PREFACE

ISHS Acta Horticulturae 267: VI Symposium on the Timing of Field Production of Vegetables

PREFACE

Author:

P. Dekker

Abstract:
This was the sixth symposium organized under the auspices of the ISHS working group 'Timing field production of vegetables'. Twenty years ago the first symposium of the working group was also organized in the Netherlands and the convenor of the first symposium, Jan van Kampen, now chairman of the Section for Vegetables spoke the opening address. The symposium was held at the International Agricultural Centre in Wageningen and 75 participants from 25 countries informed each other about the newest results of research.

The symposium theme 'Controlling growth and quality of field vegetables to meet the requirements of the market' was subdivided in 4 sessions:

Production and cultivation techniques
Seeds, transplants and plant establishment
Physiological aspects of timing
Use of models in field vegetables growing

The last session was opened with an invited paper with a review of the use of models in field vegetable production. The last years there is an increasing interest in the use of models as a tool to integrate the several factors affecting the outcome of field vegetable production. In total 35 papers and 15 posters were presented.

In addition, a day's excursion was arranged to the Fruit and Vegetable Auction and the Regional Experimental Station both in Zwaagdijk and the Research Station for Arable Farming and Production of Field Vegetables (PAGV) in Lelystad. During a half day excursion in Wageningen one group of participants visited the Department of Horticulture of the Agricultural University and the Institute of Agricultural Engineering (IMAG) and the other group the Centre for Agrobiological Research (CABO) and the Institute for Horticultural Plant Breeding (IVT).

De symposium dinner got an extra dimension by the presentation of Willem Brandenburg, who told about the history of vegetables illustrated by beautiful pictures of ancient Dutch paintings.

A special word of thanks regards the members of Management Bureau of the International Agricultural Centre, their kindful assistance was an essential contribution for the smooth progress of the symposium and a special word of thanks for the sponsoring that was given by:

Central Bureau of Fruit and Vegetable Auctions (CBT)
Commodity Board for Fruit and Vegetables (PGF)
Dutch Horticultural Seed Trade Association (NTZ)

Last but not least the organizers are extremely grateful for the enthusiastic and eminent cooperation of the participants and the quality of their presentations who made altogether this symposium to a success.

We look forward to the next symposium in 1993.

Peter Dekker
Chairman of the Organizing Committee