Josip Priol
Josip Priol was the leading pomologist in Slovenia, studying fruit types and diseases, fertilisation, sorting, storage and the development of new fruit varieties.
Since 1919 he had worked as a technical teacher at Viticulture and Fruit School in Maribor. After having passed the professional exam in 1924, he started teaching fruit growing (pomology) and in 1928 became the headmaster of the school. In 1946 he was appointed headmaster of the newly founded Slovene Institute for Fruit Growing in Maribor.
He organised courses for teachers of primary schools, farm masters and housekeepers. He participated at many fruit exhibitions and congresses, where he reported about his biological experiments with fruit trees.
He cultivated several varieties of apple trees, among which also the renowned Priol`s Delicious in 1967. Moreover, he published more than 250 professional articles and a number of independent publications and text books.