Innovative system of plant production

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.

A tour of at least half a day is also planned. The aim is to confront students with real situations encountered in the field. The urban farms visited are either in Brussels or in Wallonia, depending on the news of the farms.

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 production chain aspects) and field visits, e.g. in a research center (Ormeignies) or in 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

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.

3. Identify the context and reality of urban farms.

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.

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

Urban agriculture

Lectures: 8 hours

Tour : 4 hours

Personal work: 12 hours

Developmental physiology applied to plant productions

Lectures - seminars: 3/4 of the teaching time
Field visits: 1/4 of the teaching time

Physical parameters control of plant productions in controlled conditions

Lecture and practical works

Urban agriculture

Face-to-face thanks to a tool box

Developmental physiology applied to plant productions

Face-to-face course


Additional information:

Face-to-face + possible Podcasting through Teams

Physical parameters control of plant productions in controlled conditions

Face-to-face

Urban agriculture

The vertical farm : feeding the world in the 21th century, (2011) Dr Dickson Despommier, ed Picador

Developmental physiology applied to plant productions

Slides, texts and articles uploaded on the eCampus platform

Urban agriculture

Any session :

- In-person

written exam ( open-ended questions )

- Remote

written exam ( open-ended questions )

- If evaluation in "hybrid"

preferred remote


Additional information:

Written examination: 100%

Developmental physiology applied to plant productions

Written exam

Physical parameters control of plant productions in controlled conditions

Based on on a project handed written and defended orally

Urban agriculture

Prof. JIJAKLI Haissam ULg, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech Bât. 47, avenue Maréchal Juin 5030 Gembloux +32 81 622431 mh.jijakli@ulg.ac.be

Developmental physiology applied to plant productions

Dr Pierre Delaplace (pierre.delaplace@uliege.be)

Developmental physiology applied to plant productions

Course contents
All the pedagogical resources used in this course are downloadable from the corresponding folder on the online teaching platform eCampus.