1. Introduction to vegetable production
o Introductory concepts - Object of vegetable production
o Global production of vegetables
o Production of vegetables in Greece
o The climate of Greece in relation to the development of
vegetable crops
o The economic importance of vegetable crops for Greece
o Problems of Greek vegetable production
o Quality and nutritional value of vegetables
o Integrated and Organic vegetable production and their
application in practice
o Classification and summary presentation of vegetables
based on common characteristics (phylogenetic relations, edible part,
temperature requirements, needs for flower induction, method of pollination
of flowers, method of propagation, duration of biological cycle)
2. The effect of aerial and soil environment on vegetable
production
o Impact of aerial and root environment on vegetable crops
o Effect of air components, solar radiation, temperature,
humidity and wind on vegetable crops
o Influence of soil characteristics (depth, particle size
distribution, humidity, temperature, acidity, organic matter, relief) on the
growth of vegetables
o Substrates used in soilless culture of vegetable crops
(peat, compost, coconut, perlite, rockwool, pumice)
3. Cultural practices in field vegetables
o Outdoor vegetable growing techniques - General
information
o Conventional outdoor cultivation (characteristics,
growing seasons, early)
o Cultivation with soil cover, low tunnel, shading
o Organic outdoor cultivation
4. Cultural practices in greenhouse vegetables
o General information
o Feasibility of growing vegetables in the greenhouse.
o Construction characteristics of greenhouses (shape,
dimensions, frame, cover materials)
o Greenhouse equipment (ventilation, heating and energy
saving systems, shading, cooling, CO2 enrichment, artificial lighting)
o Shade netting greenhouses
o Hydroponic vegetable cultivarion - Feasibility, nutrient
solution preparation facilities, hydroponic cultivation systems
5. Vegetable cultivation
o Ways of propagating vegetables - Types of vegetable
propagating material, intrinsic and rude propagation, legal framework for
the production and marketing of vegetable propagating material
o Seed germination temperature
o Soil treatment
o Soil disinfection
o Plant establishment with direct sowing and transplanting
o Vegetable nurseries - Ways and means of sowing in
nurseries
o Vegetable grafting
o Densities and distances for sowing or planting
vegetables
6. Fertilization of vegetables
o Fertilization of vegetable crops
o Availability of nutrients in vegetable crops
o Calculation of vegetable needs in nutrients
o Diagnosis of plant nutrition disorders through leaf
diagnostics
o Basic fertilization, hydro-fertilization and foliar
fertilization of vegetables
o Fertilization in organic and hydroponic vegetable crops
7. Irrigation of vegetables
o Irrigation of vegetable crops
o Vegetable irrigation needs
o Ways and techniques of irrigation of vegetable crops
o Characteristics of vegetable irrigation systems
o Irrigation dose and irrigation frequency adjustment
o Irrigation water quality
8. Crop protection
o Weed control - plant protection of vegetable crops
o Climate control in greenhouse vegetable crops
o Application of plant regulators in vegetable crops
o Pruning - support of vegetable crops
o Assisting fruit set in greenhouse crops
9. Harvesting and postharvest technology of vegetables
o Vegetable harvesting techniques
o Cleaning, sorting and packaging of vegetables
o Transportation of vegetables
o Post-harvest maintenance and storage of vegetables
10. Cultivation of fruit vegetables with emphasis on
tomato, cucumber and watermelon
o Current status and importance of crops
o Imports, exports and prospects
o Installation and cultivation techniques in the
countryside and the greenhouse
o Harvesting, sorting, packaging, transport and
post-harvest maintenance
11. Cultivation of root vegetables with emphasis on
potato, carrot and onion
o Current status and importance of crops
o Imports, exports and prospects
o Installation and cultivation techniques
o Harvesting, sorting, packaging, transport and
post-harvest maintenance
12. Cultivation of leafy vegetables with emphasis on
lettuce, cabbage and spinach
o Current status and importance of crops
o Imports, exports and prospects
o Installation and cultivation techniques
o Harvesting, sorting, packaging, transport and
post-harvest maintenance
13. Cultivation of perennial vegetables with emphasis on
asparagus and artichoke
o Current status and importance of crops
o Imports, exports and prospects
o Installation and cultivation techniques
o Harvesting, sorting, packaging, transport and
post-harvest maintenance
The course aims to familiarize students with the current situation and prospects of outdoor and indoor vegetable production, the nutritional value of vegetables, the economics of cultivation, the techniques of cultivation using modern technologies, as well as postharvest handling of vegetables.
Upon successful completion of the course the student will be able to:
Recognize different vegetable cropsBecome familiar with farming practices applied in outdoor and greenhouse vegetablesKnow the cultivation particularities of the main fruit, leafy and root vegetablesBecome familiar with postharvest handling of vegetables
Suggested Bibliography in Greek Language:
• Σάββας, Δ. (2016). Γενική Λαχανοκομία. Εκδόσεις Πεδίο
• Ολύμπιος, Χ. (2015). Η Τεχνική της Καλλιέργειας των
Υπαίθριων Κηπευτικών. Εκδόσεις Αθ. Σταμούλη, Αθήνα.
• Χα, Ι.Α. & Πετρόπουλος Σ. (2014). Γενική
Λαχανοκομία και Υπαίθρια Καλλιέργεια Κηπευτικών. Πανεπιστημιακές Εκδόσεις
Θεσσαλίας, Βόλος
Suggested Bibliography in English Language:
• Pearson, C. J. (1992). Field crop ecosystems. Elsevier,
UK.
• Peirce, L. C. (1987). Vegetables. John Wiley and Sons,
UK.
• Resh, H. M. (1998). Hydroponic Food Production.
Woodbridge Press, California, USA.
• Wien, H. C. (1999). The physiology of vegetable crops.
CABI Publishing, UK.
Related academic Journals:
• European Journal of Horticultural Science
• Scientia Horticulturae
• Journal of Horticultural Science and Biotechnology
• Journal of the American Society for Horticultural
Science
• HortScience
• Folia Horticulturae
• Horticulturae
• Notulae Botanicae Horti Agrobotanici Cluj-Napoca
• Acta Horticulturae
• HortScience
• Agriculture
• Plants
• HortTechnology
• Peirce, L. C. (1987). Vegetables. John Wiley and Sons,
UK.
• Resh, H. M. (1998). Hydroponic Food Production.
Woodbridge Press, California, USA.
• Wien, H. C. (1999). The physiology of vegetable crops.
CABI Publishing, UK.
- Συναφή επιστημονικά περιοδικά:
• European Journal of Horticultural Science
• Scientia Horticulturae
• Journal of Horticultural Science and Biotechnology
• Journal of the American Society for Horticultural
Science
• HortScience
• Folia Horticulturae
• Horticulturae
• Notulae Botanicae Horti Agrobotanici Cluj-Napoca
• Acta Horticulturae
• HortScience
• Agriculture
• Plants
