97298 - Ornamental Plants Cultivation Techniques

Learning outcomes

At the end of the teaching, the student knows the technical and functional characteristics of several protection structures, air conditioning systems and the best cultivation system of the main ornamental horticultural crops (e.g. cut flower and flowering pot plants), in accordance with the pedoclimatic needs of species and the economic context. The student also has physiological and technical knowledge on the propagation and production of starting material for the main tree, shrub and ornamental herbaceous species. The student can set and manage cultivation plans for programmed production of ornamental plants in a protected environment and in open field, with high quality standards and low environmental impact.

Course contents

1st Part- General aspects (45 hours including 13 hours for practical activities)

Ornamental plant production (5 hours)

 Update national and international importance of cut flower, pot plant, woody plants and nursery production, estimated area trend, growing systems, types and quality of crops. Planned and seasonal growing cycles. Practical activities: Visit to companies and sales centers for ornamental plants.

Greenhouse structures and management ( 15 hours)

Interaction between indoor climatic conditions and physiological plant responses. Temporary and permanent greenhouses. Greenhouse climate control: heating, cooling, ventilation, humidity control, carbon dioxide enrichment and artificial lighting. Energy efficiency and saving. Benching. Watering and fertilization systems for container and field growing.

Practical activities: Visit to companies with modern examples of greenhouse.

Soilless growing and regulation of the plant architecture (7 hours): Choose of substrates in accordance to their chemical and physical properties, plant requirements and growing systems. Hydro and aeroponic systems. Growth regulators for canopy architetture control and flowering planning.

Practical activities: mixing and evaluation of substrates for potplants and propagation, inside the greenhouses of the University (Imola).

 

Propagation (18 hours):

References to physiology and techniques for gamic and agamic propagation (seeding, cutting, budding, grafting, micropropagation) and management of nursery production. Root pruning techniques and timing. Quality and certification of nursery materials. Plant variety right and protection.

Practical activities: propagation activity inside the greenhouses of the  University.

 

2nd Part: Ornamental species growing (35 hours including 15 hours for practical activities)

Cultivar identification, soil and climatic requirements, propagation, sustainable growing systems and production planning for cut flower species (model plants: rose, chrysanthemum, orchids, geophytes), flowering pot plants (bedding plants, geranium, poinsettia, anthurium, phalaenopsis), ornamental foliage plants (e.g. Araceae, Moraceae, Maranthaceae), perennials and bedding plants.
Practical activities: visit to companies for growing and marketing of ornamental plants (e.g. gardencenters and nurseries), and direct activity of potted plant growing in greenhouse and comparison between media and phytoregulators.

 

Readings/Bibliography

PPT presentations, used during lectures and supplied by the professor by VIRTUALE-UNIBO.

For the investigation of specific subjects in accordance with the programme (books available in the library):

Florovivaismo. Principi e tecniche, di V. Scariot, S. De Pascale, A. Ferrante (a cura di), Edagricole, 2022.

Bakker J. C., Bot G. P. A., Challa H., Van de Braak N. J., Greenhouse climate control . Wageningen Pers, 1995

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.

Specific data sheets on plant growing, published by Clamer informa.

For species identification:

Phillips R., Rix M., Bulbs. Pan Books Ltd. London

Phillips R., Rix M., Conservatory and indoor plants. Vol. 1 e 2. Pan Books Ltd. London.

Pollock M., Griffiths M., Illustrated dictionary of gardening. RHS, London 2005.

Bibliografic information on specific subjects will be supplied on demand.

Teaching methods

Class lectures, practical activity inside the greenhouses in Imola, visits to commercial and experimental greenhouses, nurseries and gardens to discuss about the use and management of ornamental plants. The activity in the greenhouses of Department and nurseries will contribute to species identification.

Assessment methods

The evaluation takes into account the level of knowledge and skills acquired by the student in relation to the contents of the 1st and 2nd part and his ability to elaborate information and solve practical case.

The exam includes:

- written test about species identification. The student has to botanically identify 15 plants (genus and species) represented by photos or as plant in vivo. The species to be identified are limited to those treated in lessons. Test time: 30 min. Minimum number of right identifications: 10 species. Passing the written test is the limiting requirement for the next oral part of examination.

Right identification of the 15 species involves the acquisition of 6 points.

- oral exam including 2 questions (two on ornamental trees), aimed to verify the student's ability to process 1 and 2 parts together, to choose matherials and growing systems in accordance with plant physiology, growing cycle, market requirements and economic aspects.

The oral exam is about 60 minutes long.

Each of the 2 questions involves the acquisition of 6 points

Practical activities are usefull but not essential for the exam and could be replaced by alternative activities, after agreement with professor.

Teaching tools

Projector and PC for lectures; glass-greenhouses ( in Imola-Scarabelli) for practical activity on propagation and comparison between substrates and phytoregulators for the cultivation of ornamental plants. 2 guided tours to nurseries, marketing companies, experimental fields are also scheduled. The planned practical activities are useful for the species botanical identification, too.

Office hours

See the website of Maria Eva Giorgioni