ISHS Acta Horticulturae 339: Workshop on Ecological Aspects of Vegetable Fertilization in Integrated Crop Production in the Field
Foreword |
| Authors: | C.A.M. Portas, W. Müller |
| Abstract:
Vegetables constitute an increasingly important part of our diet; this is true for the general public as well as for groups with special dietary requirements. There is therefore a demand for a broad range of vegetables to satisfy not only the basic nutritional needs of people living in industrialised and third world countries but also to meet the requirements of health-conscious consumers, weight-watchers, athletes, etc. A wide variety of vegetables is required and these must be products of high quality. In addition, an adequate supply of fresh products at reasonable prices should be available. Last but not least, it is essential that the sustainability of the production system is ensured. In order to achieve these goals we need a production system which can be adopted by the majority of growers around the world. A system in which an attempt is being made to reach this level of acceptance is integrated crop production. The integrated crop production system is not yet fully developed. For both the scientist and the vegetable grower there are still many obstacles which have to be overcome on the road to an ideal production system. Many different physiological aspects need to be considered. It is not an easy task to develop a reliable system which safeguards the environment and minimizes nutrient loss, while producing vegetables of the highest quality. It is to be hoped that the results presented at this workshop will soon benefit both growers and consumers worldwide. | |
