ISHS Acta Horticulturae 401: International Symposium on Growing Media & Plant Nutrition in Horticulture
FOREWORD |
| Author: | C. Sonneveld |
| Abstract:
The International Symposium on Growing Media and Plant Nutrition in Horticulture was organized at the Glasshouse Crops Research Station at Naaldwijk in The Netherlands, by the department of Plant Nutrition and Substrates. The Research Station is a convenient place to organize such a symposium, as this institute is situated in the Westland area, the most intensive glasshouse district of the world. Furthermore, the institute has a conference room with excellent equipment for presentations and guests may be lodged in a very good hotel at walking distance. The symposium was attended by 133 participants from different countries spread all over the world, many more than on most of the symposia organized every other year by the working group. This unexpectedly great participation unfortunately forced us to refuse some very (too) late applications, because of lack of space in the conference room and of the capacity in the hotel. Beside the main programme, there was also a special partner programme, attended by 10 people. The proceedings of the symposium reflect the issues under discussion during the 60 oral and 40 poster presentations. Main issues were the physical and chemical aspects of substrates and plant nutrition. A restricted number of papers dealt with environmental aspects and with water supply. Next to the lecture and poster programme several excursions were organized to holdings with the production of vegetables, cut flowers or potplants grown on substrates. Two potting-compost enterprises in Moerdijk and in Delft were visited. Also some sightseeing projects were part of the excursion programme, like a windmill in operation, the Horticultural Museum in the Westland district and the Storm Surge Barrier in the Delta of Zeeland. Thanks are due to both Dr. O. Verdonck, Belgium, chairman of the Commission for Plant substrates and Dr. F. Lemaire, France, chairman of the Working Group on Substrates other than Soil in situ, for their support during the symposium. Thanks also to the managing board of the Glasshouse Crops Research Station for their willingness to give us the opportunity to organize the symposium at such a convenient place. The sponsors supplied the symposium with valuable contributions, which provided the organizing committee with extra opportunities. At the end of the symposium it was announced that Dr.
Verdonck resigned as chairman of the Commission for Plant substrates and that Dr.
Lemaire would take his place.
Dr.
W.R. Carlile, from UK, was announced as the new chairman of the Working Group on substrates in Horticulture other than soil in situ. With his task he will be supported by Mrs.
S. Burés from Spain and Mr.
C. Sonneveld from The Netherlands.
The group decided that the next symposium is organised in two years in Germany by Dr.
P. Fischer and in three years in Canada/USA by Dr.
Papadopoulus from Harrow in Canada.
With the organisation of the latter it will be tried to involve national organisations for soilless culture from other continents than Europe, to spread the response more worldwide.
I would like to wish the conveners and their teams all the best in the organization of these future meetings. | |
