This publication capitalizes on the experience of scientists from the North Africa and Near East countries, in collaboration with experts from around the world, specialized in the different aspects of greenhouse crop production. It provides a comprehensive description and assessment of the greenhouse production practices in use in Mediterranean climate areas that have helped diversify vegetable production and increase productivity. The publication is also meant to be used as a reference and tool for trainers and growers as well as other actors in the greenhouse vegetables value chain in this region.
FAO Plant Production and Protection Papers Greenhouse crop production is an increasing trend throughout the world, with some 405 000 ha of greenhouses spread across Europe. This publication builds on know-how and experience from the South East European region to serve as a guide for trainers and a technical reference for producers and other stakeholders.
This publication capitalizes on the experience of scientists from the North Africa and Near East countries, in collaboration with experts from around the world, specialized in the different aspects of greenhouse crop production. It provides a comprehensive description and assessment of the greenhouse production practices in use in Mediterranean climate areas that have helped diversify vegetable production and increase productivity. The publication is also meant to be used as a reference and tool for trainers and growers as well as other actors in the greenhouse vegetables value chain in this region.
Successful vegetable production in a modern competitive market requires an understanding of many more factors than the biology of crops and the production techniques involved. This major new textbook brings the science and practice of vegetable production right up to date by addressing modern culture techniques and the recent challenges of consumer demand facing producers today. It introduces vegetable production from the perspective of producing high quality produce that satisfies the needs of the modern consumer. Beginning with the basics of how vegetables are grown using high and low input methods, including organic and sustainable production techniques, the book goes on to introduce and discuss many topics covered less comprehensively in older texts, including Good Agricultural Practices to improve quality, reduce biological contamination and secure food safety; water management; cropping systems; plasticulture; protected culture and mineral nutrition. Vegetable Production and Practices also introduces the use of molecular biology for genetic improvement of crops. Issues specific to individual vegetable crops are addressed by family, including their diseases, harvesting, quality attributes and other issues of increasing importance to consumers, including the role of vegetables in human health. Professor Gregory E. Welbaum has a long history of teaching successful courses in horticulture at Virginia Tech and other universities in the US and worldwide. Vegetable Production Practices has been specifically designed to accompany courses in vegetable crop production, so is ideally suited to inspire students in crop and horticultural sciences, as well as provide a useful reference for experienced practitioners.
Growing for 100 - the complete year-round guide for the small-scale market grower. Across North America, an agricultural renaissance is unfolding. A growing number of market gardeners are emerging to feed our appetite for organic, regional produce. But most of the available resources on food production are aimed at the backyard or hobby gardener who wants to supplement their family's diet with a few homegrown fruits and vegetables. Targeted at serious growers in every climate zone, Sustainable Market Farming is a comprehensive manual for small-scale farmers raising organic crops sustainably on a few acres. Informed by the author's extensive experience growing a wide variety of fresh, organic vegetables and fruit to feed the approximately one hundred members of Twin Oaks Community in central Virginia, this practical guide provides: Detailed profiles of a full range of crops, addressing sowing, cultivation, rotation, succession, common pests and diseases, and harvest and storage Information about new, efficient techniques, season extension, and disease resistant varieties Farm-specific business skills to help ensure a successful, profitable enterprise Whether you are a beginning market grower or an established enterprise seeking to improve your skills, Sustainable Market Farming is an invaluable resource and a timely book for the maturing local agriculture movement.
A comprehensive guide to the basics of growing greenhouse cucumbers, this manual aims to assist Australian greenhouse growers in the development of good agricultural practices. This manual contains science-based information in a simple to use format that is relevant to a basic greenhouse horticultural enterprise to controlled environment horticulture. CONTENTS About this manual List of tables Introduction to greenhouse cucumber production Growing cucumbers Optimising production Greenhouse design and technology Hydroponic systems and technology Feeding the crop Plant nutrition Cucumber disorders and their management Cucumber diseases and their management Cucumber pests and their management Pesticides, sprays and their use in cucumbers Marketing and handling of cucumbers Waste management Health and safety in the greenhouse Some resources and further reading
Greenhouse horticulture is one of the most intensive agricultural systems, focusing on the production of high-value products. This book presents current research findings that cover a wide range of new technologies and novel agricultural practices, which are preconditions for successful production in a very competitive global environment.
This second volume on the topic will be extremely useful for the researchers and postgraduate students working on vegetable crops with a special focus on climate change. Today, the entire world is suffering from global warming and its consequent, climate change. This has emerged as the most prominent global environmental issue and there is an urgent need to mitigate its impact on agriculture. Over the past 20 years South Asia has had a robust economic growth, yet it is home to more than one fourth of the world’s hunger and 40% of the world’s malnourished children and women. Persistent climatic variability, which results in frequent drought and flood, is among the major reasons for this phenomenon. Vegetables are in general more succulent (have 90% water) and more sensitive to climatic vagaries and sudden changes in temperature, as well as irregular precipitation at any phase of crop growing, can affect the normal growth, flowering, pollination, fruit setting, fruit development and fruit ripening which eventually decreases the yield. The irregular precipitation also causes the soil salinity and is a major challenge in many vegetable growing areas. To mitigate the harmful impact of climatic change there is an urgent need to develop adequate adaptation strategies for adverse effect of climate change and preference should be given to the development of heat, cold, drought, flood and salinity stress tolerant genotypes along with climate proofing through conventional and non-conventional breeding techniques, as well as exploiting the beneficial effects of CO2 enhancement on crop growth and yield. Available evidence shows that there is high probability of increase in the frequency and intensity of climate related natural hazards due to climate change and hence increase the potential threat due to climate change related natural disasters in the world. At present protected cultivation and grafted seedlings are also popularizing among vegetable growers because of the huge scope as well as, molecular breeding, emerging insect-pests & diseases and postharvest quality of vegetables under this climate change scenario. Moreover, underexploited vegetables, perennial vegetable and tuber crops have a more tolerant ability to climate vagaries compare to major vegetables which are also discussed in this book.
This book is a review of the recent literature on the key scientific and technical subjects of fertilization management in vegetable crops. In the last decades, research on fertilization management in vegetables was aimed at producing economical yields with reduced fertilizer inputs by the development and implementation of cropping systems, nutrient management approaches and crop varieties. Examples of the interventions in cropping systems included adequate crop rotations, inter-cropping, double cropping, and other strategies for a better soil organic matter management; nutrient management approaches included modelling, Decision Support Systems, crop nutritional status testing and precision agriculture technologies; amelioration of crop varieties has been directed toward higher nutrient/fertilizer use efficiency.
Sustainability is defined as the use of natural resources without risking their exploitation by future generations. Agriculture can only be considered as sustainable if it includes a suitable system of plant genetic resources conservation. In this book, the modern concepts of agricultural sustainability and the economics of agricultural sustainability are discussed. A new framework for analysis and improvement of the governance of agrarian sustainability is presented. In addition, specific modes for environmental governance in Bulgarian agriculture are identified and the efficiency of market, private and public modes are assessed. Furthermore, the regulation measures through nutrient solution regulation and environmental control on nitrate accumulation in vegetables are summarised, highlighting the control strategy. Arguments for and against government strategies to promote large-scale agricultural units in emerging economies are also analysed and an economic theory that models agricultural supply in emerging economies is presented. Other chapters in this book describe the role of fluorescent pseudomonads in soil fertility, biodegradation of agricultural pollutants, plant growth-promotion, biocontrol of weeds, phytopathogens and nematodes. Information about the global relevance of China's and Australia's cotton industries are also given, and the structure and other significant features of their cotton industries are compared. The main characteristics and importance of plant growth-promoting bacteria in sustainable agriculture in tropical agriculture are looked at as well. Developing alternative ways to control plant disease, with good agronomic and horticultural practices is becoming the focus of many researchers. This book also includes information on ways to control plant diseases in order to maintain the quality and abundance of food produced by growers around the world.
