FOREWORD AND PREFACE

FOREWORD

This meeting is organised within the framework of COST action 924 of the European Science Foundation. The aim of Working Group 5 of COST action 924 is to develop modelling tools for integration and management of the whole horticultural food chain. For proper chain management, good and reliable predictive models covering all kind of aspects are necessary to control and optimise the food chain with respect to quality and safety. To this end good, reliable and generic models need to be developed. The working group decided to organise Model-IT 2005 to serve as a meeting place for industry and research, facilitating the application of models throughout the chain. To enhance knowledge transfer from all application areas, Model-IT 2005 aimed at the wider agri-food chain, from cultivation of raw agricultural materials up to and including storage, retail and consumption of the finished products. Upon this platform we seeked and found new concepts of modelling in the agro-food chain, the integration of expertise towards a more efficient experimental approach, the input of innovative methodologies in this field of research, and practical, model-based applications.

This volume of Acta Horticulturae contains all papers which were presented at Model-IT 2005. In line with the previous Model-IT conferences in Wageningen (The Netherlands) and Massey (New Zealand) we have worked hard to make it available at the start of Model-IT. We believe that this volume provides a blueprint of the current state of modelling in the agri-food chain, and hope that it will be a source of inspiration to students and researchers in industry and academia.

The organisation of Model-IT 2005 would not have been possible without the financial support and sponsorship of COST, ISHS, the IIR, the F.W.O. Vlaanderen, Fluent Benelux, Comsol BV, and SAS Institute Inc. We are very grateful for their support. We also would like to thank Bert Vandebosch – without his editing and formatting skills we would not have reached the publisher’s deadline.

Bart Nicolaï, Maarten Hertog, Pol Tijskens
The conveners

PREFACE

The papers contained in this volume of Acta Horticulturae report the proceedings of Model-IT 2005, the 3rd International Symposium on Applications of Modelling as an Innovative Technology in the Agri-Food-Chain. Keynote speakers and authors of selected contributed oral and poster presentations were given the opportunity to submit a manuscript for publication.

Submitted manuscripts were reviewed by the Editors and Members of the Editorial Board and amended according to the referee suggestions prior to acceptance. The ISHS acknowledges the cooperation received from the Editors on reviewing the manuscripts which was a significant contribution to the overall quality of the publication.

The ISHS Board of Directors