VEGE0037-1 : Innovative system of plant production

Study Programmes 2016-2017

VEGE0037-1

Innovative system of plant production

Urban agriculture
Developmental physiology applied to plant productions
Physical parameters control of plant productions in controlled conditions

Duration :

Urban agriculture : 24h Th, 12h Pr
Developmental physiology applied to plant productions : 16h Th, 6h FT
Physical parameters control of plant productions in controlled conditions : 12h Th

Number of credits :

Master in agricultural bioengineering (120 ECTS)		6

Lecturer :

Urban agriculture : Haissam Jijakli
Developmental physiology applied to plant productions : Pierre Delaplace
Physical parameters control of plant productions in controlled conditions : Vincent Leemans

Coordinator :

Haissam Jijakli

Language(s) of instruction :

French language

Organisation and examination :

Teaching in the second semester

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite :

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Learning unit contents :

Urban agriculture

Theoretical course: In the first part of this teaching, urban agriculture and horticulture will be defined. Then, actual activities in urban and suburban horticultural productions will be listed and characterized for temperate and tropical regions. In a second time, needs in urban agriculture development will be discussed (food supplying, ecological, economic and social functions) and examples will be showed trough some international practical cases.
Cases study: Students (in groups) will make a bibliographic review over one mode of urban horticulture (roof vegetalization, basement production, community garden) an imagine the development of one of them for a Belgian city, taking every aspect into account (social, ecological, economical, technical, legislative...). The conclusions of the work are presented with both a written report and an oral presentation.

Developmental physiology applied to plant productions

Plant development is studied in order to establish the physiological basics of the Module. Hence, the control of (1) the germination (seed types, storage conditions, stratification, dormancy break), (2) the vegetative development (genetics, hormonal aspects linked to the caulino-foliar axis and the root system, phototropism, propagation by cuttings, pruning), (3) the reproduction process (photoperiodism, thermoperiodism, vernalization) and (4) the post-harvest storage (illustrating the ageing and senescence concepts, the associated losses and their causes) are presented in a fundamental and applied way. The lectures will be completed by seminars (e.g., on the monitoring of plant development thanks to phenomics tools) and two field visits in a research center (Proefcentrum Hoogstraten) and the Centre Fruitier Wallon (Merdorp) in order to illustrate the application of these notions under realistic conditions (greenhouse culture and arboriculture).

Physical parameters control of plant productions in controlled conditions

The lecture aims to lean air conditionning and lighting regulation techniques for indoor crops

Learning outcomes of the learning unit :

Urban agriculture

The objectives are: 1. To give a global view of the production systems in urban horticulture (essentially in temperate conditions). 2. To demonstrate the complexity of the setting up of those systems, taking social, economic, ecological, technical and legislative constraints into account.

Developmental physiology applied to plant productions

At the end of this course, the student will be able to :

Master the physiological basics of plant development and apply them to concrete case studies linked to germination, vegetative development, reproduction and post-harvest storage;
Design a production system under controlled conditions based on the physiological characteristics of the crop, the production constraints and the market expectations;
Define the storage conditions of harvested products according to their own characteristics and the considered outlets;
Perceive in an objective way the ground-truths linked to the production of plants under controlled conditions.

Physical parameters control of plant productions in controlled conditions

The lecture concern notions of regulation, the analysis of the components and their functioning and sizing of elements.

Prerequisite knowledge and skills :

Urban agriculture

Plant Sciences (Botanic or equivalent) et Plant Composition (or equivalent)

Developmental physiology applied to plant productions

BIOL2044-1 - Plant Physiology (Block 3, BAC Q1)
AGRO0002-1 - Crop fertilization and nutition (Block 3, BAC Q2)
INGE0008-1 - Multidisciplinary project (Block 3, BAC all year)

Physical parameters control of plant productions in controlled conditions

Climatology, applied thermodynamic

Planned learning activities and teaching methods :

Urban agriculture

Lectures: 12 hours Personal work: 12 hours

Developmental physiology applied to plant productions

Lectures - seminars: 12h
Field visits: 12h

Physical parameters control of plant productions in controlled conditions

Lecture and practical works

Mode of delivery (face-to-face ; distance-learning) :

Urban agriculture

Face-to-face thanks to a tool box

Developmental physiology applied to plant productions

Face-to-face

Physical parameters control of plant productions in controlled conditions

Face-to-face