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Production of Horticultural Products I

Course developer

Prior knowledge

Biol1001, Botany

Biol3014, Plant Physiology I

Replaced course

LauZ3147 [GLAU3147] Production of Horticultural Products I

Course abstract

The aim of the course is to learn a diversity of fruit and berry plants, their ecological requirements, growing aspects, propagation methods and the growing of plants, and the quality production. In laboratory and practical works, students acquire an in-depth understanding of fruit and berry plants and practical skills in their propagation, growing, caring and quality assessment

Learning outcomes and their assessment

1.Know the classification, diversity, and biological properties of fruit and berry plants – test 1.
2.Know the methods of fruit and berry plant propagation, plant growing organization and technology, and the conditions for marketing them - test 2.
3.Know the fruit and berry garden design, establishment and care – test 3.
4.Are able to recognize and name (in Latvian or English, and Latin) fruit and berry plants, independently perform major work operations in the propagation and growing of plants, planting, caring, harvesting and crop quality assessment - laboratories and practical works.
5.Competent to study and collect information independently, to plan production of fruits and berries, to prepare presentations and to justify their decisions and views – individual work.

Course Content(Calendar)

Introduction (2 h)
1.Place of Fruit Production in the agricultural production system, its economic importance, its spotlight and perspective. The role of fruits and berries in human nutrition - 1 h
2.Classification and systematics of the fruit and berry plants – 1 h
II Fruit/berry plant diversity and biological properties (18 h)
3.Diversity and identification of fruit plants, including their names in Latvian or English, and in Latin – 4 h
4.Botanic and biological properties of different fruit and berry plants, their growing and use aspects – 4 h
5.Fruit plant structure, effects of fruit plant structure features on garden care, production and life - 1 h
6.Characteristics of fruit plant vegetation and dormancy periods, their effects on production and winter hardiness - 1 h
7.Fruit plant cultivars – 1 h
8.Evaluation of fruit yield, harvesting and storage of fruits and berries - 3 h
9.Quality analysis of fruits and berries. Conditions for high quality yield – 2 h
Test 1. Introduction. Fruit/berry plant diversity and biological properties -1 h
III Propagation of the fruit and berry plants (10 h)
10.Methods of generative and vegetative propagation of the horticultural plants - 1 h.
11.Propagation of fruit/berry plants with seeds — 1 h
12.Methods of vegetative propagation of horticultural plants by rooting- 2 h
13.Propagating of the horticultural plants by grafting – 3 h
14.Types of plant production: bare-roots plants, plants with closed root system. The technological process of plant production. Types of nurseries. Structure of nursery farms, selection of propagation material – 1 h.
15.Regulations regarding propagation material of horticultural plants. Certified and standard material. Plant passports – 1 h.
Test 2. Propagation of fruit/berry plants – 1 h
IV Fruit and berry garden establishment and maintenance (10 h)
16.Conditions for selection of fruit and berry orchard sites, orchards systems and establishment technological processes -4 h
17.Maintenance of soil and plants in the garden, special features of crown construction, depending on the species, rootstock, age of plants and type of garden - 4 h
Test 3. Fruit/berry orchard – 1 h
Workshop on Individual work – presentations on the production, quality and market situation of fruit/berry crops – 2 h
Presentation on Individual work – economic and technological plan for production of specific fruits and berries – 1 h.

List of Laboratory works:
• Fruit and berry plant identification and names in English and Latin.
• Root and shoot system of fruit and berry plants
• Fruit cultivars, their evaluation and principles of cultivar choice
• Harvesting time estimation of fruits
• Fruit quality evaluation according to market standards
• Fruit quality decrease – reasons and solutions

List of Practical works;
• Fruit and berry crops, their classification
• Fruit harvesting and calculation of yield parameters
• Propagation methods of fruit and berry crops. Propagation with seeds. Propagation with different cuttings
• Budding and grafting. Production of a grafted plant.
• Crown formation and pruning of fruit and berry plants. Garden systems.


Part-time extramural studies: All the topics intended for full-time studies are covered, yet the number of contact hours is ½ of the specified number of hours.

Requirements for awarding credit points

An exam.
Students who have successfully passed all tests, have developed and got credited practical and laboratory works and have successfully presented their Individual work (project and an essay) can take the exam.

Description of the organization and tasks of students’ independent work

1.Individual work: “Project of a commercial fruit/berry production”, including a brief overview of literature (2-3 pages), a description of the works to be carried out and costs, Gants diagram on garden establishment and maintenance, the potential volume of production to be obtained and the marketing directions, and evaluation of the financial results of the project.
The works shall be submitted in written form and presented to the student group at the seminar (presentation length 5 min.).
2.The assay – research on fruit/berry production, quality and market situation (10 min.). Work is presented to the student group at the seminar

Criteria for Evaluating Learning Outcomes

The final evaluation of the examination shall be the average mark from the examination and the tests written during the semester and the individual job marks.
It is possible to obtain the accumulating exam rating as the arithmetic mean from the tests written during the semester and the individual job marks, if their score is not lower than 7.
The laboratory, practical and individual works shall be evaluated in accordance with the procedures for assessment specified in the laboratory, practical and individual works tasks.

Compulsory reading

1.Augļkopība (2015). Red. L. Ikase. Dobeles novads: LV Augļkopības institūts, 544 lpp.
2.Temperate and Subtropical Fruit Production. (1999)/ Ed. by D. Jackson and Looney N. E. 2nd ed. Portland: Timber Press. 400 p.
3. Janick P., Janick J., Paull, Robert E. (2008) The Encyclopedia of Fruit & Nuts. Edited by J. Janick and R.E. Paull. Wallingford, UK; Cambridge, MA: CAB International, 954 p.

Further reading

1.Sudrabs J. (1960) Augļkopība. Rīga: LVI, 679. lpp (arī citi laidumi)
2.Skrīvele M., Ikase L. (2013). Latvijas ābeles. Rīga: Jumava, 136 lpp.
3.Kārkliņš J., Skrīvele M., Kaufmane E., Ikase L. (2007). Plūmju šķirnes. LVAI, Dobele, 204 lpp.
4.Kārkliņš J. (2004). Bumbieru šķirnes. Dobele, 299 lpp.
5.Ruisa S., Kaufmane E. (2008). Ķiršu, aprikožu un persiku šķirnes. Latvijas Pomoloģija, Izd. Latvijas Valsts Augļkopības institūts, 216 lpp.
6.I.Grāvīte (2016) Plūmes. Šķirnes, kopšana, padomi un receptes. Izdevniecība
7.Brūvelis A, Segliņa D. (2014) Smiltsērkšķis. Audzēšana, izmantošana, receptes AS Lauku avīze, 111.lpp.
8.Āboliņš M., Liepniece M., u.c. (2012) Lielogu dzērveņu audzēšana Zvaigzne ABC, 110.lpp.
9.Strautiņa S., Kalniņa I. (2019). Avenes un to audzēšana. Rīga: Jumava, 111 lpp.
10.Skrīvele M., Rubauskis E., Strautiņa S. (2011). Augļu koku un ogulāju veidošana. Rīga: Zvaigzne ABC, 96.lpp.

11.Valero, Daniel. (2010) Postharvest biology and technology for preserving fruit quality [elektroniskais resurss] / Daniel Valero and Maria Serrano. Boca Raton, Fla. : Taylor & Francis Group, 287 p.
13.Gough, Bob. (2007) An encyclopedia of small fruit [elektroniskais resurss] / Bob Gough. Binghamton, N.Y. : Haworth Food & Agricultural Products Press, 161 p.
14.Nursery management, tree propagation and marketing. (2013) Nairobi: World Agroforestry Centre, 60 p. http://old.worldagroforestry.org/downloads/Publications/PDFS/MN17565.pdf
15. Hartmann and Kester’s Plant Propagation: Principles and Practices, 9th Edition (2017). Fred T. Davies, Jr., Robert L. Geneve, and Sandra B. Wilson. Pearson Education, Inc., New York, 1004 p.

Periodicals and other sources

1.Acta Horticulturae ISSN: 0567-7572
2.Proceedings of the Latvian Academy of Sciences. Section B. Natural, Exact, and Applied Sciences. brīvpieejas informācijas avots: https://content.sciendo.com/view/journals/prolas/prolas-overview.xml?tab_body=overview
4.Zinātniski praktisko konferenču “Līdzsvarota Lauksaimniecība” rakstu krājumi (brīvpieejas): http://www.lf.llu.lv/lv/lidzsvarota-lauksaimnieciba
5.Žurnāls "Agrotops"
6.“Profesionālā Dārzkopība” - e-žurnāls (brīvpieejas): http://fruittechcentre.eu/lv/profesionala-darzkopiba
7.Fruit Quarterly - e-žurnāls (brīvpieejas): http://nyshs.org/fruit-quarterly/past-issues/
8.“Lauku Avīze” tematiskās avīzes
9.Plant Nursery Management: Principles and Practices. (2014) Ratha Krishnan, Rajwant K. Kalia, J.C. Tewari, M.M. Roy. Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Jodhpur, 40 p. http://www.cazri.res.in/publications/PRathaKrishnan.pdf

Notes

Field professional specialization course in study program Professional Bachelor of Agricultural Sciences, qualification Manager of Agricultural Production.