79421 - Ornamental Plant Growing And Nursery Production

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student will be able to understand and connect agronomic, physiological, economic, technical and commercial knowledge about the production of cut flowers, flowering pot plants, foliage pot plants and nursery garden plants.

The student will acquired knowledge and skills not only as a technician but also as an entrepreneur for the cut flower, flowering pot plant, decorative foliage sector and nursery industry.

Course contents

Section 1: History of the sector, production and marketing (5 hours)

Characteristics of the sectors included in floriculture: cut flowers, green cut foliage, flowering pot plants, green pot plants, garden plants and shrub nursery production. Localization of the production areas, surfaces, evolution and trends of the ornamental plant industry; marketing systems and markets.

Section 2:Techical aspects of ornamental nursery (12 hours)

Hydroponics systems, hydrological and physical properties of growing media, chemical properties of growing media, growing media typologies, water management in ornamental nursery, nutrition management in ornamental nursery

Section 3: Rose: potted plants and cut flowers (20 hours)

General information, taxonomy and history, marketing and diffusion, morphology, breeding, propagation, rootstocks, factors affecting growth, production, post-harvest

Section 4: The Chrysanthemum (2 hours)

Section 5: Managing the size of potted plants (2 hours)

Section 6: Geophytes (15 hours)

Globalization of the flower bulb industry, geophyte biodiversity, botanical and agronomic aspects, florogenesis and dormancy, propagation and production, postharvest


Section 7: Seminars (8 hours)

Readings/Bibliography

- Powerpoint presentation used during the course

- Scientific papers suggested by the professor

Larson R.A., Introduction to Floriculture. Academic Press

Hartmann H. T., Kester D. E., Geneve R.L., Davies F.T., Plant propagation: principles and practices . Prentice Hall 2002. ISBN: 0136792359

Nav J., Perennial manual propagation and production. Ball Pubbl., Batavia USA, 1996.

Teaching methods

At presence learning in class plus learning activity through field visits and seminars on special topics.

Assessment methods

The learning assessment of this course will be carried out through a final oral test, which ascertains the acquisition of the expected knowledge and skills.

The oral assessment consists of 3 questions chosen from the contents of the course. The duration of the oral test is approximately 30 minutes. The final grade is awarded on the basis of the student's degree of preparation

Teaching tools

PC, projector, PowerPoint presentations, video / DVD.

Office hours

See the website of Giuseppina Pennisi