Paul Liechti

Paul Liechti (born February 12, 1866 in Bern ; † February 24, 1927 there ) was a Swiss agricultural chemist . From 1897 to 1924 he headed the Swiss Agricultural Chemical Institute in Liebefeld near Bern.

Live and act

Paul Liechti studied chemistry and pharmacy at the University of Bern . In 1890 he passed the state examination in pharmacy . In 1891 he received his doctorate with the dissertation "Studies on the fruit peels of Garcinia Mangostana" and graduated as a food chemist .

From 1888 to 1892 he worked as a research assistant , from 1891 to 1893 as a private lecturer in forensic chemistry . In 1892 he joined the agricultural-chemical test and control station at the University of Bern as an adjunct . In 1895 he was elected to the board of this station. From 1897 to 1924 he was director of the newly founded Swiss Agricultural Chemical Institute in Liebefeld near Bern (today: Agroscope Liebefeld-Posieux Research Institute ). At times Liechti also worked as a federal coin validator .

The increase in crop yields of agricultural crops was Liechti's central research topic . In extensive container and field tests, he primarily examined the effectiveness of new mineral fertilizers and examined their effects on soil fertility . Many of his experiments are considered to be pioneering work in agricultural chemistry, both in terms of the applied scientific methodology and the results achieved. He made notable contributions to agriculture in Switzerland through the fact that numerous cultivation recommendations derived from his scientific findings were implemented by farmers in operational practice.

Liechti published the most important results of his research in the Swiss Agricultural Yearbook . During the First World War and in the post-war years he was one of the leading agricultural experts in his country.

Liechti was entitled to reside in Landiswil .

Publications (selection)

• Studies of the Garcinia Mangostana fruit peels. Diss. Phil. Univ. Bern 1891.
• About fertilization trials. In: Agricultural Yearbook of Switzerland. Vol. 10, 1896, pp. 276-283.
• About rational use of artificial fertilizers. In: Agricultural Yearbook of Switzerland. Vol. 14, 1900, pp. 75-101.
• On the question of meadow fertilization. In: Agricultural Yearbook of Switzerland. Vol. 18, 1904, pp. 491-530.
• Contemporary fertilization issues. In: Communications from the Society of Swiss Farmers. Issue 2, 1915 (presented at the congregation on February 12, 1915).

literature

• Georg Wiegner: Paul Liechti. In: Swiss Agricultural Monthly Bullets. Vol. 5, 1927, pp. 113–121 (with picture in front of p. 113 and list of publications).
• Paul Liechti, agricultural chemist. In: Swiss Lexicon in six volumes. Vol. 4, 1992, p. 295.

Web links

• Luc Lienhard: Liechti, Paul. In: Historical Lexicon of Switzerland .