ISHS Acta Horticulturae 379: International Symposium on Quality of Fruit and Vegetables: Influence of Pre- and Post- Harvest Factors and Technology
QUALITY HORTICULTURAL EDUCATION - A PREREQUISITE FOR QUALITY FRUIT AND VEGETABLE PRODUCTION |
| Author: | M. A. Nichols |
| Abstract:
The 21st Century is likely to place high demands on horticultural product quality. Quality will only not involve the appearance of the product, but also its keeping quality and taste. These demands will not be achieved without a well educated and trained horticultural work-force; from the scientist at the bench to the producer in the field. Their task will be to ensure not only the production of high quality fruit and vegetables, but also that this quality is retained throughout the marketing chain by appropriate handling, cool chain and transportation systems. This will place considerable strain on the ability of institutions to educate and train students effectively and efficiently. The proliferation of scientific knowledge which has occurred this century poses major problems to educators who have to determine what is the critical information that students require, and what can be studied independently after graduation. In the final analysis the requirement is likely to be for students to have received a broad training in the sciences and technologies which relate to horticulture, along with the opportunities to develop skills in communication, be computer literate, and, most important, to have developed problem solving skills. This type of training is unlikely to be available within the context of a Science degree or even an "Agriculture degree", as the limited time available is unlikely to allow arable crops, pastures, and animal science to be studied at the same time as a broad training in horticulture is obtained. Thus specialised horticultural degrees are necessary, even though some of the basic core courses (such as Soil Science, Economics, Botany, and so on) must be similar if not the same. Because of the importance of quality for the consumer an essential part of such a programme must be the link between production and postharvest. | |
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