Advances in horticultural soilless culture

This collection reviews current research on optimising substrates for soilless cultivation and assesses recent advances in technologies, such as fertigation systems and process control. Case studies on a range of horticultural crops feature throughout as a means of depicting examples of practical application.

1.Soilless culture systems and growing media in horticulture: an overview: Nazim S. Gruda, University of Bonn, Germany;Part 1 Materials2.Advances in understanding plant root behaviour and rootzone management in soilless culture systems: Youbin Zheng, University of Guelph, Canada;3.Developments in inorganic materials, synthetic organic materials and peat in soilless culture systems: Jeb S. Fields, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, USA; and Nazim S. Gruda, University of Bonn, Germany;4.Developments in alternative organic materials for growing media in soilless culture systems: Nazim S. Gruda, University of Bonn, Germany;5.Understanding and optimizing the physical properties of growing media for soilless cultivation: Jean Caron, Université Laval, Canada; and Jean-Charles Michel, L'Institut Agro, France;6.Understanding and optimising the chemical properties of growing media for soilless cultivation: Patrizia Zaccheo and Laura Crippa, University of Milan, Italy; and Francesco Giuffrida, University of Catania, Italy;7.Understanding and optimising the biological properties of growing media for soilless cultivation: Francesco Giuffrida and Rosario Paolo Mauro, University of Catania, Italy; and Patrizia Zaccheo, University of Milan, Italy;Part 2 Technologies8.Advances in liquid- and solid-medium soilless culture systems: Yüksel Tüzel, Ege University, Turkey; and Astrit Balliu, Agricultural University of Tirana, Albania;9.Advances in irrigation/fertigation techniques in greenhouse soilless culture systems (SCS): Georgios Nikolaou and Damianos Neocleous, Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, Cyprus; and Evangelini Kitta and Nikolaos Katsoulas, University of Thessaly, Greece;10.Advances in nutrient management modelling and nutrient concentration prediction for soilless culture systems: Jung Eek Son, Tae In Ahn and Taewon Moon, Seoul National University, Korea;11.Advanced hydroponics design for plant cultivation in cities: Giuseppina Pennisi, Alessandro Pistillo, Elisa Appolloni, Francesco Orsini and Giorgio Gianquinto, DISTAL - University of Bologna, Italy;12.Optimizing product quality in soilless culture systems (SCS): Pietro Santamaria, Barbara De Lucia and Angelo Signore, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Italy;Part 3 Case studies13.Advances in soilless cultivation of tomatoes and other fruit vegetables: V. Truffault, Futura Gaïa, France; and E. Legast, Centre Technique Interprofessionnel des Fruits et Légumes (CTIFL), France;14.Advances in soilless culture strawberry production: Mike Nichols, formerly Massey University, New Zealand;15.Advances in soilless culture of ornamentals: Erik van Os and Arca Kromwijk, Wageningen University & Research, The Netherlands;