72659 - Vegetable Crops

Learning outcomes

Provide knowledge on physiology, cultural methods and on improvement of yield and quality of vegetables grown in open field and greenhouse, with an extensive overview of sustainable cropping systems

Course contents

A) Prerequisites

B.Sc.

B) Syllabus Content

A general overview on vegetable cropping systems will be given using as a reference the tomato crop (open field tomato, greenhouse tomato, on soil grown tomato, soilless grown tomato, table tomato and tomato for processing). The main issues stressed will be:

Soil management and rotations

Seedling production

Planting methods

Water management and irrigation

Nutrient management and crop fertilization

Fertigation and soilless culture

Greenhouse and its management in Mediterranean Regions

Technical practices in horticulture (e.g. mulching, pruning)

Physiology of horticultural crop production with particular regard to stress response mechanisms

Readings/Bibliography

Notes of the lectures.

Teacher will provide the PPT presentations of the lectures throughout the  Course. The “Coming soon … FAO Paper “ Good Agricultural Practices for Greenhouse Vegetable Crops – Principles for Mediterranean Climate Areas”.

Indications on specific subjects will be provided upon request.

Teaching methods

Lectures, seminars, lab activities

Assessment methods

A final exam will check the acquisition of knowledge and skills by: 1) a PPT presentation on a topic chosen by the candidate dealing with vegetable crops, and 2) an oral exam consisting of 2-3 questions chosen within the teaching units. Through the PPT presentation, are recorded: the ability to study a topic covered in class, critical analysis in dealing with issues related to the horticultural production, the capacity for synthesis. Through the oral examination is ascertained the general preparation of the course. The duration of the oral examination is estimated at around 30 minutes.

The final grade is assigned based on the degree of preparation of the student and especially about its capabilities and critical connection between different subjects.

In addition to the official dates of exams, the teacher is available by appointment by e-mail, for weekly exam sessions (preferably on Wednesday), consistent with the institutional and research commitments.

Teaching tools

PC, projector, PowerPoint presentations (PPT), video / DVD.

Office hours

See the website of Giorgio Prosdocimi Gianquinto