• Terminology, introductory concepts and definitions. Historical review. Prospects of soilless cropping production in greenhouses.
• Soilless culture systems (closed or open soilless cropping systems, growing on substrates or in water culture systems, growing on bags, pots, containers, channels, NFT, floating hydroponic system, aeroponics, other soilless growing systems).
• Equipment for hydroponic crops (systems for preparation - supply of nutrient solution and collection of the drainage solution, substrate containers, automatic control systems for fertigation of soilless crops).
• Substrates for hydroponic crops (definitions, physical and chemical properties of substrates, water retention curves of substrates, impact of substrate hydraulic conductivity on water availability in substrate-grown crops
• Special description of substrates: sand, perlite, rockwool, pumice, vermiculite, expanded clay, other volcanic materials, synthetic porous materials, peat, coconut compost, tree bark, sawdust, by-products of agricultural industries, etc.).
• Preparation of nutrient solution. Properties of nutrient solutions, composition of nutrient solutions, required fertilizers, difficulties in preparing a nutrient solution with a desired composition, achieving desired values of electrical conductivity, pH and ratios of nutrients, automation of the process of preparing nutrient solutions.
• Control & adjustments of nutrient solution in open soilless cropping systems (regulation of total concentration of salts and pH in the root environment, adjustment of nutrient ratios, impact of nutrient solution on the quality of horticultural crops grown in soilless production systems, impact of environmental conditions on plant nutrition in soilless cropping systems.
• Management of plant nutrition, and readjustment of nutrient solution composition in closed soilless cropping systems. Accumulation of salts in closed soilless cropping systems and concepts to deal with the problem towards minimizing its impact on crop performance.
• Irrigation of soilless crops (irrigation systems, adjustment of irrigation frequency and duration in soilless crops, uniformity of water supply, automation of irrigation in soilless crops, irrigation and O2 supply to plant roots in soilless crops).
• Special description of the cultivation techniques and nutritional needs of the main greenhouse vegetables and cut flowers grown in soilless cropping systems.
The objectives of the course “Soilless Culture” are the following: • To introduce the techniques of growing plants without soil and to the relevant terminology, • To outline the prerequisites and methods of applying soilless cultivation systems in commercial greenhouse production and explain their advantages and disadvantages with special emphasis on the environmental impacts, • To provide a sufficient background on a) the physical and chemical properties of horticultural substrates and b) the specific characteristics of the most important substrates, • To provide the necessary knowledge on the chemistry of nutrient solutions to the students and to enable them to calculate nutrient solutions of any desirable composition, • To provide sufficient knowledge background on the management of plant nutrition and irrigation in commercial soilless cropping systems, • To provide advanced knowledge on modern methods of nutrient and water recycling in closed-cycle soilless cultivation systems, • To provide the necessary knowledge on irrigation control and practices in soilless cropping systems
Suggested bibliography:
1. Savvas, D., Gianquinto, G.P., Tüzel, Y., Gruda, N., 2013. Soilless Culture. In: Good Agricultural Practices for Greenhouse Vegetable Crops. Principles for Mediterranean Climate Areas. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Plant Production and Protection Paper 217, Rome, pp. 303-354, (http://www.fao.org/3/a-i3284e.pdf).
2. Savvas, D., Gruda, N., 2018. Application of soilless culture technologies in the modern greenhouse industry - A review. European Journal of Horticultural Science 83, 280-293.
3. Raviv, M., Lieth, H.J., Bar-Tal., A. (eds). Soilless Culture: Theory and Practice. 2nd Edn. Academic Press, UK. 712 pp.
Related scientific journals:
1. Scientia Horticulturae
2. European Journal of Horticultural Science
3. Journal of Horticultural Science and Biotechnology
4. Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science
5. Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science
6. Agricultural Water Management
Dr. Andreas Ropokis is member of the Laboratory and Teaching Staff with expertise in “Vegetables”. Bachelor's […]
Dr. Georgia Ntatsi is an Associate Professor at the Laboratory of Vegetable Production, Agricultural University of Athens […]
