How to become a Horticulturist or Arborist
Official title: Horticulturist/Arborist
Also called: Arboricultural consultant, Arboriculturist, Arborist, Arborist (Consultant), Consulting arborist, Horticulturist, Arborist/Arboriculture Consultant, Head Horticulturist, Arboricultural consultant
Horticulturist/Arborist conducts research into horticultural crops and develops new and improved production methods. He/she performs experiments to improve plant growth, resistance to diseases and insect pests, adaptability to different soils or climates, yields, quality of harvest, etc. He/she studies planting, cultivating and harvesting methods and effects of rotation, drainage, irrigation and climatic conditions and develops improved methods of storage, transportation and processing of horticultural products. He/she advises farmers on selection of horticultural crops and methods of production.
Main tasks
- Collecting and analysing data and samples related to produce, feed soil, water quality and other production options
- Advising on techniques for improving the production of crops, livestock and fish, and alternative production options
- Advising on livestock and crop disease, control of pests and weeds, soil improvement, animal husbandry and feeding programmes
- Studying the environmental factors affecting commercial crop production, pasture growth, animal breeding, fish stocks and the growth and health of forest trees
- Studying the effects of cultivation techniques, soils, insects, diseases and fisheries’ practices on animal, crop, forestry and fisheries’ yield
- Researching into characteristics, use capability and productivity of soils and applying findings to development of improved agricultural, horticultural and forestry practices
- Developing procedures and techniques for solving agricultural problems and improving the efficiency of production
Pay · Outlook · AI and this job
- Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.
Related jobs
- Aquaculturist
- Agriculturist
- Biologist
- Zoologist
- Environmental officer (environmental protection)
- Environment research scientist
Not sure this is for you? Take the 2-minute career quiz
Questions people ask
Will AI change the work of a Horticulturist or Arborist?
Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.
Sources
- International Labour Organization, Generative AI and Jobs: A Refined Global Index of Occupational Exposure (ILO Working Paper 140, Gmyrek et al.) (ILO Working Paper 140, May 2025, Annex Table A1), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 4 October 2026
Updated 4 October 2026