The course offers theoretical and applied knowledge about the cultivation of legumes and grass-forage plants. In particular, the content of the course includes the following sections:
- Introductory information on the cultivation of legumes. Distribution and economic importance. Symbiotic nitrogen fixation.
- Winter legumes (chickpeas, lentils, bitter vetch).
- Winter legumes (pea, vetch, broad bean).
- Fruiting legumes (lathyrus, lupin, beans).
- Summer legumes (groundnut, soybean).
- Forage summer legumes (alfalfa, clovers) and other legumes of Mediterranean and tropical-subtropical origin.
- Pastures and Grassland ecosystems. Current status of pastures and natural grasslands. Problems and management interventions.
- Classification of grassland species (botanical description). Elements of biology, ecology and reproduction. Breeding trends, new species and hybrids.
- Grassland management plans (Floral composition, Tillage, establishment of grasslands, fertilization, weed control, irrigation, harvesting, storage, mixtures of species, dynamics of its development, annual production and harvest, improvement of productive capacity of grasslands).
- Examples of natural grasslands with potential for exploitation. Modern models of grazing systems (Combined use of pastures, artificial grasslands and forest).
-Recommended literature:
-Μπιλάλης, Δ., Π.Θ. Παπαστυλιανού και Η.Σ. Τραυλός (2019). Γεωργία-Φυτά μεγάλης καλλιέργειας. Εκδόσεις Πεδίο.
- Summerfield, R.J. & A.H. Bunting (1980). Advances in Legume Science. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, UK.
- Duke, J.A. (1981). Handbook of legumes of world economic importance. Plenum Press, New York and London.
-Scientific journals: Agronomy Journal, Crop Science, Advances in Agronomy
Associate Professor of Agronomy & Weed Science and Vice-President of the European Weed Research Society (2024-2026)
