with managing the breeding operation in Deštnice in 1928. This particular stage in his life needs to be understood also in a political context. The first decade of existence of an independent Czechoslovakia had its specifics. There were land reforms in the agriculture area and in the first half of 1920's there was a boom which was suddenly replaced by an overall economic depression.

Dr. Karel Osvald's Diploma from Vysoká škola zemědělského a lesního inženýrství

Ministry of agriculture created a net of research stations covering whole of Czechoslovakia in 1920's. A specific region as Žatec was at the time however missing on the map of these stations. First meeting at the Ministry discussing the establishment of a research station focused mainly on hops took place in 1922. The unforgettable merit in this sphere belonged to Prof. Jelínek, the head of department for plant improvement and leading representative of State research institutes in Prague, where Osvald worked as an assistant and Prof. dr. Alois Matoušek, head of departments at Ministry of agriculture and professor of special plant production at Agriculture college. One of Prof. Matoušek topics in his special plant production lessons was also hop-growing.

Within 1922 and 1924 many meetings took place at the Ministry of agriculture about creating a research station in the hop region. These meetings came to a positive conclusion in 1925 when the Ministry bought the Deštnice farm for this particular purpose. 1925 is being marked as the date of foundation of state guaranteed research for a hop industry. Newly founded station passed through all initial stages, the usual so called " children diseases". It manifested itself in looking for an expert research program, where dr. Osvald had his merits, as well as in frequent changes of the management. The first manager was ing. Vojtěch Zicha who remained in this position until 14lh September 1927. Since 15th September 1927 ing. Václav Rosam was charged with managing the station and he continued at this post until 3rd June 1929. He was followed by ing. Ladislav Černík who remained in this position until the end of 1931.

Indisputably the agriculture research station in Deštnice made its way due to Osvalďs effort and expert erudition in a relatively short time under conditions of an overall economic depression. Osvald understood very early that the Czech hop industry, should it play any role in existing competition of the world market had to rely on two basic aspects which are characteristic for hops of this region. Above all it is quality and effectiveness of hops of Czech origin.

In his work "Analytical study of Saaz hops", which he published in edition of papers of Agriculture research institutes in Prague, no. 36 in 1926 Osvald focused on the quality side of hop cones. This particular study had a summary in French and German. He followed the rich tradition of Czech hops and first efforts of gaining selections such as Semš hops or work of some brewing experts, especially former work of Chodounský, who began to study hops quality systematically using mechanical analysis. Chodounský focused on comparison of Czech, Moravian and foreign hops. He mastered the issue of hop evaluation based on external characteristics especially in the case of spindle whose size, fold and number of stages he considered to be hereditary signs. Even though Chodounský did not work with pure variety material, his assumptions later extended by Osvald were well-founded with regard to mechanical characteristics. In the aspect of chemical analysis he followed the work of prof. Šatava and dr. Stádník.

Harvesting the hops at the Research Station at Deštnice in 1926

Osvald in his "Analytical study of Saaz" hops started to work as he mentioned with variety pure material. He stuck to the material he selected himself and in such way he guaranteed exactness and reproducibility of results. Osvald also collected wide series of analysis of mechanical signs as well as chemical analysis according to progressive and new methods of chemical hop evaluation at that time. He prepared a methodology for mechanical evaluation of hop cones that is still applied and enables the comparison of characteristics of Saaz semi-early red-bine hops with the initial Osvalďs material. Osvalďs scientific fidelity and exactness of results is to his credit. This study became a foundation for his later evaluation system. When elaborating on this study we have to underline another important and for its time truly progressive aspect - the use of variation statistics as the means and method of evaluation. Osvald utilized his experience from his doctorate dissertation which he applied to the hop research.

Orientation towards the quality characteristics of Czech - Saaz hops proved itself to be absolutely correct in the following decades. It closely corresponded with the needs of brewers at the time when the world Czech brewing school was highly credited in breweries all around the world. This fact was also very significant for the existing competition of hops of foreign origin, especially German. Efforts to replace Saaz hops that was considered the quality standard and the most valued product on the market, were even then very strong. Thanks to the merit of Osvalďs work of that period as well as the approach of the brewing research the position of our hops was not only successfully defended but also secured for a long time.

Aside from the quality characteristics Osvald knew of a need to secure also the effectiveness of Czech hops. He never diverted from the position of quality, however he not only observed the level of yields he also kept it as one of the conditions in his breeding work. Selections, which he carried out from the rich genes-fund of our region were evaluated also for a yield. It is interesting that Osvald never tried generative breeding although he had an opportunity during his travels to meet new methods of hop breeding especially the English school of Prof. Salmon, who was at the top of world genetics in hops. Today we can only assume an answer to these questions. Firstly he had a rich genes-fund to choose from, on the hop market aroma hops was an replaceable raw material that was fully suitable for brewing technology of that time. As he later said in his study from genetics the foremost reason for this was a fact that materials created by cross-breeding did not produce very satisfactory results in overall quality of the product, especially aroma.

Osvald was in his breeding work consistently using method of positive selections which he complemented with a wide net of field tests. The structure of hop industry at that time was based especially on a small-scale production. Osvalďs remarkable ex1ensive contacts with growers, his admirable work attitude, consistency and humbleness were precious and at the same time a fundament for an ex1raordinary authority enjoyed by him amongst growers. In March 1931 he moved to Deštnice and as of 1. January 1932 he took over the management of the research station and his further life was closely connected with the existence of this station.

In 1932 Osvald supplied for the first time the seedlings to growers, where they were tested in practical growing. There is a mention of several growers - B. Škuthan of Úlovice, V. Lapka of Hřivice, V. Vaic of Třeboc etc. It was considered an honour for a grower to be entrusted with some of Osvalďs tests. Serving as an evidence of this fact are numerous letters which survived until today and are shown at an exhibition installed for this occasion.

We would immensely narrow down the perception of Osvalďs personality if we talked only about his primary scientific area. Osvald was very knowledgeable in hops, he could answer any question asked by a wide spectrum of growers. There was no issue in which Osvald would not participate, discussing such issues at meetings, conventions and consultations. Very significant was also his work in expert hop commission founded in 1932 by agriculture commission in Prague and later his work in central hop commission founded by Association of Czech growers.

His writing activity was also very ex1ensive. His contemporary and a friend Ctibor Blattný characterized Osvalďs personality as a man who knew a lot, worked a lot and wrote too little. Despite this statement his literary legacy is extraordinary. Here is a short summary:

• Mid value of width of a wheat straw (1925)
• Variation statistics of width of a wheat straw (1927 - dissertation)
• Effect of location on degree of variability of economic characteristics of winter wheat (1929)
• Analytical study of Saaz hops (1929)
• Value of hops and fertilisation (1930)
• Results of hop testing (1937)
• Moisture content in hops (1937)
• Testing of new hop varieties (1940)
• Hops and fertilisation using phosphor acid (1941)
• Hop colour (1942)
• How hop value changes during harvest time (1942)
• Study from hop genetics (1944 - habilitation project 1946)
• Results of test with full fertilisation and three stem culture (1945)
• Hop growing (1946)

The collection of his popular - scientific and expert articles in various magazines is countless. Since the founding of magazine "Český chmelař" in 1927 until the end of his life he published 194 articles there and another 60 articles were published in "Čsl. zemědělec" and in "Zemědělské noviny".

If we have mentioned the fact that Osvalďs life was inseparably connected to the research station we have to return to the further existence of the station after 1932 when dr. Osvald took over its management. This station was by the request of Hop association in Žatec renamed to Hop research station in 1936. At that time dr. Osvald prepared an evaluation order for hop competitions (commercial evaluation, mechanical and chemical analysis). He co-operated in editing of various materials published at different occasions or events such as hop fertilisation, hop drying, protection against perenospora or pests. His standpoint on the issue of varieties and hop colour was decisive.

By the decision of Ministry of agriculture in 1938 the Hop research station was moved to Rakovník in October 1939. Some reports of that period say that dr. Osvald succeeded in moving all biologically valuable material to Rakovník, some reports deny this fact. In Rakovník new breeding tests were established on a small rented plot of land. In addition to the tasks connected with hops the station also researched the issues of vegetables, fruits, herbs and some special plants (tobacco, paprika). In 1941 a field test facility was added to this station.

In 1940 Osvald became a member of Czech agriculture academy. In 1942 he was awarded first prize of Fejfar hop order for two of his projects "Hop colour" and "Testing of hop varieties".

After the liberation in 1945 dr. Osvald took over the farm in Deštnice again and at the same time began negotiations for acquisition of a building for Hop research station in Žatec, which was after great difficulties acquired in 1947. In 1946 he submitted his habilitation work "Study of hop genetics" and after a successful habilitation meeting he was awarded veniae docendi of special plant production by Agriculture and forestry engineering college in Prague on 27th May 1946.

Indisputably the pivotal work of his life was the habitalitation project which could characterise his overall work. In this work he describes genetic base of hops of Czech origin, variability and its importance for hop selections, he is evaluating possible appearance of mutants and draws attention to the origination of new types of plants that are usual products of genetic process. In detail he analysis the issue of location modifications and the effect of the environment. In this particular work he also characterises and evaluates the task of selection (individual, group, positive and negative). He devotes an entire chapter to cross-breeding and evaluates its importance for hop breeding and he also assesses the variability of plant effectiveness of a clone and population.

We can find many instructive conclusions and valid rules in Osvalďs genetic study. And since these are the rules of general and lasting validity we have chosen some of his thoughts:

"Our cultures are such a genetic mix that the growing conditions are always suitable for a certain group of plants, which give satisfactory yield and balances out lower yields of other groups of that year".

"Current hop cultures are a mix of vegetative posterity of various genetic origin. Issue of varieties is absolutely unclear and we can talk neither of Czech old-saaz red-bine hops nor of Semš hops. Semš hops originates from old-Auscha hops which comes from old-Saaz hops. Today the cultures of hops are thoroughly mixed, even though there are no great differences between neighbouring plants in a hop- yard. Hops are plants that can adopt to growing conditions since the soil and the climate lends them a certain character".

Composition of hops varieties in selected years, according to ÚKZÚZ data (area in ha)

"Primary aim of our selection is the increase of yield, and also improvement of quality if possible. The stress is above all on the yield, since yields of our hops are the lowest in the world. Quality of Czech hops is well-known, especially its unique aroma which gained a great reputation for these hops".

"Only such clone is suitable for the following hop cultures whose yield correlation curve is wide, which can bear wide fluctuations of intensity of vegetation factors, i.e. which is flexible".

In the literary work of Osvald we can still find an advice. Yet it is not only his literary legacy that is important. The most valuable are the results of his breeding work -Osvalďs clones which are the leading varieties even today.

On 16th April 1948 Doc. dr. ing. Karel Osvald suddenly died in the age of 48. He left unforgettable legacy to the Czech hop-growing industry. When the Czech hop research was evaluated on the occasion of 70 years of its beginning in 1995, this particular stage in the research was named the Osvalďs stage. Osvalďs successors in hop breeding and the entire hop public have always respected his work and it is also the credit of the next generation of hop-growers and especially the Osvald breeding school that these materials were registered as individual varieties which are an assurance of the quality of fine aroma hops.

The hop public, the town of Žatec and most distinguished representatives of science, Agriculture and forestry engineering college in Prague and prominent representatives of Ministry of agriculture of that time and many hop organisations paid tribute to Doc. dr. ing. Karel Osvald at the last farewell. The farewell was probably the warmest and most dignified one in the modern history of Žatec.

We cannot conclude this recollection better than by using the words of one of the prominent representatives of growers of that time Mr. Pihrt: "You were devoted to your region, to its special plant - hops and hop growing was and will be devoted to you"

The hop public will meet on 21st September 1999 in Chmelařský institut, s.r.o., a successor of Hop research station that Osvald founded for an expert seminar dedicated to life and work of Doc. dr. ing. Karel Osvald and will honour his legacy and a lasting contribution to a current stage of Czech hop-growing.